British rider Bubby Upton took pole position on day one of the Mars Badminton Horse Trials just nine months after undergoing major spinal surgery.
The 25-year-old leads aboard Cola on a score of 27.3 penalties halfway through the dressage phase.
And it represented a spectacular return to eventing’s elite five-star arena as she put the trials and tribulations from a serious fall last summer well and truly behind her.
“If you had told me in August that I would be here at Badminton, I wouldn’t have believed it after what we have been through,” she said.
“It is very magical. Just being here is a dream come true.
“When I started riding at the start of the year, I kept falling off at the side and my first jump was very painful.
“But I just kept pushing and never stopped dreaming, and when I am doing what I love, the pain goes away.”
Further down the leaderboard, 2006 world champion Zara Tindall lies 24th aboard Class Affair, and three-time Badminton champion Pippa Funnell is in 35th place on Majas Hope.
Ros Canter launches her bid to successfully defend the Badminton title – a feat not achieved since Funnell did it in 2003 – on Friday, when other notable starters include British Olympic team gold medallist Laura Collett, an in-form Emily King and New Zealander Tim Price.
