THE 2010 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (April 30 to May 3) has moved the event forward by a day to culminate on the Spring Bank Holiday Monday.

This was initially to avoid television clashes with other sporting events but has had an added benefit of featuring major sport action on a holiday long weekend, with the famous cross country taking place on Sunday for the first time.

In traditional form Hugh Thomas’s course will go in the reverse direction to last year’s route in the Duke of Beaufort’s magnificent Gloucestershire park.

Spectators will enjoy clusters of obstacles, which have become the feature of modern course design and course building is well under way.

While most of the international competitors will have their sights set on selection for September’s World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, the 2009 Mitsubishi Motors Trophy holder, Oliver Townend, may not defend his title as he will take whatever horsepower he can summon to Kentucky the previous week in an attempt to win the Rolex Grand Slam.

However, he will have to weigh this up against another try for the HSBC FEI Classics series prizes, which depend on good results in as many of the five Classics events as possible.

2010 sees the added attraction of the Mitsubishi Motors Grass Roots Championships on the hallowed turf, in conjunction with the main event, with the cross country course being designed by James Willis.

This innovation will increase what Thomas describes as the ‘Badminton family’ and add to the inclusive atmosphere of the event.

The Grassroots cross country will take place on Friday, April 30, the first dressage day of the international competition.

As ever there will be an enormous array of trade stands and watering holes, from pub type bars to the elegance of the Members Marquee.

Badminton, as usual, has a designated charity, and for 2010 it is World Horse Welfare, formerly known as the ILPH, which does superb work around the globe, especially on the humane transport of slaughter horses and education in countries where horses are still working animals.

The public box office opens on Monday, January 11 when all tickets are available online at www.badminton-horse.co.uk.