Get the lowdown on this fixture from Eventing magazine's horse trials guide — including what riders say about the event, plus vital statistics
Date: Tuesday 11 – Wednesday 12 August 2015
Organisers: Anne James and Stella Robertson
Contact: Anne 01885 488803; 07772 246428; Anne.James5@btinternet.com; Stella 01531 670474; 07825 702116; stellajrobertson@yahoo.co.uk
Location: Herefordshire
Entries open: 7 July
Ballot date: 21 July at 12 noon
Entries close: 1 August
Link to Homme House entries: www.britisheventing.com/homme-house
How to get there
Homme House is on the A449 between Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye and access will be directly off this road. Motorway access from the M50 is very easy from junction two (Ledbury) or four (Ross-on-Wye).
What the organisers say
Homme House Horse Trials will be running for the sixth time this year. It has established itself as a very well-run and friendly event in a wonderful Capability Brown Parkland with novice, BE100 and BE90 courses. There is a large selection of classes from an intermediate novice section to two KBIS qualifiers for four- and five-year-olds and an open novice and BE100 for the under-18s.
The cross-country courses are designed and built by Simon Grundy and his team to great effect and are presented in a very inviting way, while still being challenging for the more experienced combinations. Following last year’s event we had several comments saying that it was the best novice course they had ever been to. The water complex is having a facelift for 2015 and the BE100 and BE90 are also being given an update.
The terrain for the cross-country is undulating, permanent pasture with a fairly steep hill for the novices. The event only runs once a year so the best ground conditions are assured and all three phases, including the warm-up areas, will be equi-vated if necessary to ensure good going.
There is excellent viewing for most of the course, which makes it an attractive event for owners and supporters alike. The new start to the cross-country was a great success, making the whole event site much more compact. The dressage takes place in a picturesque area below Much Marcle church, in a flat field which has ample level space for warming up. The showjumping arena is on a flat area below the house and the course is built by Mike Benfield.
We are very grateful to welcome back our main sponsors Westons Cider, Shires Equestrian and KBIS, plus all our other very loyal fence sponsors. A new major sponsor for 2015 will be local estate agents Grant & Co., Ledbury.
Homme House was featured in Country Life (3 September, 2014) in an article “Where horses gallop through history”, appreciating John and Jocelyn Finnigan for allowing their beautiful parkland to be transformed into cross-country courses for a few days each year.
What the riders say
Dressage & showjumping — “The dressage takes place in a quiet area away from everything, although near a road, but it doesn’t seem to distract the horses.” “There is a nice, flat warm-up area and flat arenas.” “The showjumping is kind with bright fences with a flowing layout and enough space for a young horse to get going.” “The course was set in quite a tight arena and you were always turning back on yourself. The warm-up was spacious with good ground.”
Cross-country — “The cross-country is relatively unchanged from previous years, but it is educational for a young horse with good questions sympathetically positioned on the terrain.” “A lovely track to ride around, with hills to climb up and down, and a decent water complex. I would not say this is a first-time course at the level. The fences are all dressed well, and there is attention to the ground.”
Percentage of cross-country clears 2014
IN: 94%
ON: 83%
N: 83%
BE100 Open: 83%
BE100: 79%
BE100 U18: 80%
5YO: 84%
BE90 Open: 59%
BE90: 75%
4YO: 95%
Download part two of the horse trials guide for just £1.49: Eventing horse trials guide part two