Badminton Proved the Form — The Numbers Proved the Greatness

Colorado Blue just made Irish eventing history. At age 16, after another podium finish at Badminton, he now holds the highest Elo ever recorded by an Irish horse — 787. That result, backed by a 102 High Performance Rating (HPR), nudges him past legends like Horseware Stellor Rebound, Leonidas II, and Mr Chunky in the all-time rankings.

But this moment has been building for years — from a podium at Badminton in 2023 to that unforgettable win at Maryland five-star, which ended a 58-year wait for an Irish five-star winner. Colorado Blue — or Salty to those who know him best — has built one of the most consistent and high-quality careers in Irish eventing history.

Now comes the big question: where does the best Irish horse in history go next?

A record-breaking Badminton

Let’s start with the numbers. At Badminton 2025, Colorado Blue opened with a 30.8 in the dressage, then delivered one of just six clear, inside-the-time rounds on cross-country day. He added just 0.4 time penalties in the show jumping to finish on 31.2 — good enough for third place at one of the toughest five-stars in the world, and the best Irish finishing score in Badminton history.

But it wasn’t just about the scoreboard. This result delivered a huge jump in the metrics that matter. Salty’s Elo rating climbed 32 points — from 755 to 787 — the highest ever recorded for an Irish horse. He rises to number twelve in the world — a testament to the form of this combination on the international stage. His HPR of 102 ties the best ever by an Irish combination at the top level — a mark previously reached only by Mr Chunky at Tryon in 2018.

What is Elo? And what is HPR?

Elo is a rating system that tracks how strong a horse’s results are over time — kind of like a world ranking, but based on performance quality, not just placings. Big results in tough fields send your Elo up faster. Smaller wins or mistakes in easier company might hold you steady or even knock you down. It’s how we measure long-term class.

HPR or High Performance Rating, is different. It tells us how good that one result was. Think of it like a “wow score” for a single performance — the higher the number, the better the round. It looks at things like the field strength, the difficulty of the course, and how well the horse delivered across the board.

Put simply: Elo tells you how good the horse is. HPR tells you how good the day was.

Who are the all-time Irish greats?

Colorado Blue might be the new number one, but he’s in seriously good company. Ireland’s top Elo horses have delivered some unforgettable performances — from world silver medals to big four-star wins.

“It’s a massive accolade when you look at all the great Irish horses over the last decade,” Austin said, reflecting on the milestone.

Here’s a look at the other horses who’ve made it into the all-time Irish top ten:

2. Horseware Stellor Rebound (Sarah Ennis, Elo 769)
Horseware Stellor Rebound was a true team horse for Ireland, playing a key role in their silver medal at the World Equestrian Games with a 5th-place individual finish. His highest-rated performance came later in his career, winning Ballindenisk CCI4*-S in 2021 with a HPR of 101. This result proves just how much quality Rocket had — even at 17 years old.

3. Leonidas II (Padraig McCarthy, Elo 765)
Though originally campaigned by Mark Todd, Leonidas’ Irish highlight came at Ballindenisk 2021, finishing 4th with a HPR of 95 and a typically reliable cross-country record. His Elo strength was built on consistently sub-30 dressage and nearly unbeatable jumping stats.

4. Mr Chunky (Padraig McCarthy, Elo 728)
Mr Chunky's Tryon 2018 performance was his crown jewel. A 27.2 dressage, clear XC, and clean SJ for 2nd place and a 102 HPR. That’s the same HPR Colorado Blue just earned at Badminton.

5. Cooley Rorkes Drift (Jonty Evans, Elo 718)
A fan favourite, Art was quietly consistent for years — until he lit up Belton 2018 with a win. That result earned a HPR of 97, in a deep international field.

6. Rioghan Rua (Cathal Daniels, Elo 706)
A model of consistency for Team Ireland, Rioghan Rua came through the junior and young rider ranks with a string of championship medals. She went on to post multiple HPRs over 100, marking her out as one of Ireland’s most proven team performers.

7. Calmaro (Joseph Murphy, Elo 695)
Calmaro’s performance peak is more recent. His Elo reflects a steady climb, built on consistent top-10 placings at 4* level. He also lined up at Badminton this year, helping Joseph Murphy to his tenth Badminton completion — another milestone in an already impressive partnership.

8. Imperial Sky (Sam Watson, Elo 679)
Imperial Sky was a podium regular, thanks to his clear rounds and reliably low dressage scores. In his final six international appearances, he never finished lower than second place — a run of form that speaks for itself.

9. Euro Prince (Clare Abbott, Elo 678)
Euro Prince delivered a string of strong four-star results, including Belton 2016 and 2017, where he earned HPRs of 94 and 95 despite finishing 10th and 11th. The fields were so deep that even without a podium, those performances still ranked among the best on paper. A top-10 finish at Pau 5* helped cement his place — and pushed Euro Prince and Clare Abbott into Ireland’s all-time top 10.

10. Halltown Harley (Georgie Goss, Elo 674)
Halltown Harley's high point came at Burnham Market in 2021, where he delivered clear jumping phases and finished on 34.8 for a HPR of 92. What pushed him into Ireland’s all-time top 10? Longevity and consistency — a horse who kept delivering at four-star level season after season.

Where should Colorado Blue and Austin O'Connor go next?

Austin’s not dwelling on the past.

“In this game — and I suppose in all sport — you’re only as good as your last win, so we just have to keep thinking forward,” Austin says.

If it’s the FEI European Championships, Austin would bring serious value to the Irish team. He’s a proven performer under pressure, and Salty  has been Ireland’s top finisher at both Tokyo and Paris, consistently delivering when it matters most.

But individually winning Europeans takes a low-20s dressage. The last three champions all started on sub-26 scores — going as low as JL Dublin's 20.9 at Avenches in 2021. Salty tends to trend in the low 30s, which could leave him chasing the leaders early.

For a team chasing medals? That kind of consistency is gold.
For the individual win? That’s a tougher call.

But if it’s Burghley, Colorado Blue might just win.

The numbers back it up. Salty's 102 HPR from Badminton would have been good enough to win 12 of the last 15 Burghley's. The only horses who’ve posted higher are some of the sport’s true legends — and all three have done the double - won both Badminton and Burghley:

• Michael Jung & La Biosthetique Sam FBW (2015) – HPR of 103
• Piggy March & Vanir Kamira (2022) – HPR of 106
• Ros Canter & Lordships Graffalo (2024) – HPR of 107

If Colorado Blue and Austin O'Connor head to Burghley in this form, they won’t just be in the mix — they will be a serious contender for the win.

What Would You Do?

This is a rare but exciting dilemma for Austin's team. The top-rated Irish horse of all time is still in peak form. But with age and strategy in play, the decision matters.

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