The Golden Button Challenge has been cancelled this year.
The Ledbury hunt’s three-mile cross-country race will not run this December to give the course a break.
But the challenge, which takes place annually on New Year’s Eve, will be back for 2012.
First run in 2006, the Golden Button has been won by team chasers, professional jockeys,amateurs and hunt ride specialists.
Event secretary Louise Daly said: “Landowners have been supportive, but a very cold winter and dry spring made growing conditions difficut.
“It and it is sensible to give the venue an additional 12 months to recover.“
“We’re sorry to those who had been preparing horses, but we were unable to release this information sooner while other avenues were being explored.”
This story was first published in the current issue of H&H (24 November 2011)