Blair Castle Horse Trials

The Land Rover Blair Castle Horse Trials took place each August in Scotland until its final running in 2024. The event had one of the most beautiful and dramatic settings of any horse trials in the world, with the main site nestled in a natural bowl in the Perthshire mountains. Blair’s shining white castle provided the backdrop to the main arena.

The cross-country course was renowned for being strong at all levels, with horses needing good fitness to climb up and down the Scottish hills. The event used to hold international classes from CCI4*-L to CCI*, plus the Scottish grassroots championships at BE100open and BE90open levels. There was also showing and affiliated showjumping, a country fair with displays and attractions, and more than 220 trade stands on site.

Blair Castle Horse Trials was famed for its Scottish hospitality with features such as whisky tasting and ceilidh dancing in the eventings for competitors.

In 2015, Blair Castle hosted the European Eventing Championships. Germany won the team gold, with Britain in silver and France taking the bronze.

Michael Jung claimed the individual gold – his third in a row – on Takinou, with fellow German Sandra Auffarth landing silver on Opgun Louvo. France’s Thibaut Vallette led the French effort with individual bronze on Qing Du Briot IFCE.