You might be feeling weary on the eventing front this month after a high-octane Burghley and the World Equestrian Games. But with one of the most impressive settings on the circuit and top riders set to contend, it would be a mistake to bypass this weekend’s Blenheim Horse Trials (11-14 September) in Oxfordshire.
Get the facts and figures here:
- A large contingent of overseas riders are heading to Blenheim this year — 15 nations will be represented including riders from Austria, Switzerland, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
- A crowd of 60,000 eventing fans is expected to visit the Oxfordshire event over the course of the four days.
- Laura Collett on Jitterbug clearing 1.65m in 2012 is the highest a competitor has jumped bareback in Blenheim’s fun jumping competitions.
- Three former winners of Blenheim’s eight-/nine- year-old British Championship have gone on to four-star wins. They are NZB Land Vision (Badminton) Oslo (Pau) and Quimbo (Lexington).
- The record for the most number of CCI3* Blenheim wins to date is held by Pippa Funnell — who won in 1993, 1995, 2003, 2004.
- Today (Friday 12 September) the CCI3* and CIC3* 8-and 9-year-old horse dressage will be in action, along with the Brightwells elite event horse auction and the Pony Club eventer challenge. And there will be free entry to the shopping village after 4pm.
- On Saturday (13 September) you can enjoy the CCI3* cross-country, the CIC3* 8-and 9-year-old horse showjumping and the eventer’s high jump challenge.
- The competition reaches a climax on Sunday (14 September) with the CCI3* showjumping and CIC3* 8-and 9-year-old horse cross-country — as well as the master’s gate jumping challenge.
For more information about the event, including ticket prices and how to get there, visit www.blenheim-horse.co.uk
‘Ride’ around the 2013 CCI3* Blenheim cross-county course with Francis Whittington [VIDEO]
Don’t miss our Blenheim report in the 18 September issue of Horse & Hound magazine
