RIO Olympic gold medallist Michael Jung, from Germany, and silver medallist Astier Nicolas, of France, with their Olympic horses, head the high class list of entries for the 2017 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials this May.

Jung is also defending the title he won in 2016, when Badminton was his third and final winning leg of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing.

Fourteen nations will be represented this year. In addition to Jung, there are six previous winners of the trophy.

These are Mark Todd (New Zealand), Paul Tapner, Andrew Hoy and Sam Griffiths (all Australia), Pippa Funnell and Oliver Townend (Great Britain).

As usual, the 85 horses with the most points won in top international competition over the past two years have been accepted, leaving 36 on the waiting list this time.

Other entries of note include Andrew Nicholson (New Zealand) looking for his first win. He brings Nereo and Qwanza to the event.

Gemma Tattersall, third last year with Arctic Soul, Kitty King with her Olympic ride Ceylor LAN, Tina Cook with a choice of two from three entries (Calvino II, Billy the Red and Star Witness), Nicola Wilson, for so long a member of the British team, who is bringing Annie Clover, former Olympic and World champion Blyth Tait (New Zealand); Christopher Burton (Australia) Burghley winner in 2016, Ingrid Klimke with her Rio team silver medallist Horseware Hale Bob, second at Badminton in 2015.

The draw for the starting order will, for the first time, be shown on Facebook Live on Tuesday April 18.

New course designer Eric Winter’s cross country course will be unveiled at a Preview Day and on the Badminton website on Wednesday April 12.

The event starts with the Mitsubishi Motors Cup for amateur riders on Wednesday May 3, followed by two days of international event dressage, the cross country on Saturday May 6 and show jumping and prizegiving on the final day of competition, Sunday May 7.