Leading international equestrian sports network Horse & Country (H&C) today announced details of an extensive and exclusive partnership with Cornbury House Horse Trials (Cornbury). The new arrangement will see H&C live streaming Cross Country coverage from every class at this year’s event. In addition to the sports action, H&C and Cornbury are also collaborating in the production of a series of short films focused on young horses and riders, reflecting Cornbury’s founder and President, David Howden’s commitment to encouraging and promoting young talent through The Howden Way.

Cornbury takes place this year from 11^th – 15^th September at the Howdens’ home in Oxfordshire in stunning parkland, set against the backdrop of the ancient Wychwood Forest. Cross Country runs from the 12^th onwards and members of H&C’s streaming service, H&C+, will be able to watch all the action from every class as follows:

Thursday 12^th September

• FEI CCI3*-S
• Intermediate and Open Intermediate

Friday 13^th September

• FEI CCI2*-S
• Intermediate

Saturday 14^th September

• British Eventing Young Horse 6yo Championships
• British Eventing Young Horse 7yo Championships
• British Eventing Young Horse 5yo Championships

Sunday 15^th September

• Pony Trial
• The Howden Way U21 Championship
• The Howden Way U18 Championship

In addition to the sports coverage, H&C and Cornbury are collaborating to produce a series of short films, titled Cornbury Creates Champions, to be released prior to the event. Each episode will focus on a horse and rider combination and tell the story of their route to the British Eventing Young Horse Championships, a vital stepping stone to the World Young Horse Championships in Le Lion D’Angers in October.

The series will be available as individual episodes on H&C’s, Cornbury’s, and The Howden Way’s websites and social platforms. All four will also be edited together into a full-length television programme which will run on the Horse & Country channel which can be viewed for free in the UK on both Samsung TV Plus and LG Channels. The featured combinations are:

• Dani Evans – Ottentik Nobility (7-year-old)
• Finn Healy – Greannanstown Monbeg Joe (6-year-old)
• Mike Jackson – Oscar (5-year-old, and 4-year-old Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Champion in 2023)
• Izzy Taylor – Barrington Alice (7-year-old)

Commenting for H&C, Director of Content Jonathan Rippon said, “I am delighted to announce this partnership with such a prestigious event. The combination of four days of Eventing coverage alongside a fascinating insight into the development of the young horse in Cornbury Creates Champions, shows that Horse & Country is more than living up to its position as the Home of Eventing.”

For Cornbury, Event Director Richard Clapham commented, “We are delighted to be working with Horse & Country to broadcast Cornbury House Horse Trials 2024 and to be continuing to showcase the event, and in particular the exciting young horses which will be competing in the highly prestigious British Eventing Young Horse Championships.”

To watch all H&C’s Cornbury coverage, make sure you are signed up to H&C+.  Annual membership is only £74.99 as a one-off payment, or there’s an option to pay in 12 monthly instalments of £7.99. And non-members who wish to watch Cornbury can choose H&C’s Pay Per View option and buy a pass for the event for just £17.99.

Members can watch online or with H&C’s mobile apps, as well as on Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, and Amazon Fire. Both H&C+ members and Pay Per View pass holders can watch all the action on-demand straight after the event. Full details on how to join or purchase your pass can be found at www.horseandcountry.tv

Entries for Cornbury House Horse Trials 2024 (11-15 September) are now open.

Established by David Howden at his home in Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, in 2020, this event has become a smash hit within the sport of eventing in just five years.

For the second year running, Cornbury House Horse Trials (CHHT) will host the highly prestigious British Eventing Young Horse Championships for five-, six- and seven-year-olds. These will run alongside the well-established international classes at CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S level. 

In keeping with David Howden’s passion for helping and promoting young talent, there will also be three classes for under-21 riders: the Youth Performance CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S sections, supported by The Howden Way, and the Project Pony Observational Trials for Ponies.

Once again, CHHT’s prize-money will be the highest in the UK at each level, with a total prize-fund for the open sections of the CCI3*-S and seven-year-old championships in excess of £7,000. The five- and six-year-old championships, open sections of the CCI2*-S and under-21 CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S will have a prize-fund of more than £3,000 per class.

The Leading Rider throughout the event will receive a perpetual trophy and a cheque for £2,500. The past two winners of this coveted prize, Tom McEwen and Laura Collett, were both member of Britain’s gold medal-winning team at the Paris Olympics two weeks ago, where Laura also took individual bronze.

There will also be British Eventing national intermediate and open intermediate classes.

As well as a feast of equestrian sport, featuring many of the world’s most famous riders, CHHT is an innovative and exciting blend of local, sustainable food and drink from our neighboring farms, premium hospitality, and interactive children’s activities in the stunning setting of Cornbury Park. There’s no doubt that Cornbury House Horse Trials promises a fantastic day out for families, as well as riders, owners, guests and spectators.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit cornburyhousehorsetrials.co.uk.

The British Eventing Support Trust is delighted to announce its selection as the official charity partner for the prestigious Cornbury Horse Trials, taking place from 11th to 15th September 2024. The event, set in the spectacular Cornbury Park near the town of Charlbury in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, promises an exciting lineup of equestrian competitions and activities.

Cornbury Horse Trials hosts international classes at CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S level, British Eventing intermediate and open intermediate classes, as well as the Howden Way Youth Championships CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S classes. With such diverse competition on offer, the partnership with the BE Support Trust aims to not only elevate the profile of the charity among riders of all levels, but also to raise funds for its vital work supporting the physical and mental health of British Eventing riding members.

Jane Hunter-Walsh, general manager of the British Eventing Support Trust, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership:

“We’re thrilled to have been chosen as the official charity partner for this year’s Cornbury Horse Trials. It’s a super event that’s always so well attended by competitors and spectators which means it will be the perfect place to spread the word about our work. We’re busy planning great fundraising events so keep a close eye on our social media for more info.”

David Howden, Founder and President of Cornbury House Horse Trials added: “As a passionate supporter of eventing and of developing young riders through the Howden Way, I know the job Jane and her team do at the British Eventing Support Trust (BEST) is vital. They aim to ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of the eventing community throughout the country.  So I can’t wait to help them not simply raise funds but increase awareness about this enormously valuable work.”

Throughout Cornbury House Horse Trials, the British Eventing Support Trust will be hosting a series of events and activities, as well as having staff on hand to answer visitor questions. While specific details of these events are yet to be confirmed, attendees can expect plenty of opportunities to learn about the charity’s mission and contribute to its cause.

The British Eventing Support Trust looks forward to engaging with the equestrian community at Cornbury Horse Trials and is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such a prestigious event. For more information about the British Eventing Support Trust and updates on their planned activities for this year’s Cornbury Horse Trials, please visit the website or follow them on social media. You can also choose to make a donation to BEST at checkout when purchasing your tickets.

Tuesday 11 June 2024 

With three months to go, Cornbury House Horse Trials is delighted to announce that it will be staging an unforgettable Endless Lunch by Mirabeau at this year’s event which will be available across Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 September 2024.

The Endless Lunch showcases one of the most vibrant French rosé brands, Mirabeau, which works perfectly alongside the relaxed feasting style experience on offer at Cornbury House Horse Trials, with the food cooked on open fires by chefs from the highly acclaimed, The Bull in neighbouring Charlbury.

Re-defining traditional hospitality, guests can enjoy an informal dining experience while watching the live action from the marquee which overlooks the main showjumping arena. Locally sourced and seasonal menus will be on offer throughout the afternoon, and all accompanied by Mirabeau rosé.

David Howden, Founder and President of Cornbury House Horse Trials said: “It has long been my dream to create a totally unique experience for guests, combining my passion for eventing with exceptional food and drink. And we couldn’t have a more perfect partner to join our team than Mirabeau. After all, we’re both family run enterprises. We both have sustainability at our core. And we both enjoy savouring the moment.

“Which is why I couldn’t be happier that our great friends at The Bull in Charlbury are also back for the sequel. And not only will be by the grill providing pure ‘food theatre’ over open fires for our great guests, but they’ll be cooking with meat raised right here at Cornbury Farm.”

Stephen Cronk, Maison Mirabeau CEO, added: “We are thrilled to be working with Cornbury House Horse Trials this year and feature The Endless Lunch. You can picture the scene now in the surroundings of the stunning background of Cornbury and the Wychwood Forest – bottles of Rosé are being poured, laughter filling the air and it’s all about taking time to savour the moment, whilst also watching world-class sporting competition.”

The Endless Lunch at Cornbury by Mirabeau is now on sale by visiting; www.cornburyhousehorsetrials.co.uk

Cornbury House Horse Trials came to a thrilling finish when world champion Yasmin Ingham, who had led the seven-year-old class of The Howden Way Young Horse Championships throughout the weekend, tipped the very last showjump to hand victory to Tom Jackson.

Tom, who made his senior British squad debut this summer, finished on his dressage score of 30.7 on Hugh and Pam Jarvis’s mare Midnight Endeavour. She was bred in Ireland by James Nash, and is by Future Trend out of a Ricardo mare.

“She’s called Little Miss Perfect at home, because whenever the girls in the yard ask how she was when I’ve been riding her, I say, ‘Perfect’,” said Tom. “She’s a little dinger across country – she just flies round. The showjumping wouldn’t necessarily be her strongest phase – she jumps well, but she can sometimes have four-fault-itis. Not today, though, and it is lovely to win on her.”

Yasmin Ingham had to settle for second on another mare, Gypsie Du Loir. Like Yasmin’s individual gold medallist at the 2022 World Championships, Banzai Du Loir, she is owned by Janette Chin and the Sue Davies Fund and came from the same stud – Elevage Du Loir – in France.

New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson took third and fifth places on Filipo and Fenizio, a pair of grey geldings, both bred in Spain by Ramon Beca and both by the stallion Meneusekal.

This was the first time that Cornbury House Horse Trials has hosted the prestigious Young Horse Championships, and Yasmin said: “The cross-country track was beautifully built and designed and had a really good flow to it, I think it was super educational; young horses need to have a positive experience, and I felt my mare wanting to attack it and increasing in confidence all the time.”

Kitty King won The Howden Way-sponsored national six-year-old title for the third time in career, this time on Kantango, owned by Penelope Holley, Joanna Jones, Kitty’s mother Jane Boggis and Jane Tolley. By Tangelo out of a Winningmood mare, Kantango showjumped with Megan James, and Kitty bought him from Harry Horgan last winter.

“He’s a really smart young horse – this is his first season eventing and he’s taken to it like a duck to water,” said Kitty. “I’m very proud of him. This is a brilliant class and has been a great stepping-stone for my top horses in the past, so I’ve got high hopes for Kantango.”

The pair led the dressage with a mark of 22.7, and only added 0.4 of a time-penalty in the showjumping to that.

Kitty’s previous winners of this national championship were Ceylor LAN, whom she rode at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and Persimmon, with whom she won team silver at the 2015 European Championships at Blair Castle.

Second was Ireland’s Sian Coleman on the Diarado mare Diamond Mistress, and Sara Squires and Van Kaunitz – last year’s five-year-old champions – were third. Both combinations finished on their dressage scores of 26 and 26.8.

Olympic team gold medallist Laura Collett won Cornbury’s Leading Rider prize, taking home a cheque for £2,500 and a magnificent silver trophy. Laura laid down her challenge for this title early on in the event, having won CCI3*-S section A and two British Eventing Open Intermediate sections on Thursday.

There were three classes for under-21 riders, all sponsored by The Howden Way. Ella Howard won the Pony Trial on Colemanstown Rocket, whom her parents bought six years ago when he was four and Ella was nine. Ella has produced him all the way through to this level, and today’s victory was an emotional one for the Howard family as he survived a colic operation last year.

Elizabeth Barrett took the young rider CCI3*-S on Dargun, while Ireland’s Alex Connors won the junior CCI2*-S with her family’s homebred OLS King Aragon.

Australia’s Kevin McNab took the remaining CCI2*-S section on Francesca Pollara’s Dance Monkey 7.

David Howden, founder and president of Cornbury House Horse Trials, said: “We have had the most brilliant event and I have to thank all our fantastic volunteers, officials, sponsors, riders, owners, grooms and supporters for all their very hard work. The weather has been hot, but so has the competition – it has been a real joy to see so many talented horses and riders at Cornbury this weekend.

“This is our fourth year, and it has grown so much since our first event in the Covid year of 2020. Every year we have worked hard to improve every aspect of the event, and I think the additions this time of Field Food – a showcase of delicious locally produced food and drink – Wildings, the very popular area offering lots of interactive activities for children – and the superb hospitality put on by The Pelican have allowed us to step up a level once again.”

Thursday 19 April 2024: In just four years, Cornbury House Horse Trials in Oxfordshire has gained a
reputation as eventing’s most special showcase. The very top British-based riders and the most exciting young horses in the country provide superb sport in a truly beautiful country-house setting, and owners, spectators and guests can relax and watch them in unparalleled style with excellent local food and drink on offer as well as premium hospitality.

This year’s Cornbury House Horse Trials takes place from 11-15 September – and tickets are now on sale, starting at just £5.

Cornbury House hosts the British Eventing Young Horse Championships, featuring Olympic stars of the future, as well as FEI international classes at CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S level for senior and also under-21 riders. There are also national intermediate and open intermediate classes and a Pony eventing class.

Olympic gold medallist Laura Collett, who won the £2,500 Leading Rider prize at Cornbury House in 2023, said: “Cornbury has raised the bar each year as far as what is on offer for spectators, riders and owners! It’s a fantastic event that provides spectacular hospitality for owners and spectators alongside hosting a brilliant competition.”

A celebration of local food and drink with a new ‘From the Farm’ offering, as the estate brings together Cornbury Farm, Bruern Farm, Honeydale Farm, with all featuring the very best of their produce to offer visitors.

David Howden, Cornbury House Horse Trials Founder and President said: “There is so much planned for Cornbury House Horse Trials this year, which my wife, Fiona and I are very excited to announce. I’ve made it no secret of the fact I am passionate about supporting the best British-based talent, and that we are utterly committed to helping the stars of our sport – present and future – to reach their goals. We are delighted to be once again hosting the prestigious British Eventing Young Horse Championships, which we were very proud to be selected to host for the first-time last year.

“This year, we are really hoping to put Cornbury House Horse Trials on the map with lots planned to attract our visitors. Alongside the superb competition, a big focus will be on offering excellent local food and drink for everyone.

“We are particularly excited about our ongoing partnership with The Bull in local Charlbury who will be delivering the food offering in our VIP hospitality marquee across the week. Last year the team from The Bull produced pure food theatre which also featured our own Cornbury Longhorn Beef.

“I can promise our visitors that they will not only will they be immersed in the very best of British Eventing – all the British Olympic riders and many of the international riders will be there – but also a fabulous day out in a beautiful Cotswold setting.”

Cornbury House Horse Trials are proud to be partnering with Pol Roger who celebrate their 175th anniversary this year along with Pragnell Jewellery, Volare Aviation and Fortnum and Mason to help execute this wonderful event.

Jayne McGivern and Cornbury House Horse Trials today announce an exciting new class for ex-racehorses that will be run at Cornbury House Horse Trials in 2025, worth a phenomenal £50,000.

The introduction of this new ex-racehorse class is the initiative of Jayne McGivern of Dash Grange Stud and owner of top event horses, with the support of David Howden, Group CEO and Founder of Howden and Founder and President of the Cornbury House Horse Trials.

The initiative has been in McGivern’s thoughts for a long time, wanting to make training ex-racehorses financially viable for riders. Her aim is to also raise the profile of the adaptable nature of thoroughbreds, especially in terms of their suitability for Eventing.

McGivern is generously donating £50,000 in prize money, making it one of the largest prize funds within the Eventing calendar, and the class will be run alongside the other classes at Cornbury House Horse Trials.

The class will showcase thoroughbreds and their abilities, aiming to encourage riders to take on and retrain ex-racehorses and incentivise riders to work towards the 2025 class. It will also provide an additional opportunity for ex-racehorses, building on the existing resource and guidance provided by Retraining of Racehorses (RoR).

Jayne McGivern of Dash Grange Stud said: “I am thrilled to be able to launch a new ex-racehorse class that will run in 2025, and thank David Howden for his support in allowing my idea to come to fruition. Racing and Eventing are both my passions and through this class we will be able to showcase the talent that thoroughbreds have in their second careers.”

The class will begin at CCI2*/Novice level with further details around the class to be announced in due course.

Gloucestershire-based Canadian Olympic rider Michael Winter won the British Eventing Five-Year-Old Championship – sponsored by The Howden Way – on Happy Time today at Cornbury House Horse Trials.

Michael finished on the same score – 26.1 – as second-placed Gemma Gurvidi (Nistel O), but Michael was closer to the optimum time of 4min 48sec on the cross-country and therefore took top spot.

Michael and his wife Emma own the Dibadu L-sired Happy Time with Hazel Thompson and her son Josh. The Winters usually produce horses to sell, but after the Thompsons – long-time owners with Michael and Emma – bought a half-share, they plan to keep this exciting youngster, whom they bought from Belgium during Covid after seeing a video of him.

“He was super,” said Michael. “I thought he would back off a little at the more decorated fences, but he’s really brave – he’s really, really good.”

Only a fraction behind Michael and Gemma in third on a score of 26.8 was Max Warburton, riding Norway Van De Haar, owned by Miranda Lucey, Hazel Livesey and Sue Ruddock.

The Howden Way Young Horse Championships for six- and seven-year-olds conclude tomorrow (Sunday, 10 September). World champion Yasmin Ingham is in the lead in the seven-year-old class on Gypsie Du Loir, owned by Janette Chinn and the Sue Davies Fund. The pair added a few cross-country time faults to their dressage mark of 21.9, but their overnight score of 26.7 keeps them at the top of the leaderboard.

Yasmin said: “I think the cross-country track was super-educational. Young horses are learning all the time and they need to have a positive experience, which is the most important thing. I was especially pleased with Gypsie Du Loir – this was quite a decent step up for her. I didn’t really know how she was going to cope with it, but she took it all on and fought like a lion the whole way round. There were times where she got a little bit too keen, but it was so nice – she felt like she was attacking everything and building in confidence the whole way round.”

The mare, by Herald, has come from the same stud in France (Elevage du Loir) as Yasmin’s world champion Banzai Du Loir – as does Goliath Du Loir, who is in 13th place currently with Yasmin.

Kitty King and Kantango are in first place after cross-country in the six-year-old final. The pair stormed round David Evans’ track to stay on their dressage mark of 22.7.

Kitty, who won team gold and individual silver at the European Championships last month on her top horse Vendredi Biats, bought the Tangelo gelding last winter from Harry Horgan. He is now owned by Penelope Holley, Joanna Jones, Kitty’s mother Jane Boggis and Jane Tolley.

“He’s quite cocky – his dam is by Winningmood, who is Vendredi Biats’ sire, and they do have a certain amount of cheekiness and cockiness about them!” she said. “He’s always naturally a very jolly, happy chap; he got a bit feisty today across country and was very full of himself.”

Tomorrow (Sunday) is the final day of Cornbury 2023. All the cross-country action will be livestreamed for free on the event website and on Horse & Country TV.

Tickets for Cornbury House Horse Trials, which features far more than “just” the international horse sport, can be bought online via the website or on the gate. “Field Food” celebrates a wide variety of delicious, locally-produced food and drink, including from the Cornbury estate, while at the weekend “Wildings” is a shaded, interactive area full of children’s activities.

Visit www.cornburyhousehorsetrials to buy tickets, watch the livestream and for more information.

ENDS

Gloucestershire’s Saskia Davies pulled off her first ever international victory today at Cornbury House Horse Trials (6-10 September 2023), winning CCI2*-S section G on her own 18-year-old Singing Usk.

Saskia, who finished on her dressage score of 26.1, said: “This little horse has done so much for me. The [cross-country] course was definitely a challenge and a lot of riding such different terrain – up and down – comes down to timing and so there were a few moments where I had to kick on, but he was absolutely fantastic and answered every question.”

Sam Jennings was second on Monbeg Iguassu, whom she owns with Lucy Cunliffe and Diana Osmond. Phoebe Locke took third with Lara Chapple’s Slaneyside Cooley.

The Netherlands’ Nina de Haas had an excellent day at Cornbury House, winning CCI2*-S section H on Martin and Kerry Richards’ JVK Maguire on an impressive score of 23.8. She also finished third in CCI2*-S section I with David Scholfield’s Ballylaffin Juno.

Nina was dropping eight-year-old JVK Maguire down a level for a confidence-giving run, and said: “He’s quite cheeky, but he’s so talented and I am happy that I can show it off this time. I really hope that to get him back out at three-star and at four-star in the future – he definitely has the ability.”

She is based with her compatriot Andrew Heffernan – who is the Dutch national coach as well as a championship team member himself – at Somerford Park in Cheshire. Andrew joined David Evans this year in designing the cross-country courses at Cornbury.

Nina said: “It’s been really good having him here to walk the course with me and to help me warm up. Cornbury is such a beautiful event and has a lovely atmosphere as well.”

Kaitlyn Freeman was second for New Zealand on Joe and Alex Giannmore’s Zazu, and Tom McEwen was third on Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry’s Brookfield Quality Time.

Another New Zealander, Jesse Campbell, celebrated his win on Wendy and Johnnie Watherston’s Gracie De La Rose in CCI2*-S section I by heading straight to the golf course afterwards.

Jesse has the seven-year-old Jaguar Mail mare since she was four – and she hasn’t always been easy.

“Gracie has been a bit of a project,” he explained. “She was started quite late as a four-year-old and was quite big and strong. It has taken a bit of managing and persuading to get her on-side and I feel like we are starting to get there. She internalises things a lot which maybe comes across as confidence, but then she’s actually a bit nervous and overthinks things a little. We have put in the work, so it’s nice to reap those rewards.”

Jesse was quick to praise course-designer David Evans: “The track is great. We always bring a lot of horses to Cornbury as we know that David Evans puts a huge amount of work into the ground, and it’s a fun course to ride as well.”

Gemma Stevens was second with the Rex Syndicate’s Cooley Park Muze.

Tomorrow (Saturday, 9 September) is time for The Howden Way Young Horse Championships to take centre stage. The current world champion Yasmin Ingham is in the lead after dressage in the seven-year-old finals on Janette Chinn and the Sue Davies Fund’s Gypsie Du Loir with a score of 21.9.

Kitty King is in pole position in the six-year-old championship with 22.7 aboard Kantango, owned by Penelope Holley, Joanna Jones, Jane Boggis and Jane Tolley.

And Gemma Gurvidi heads the five-year-old section on her own Nistel O (26.1).

All of the cross-country from Cornbury House Horse Trials is being livestreamed for free via the event website and also on Horse & Country TV. On Saturday cross-country starts at 8.30am.

For more information, to buy tickets and to watch the livestream, visit www.cornburyhousehorsetrials.co.uk.

The sun shone on everybody at Cornbury House Horse Trials today, but brightest on Olympic gold medallist Laura Collett. The Gloucestershire-based rider not only won CCI3*-S section A on the Ace of Spades Syndicate’s Calahari, but also took two of the three British Eventing Open Intermediate classes (on Dacapo and Sportsfield Freelance) as well.

Laura is riding 10-year-old Calahari while Irish eventer Aoife Clark recovers from a broken arm, and the pair finished on their dressage score of 23.2.

“I’d love to keep him for longer,” admitted Laura. “He’s been quite tricky to try to find the buttons for – he’s quite a nervy type of horse and he was unsettled by having a new rider. But it felt like here we understood each other from the get-go in all three phases. He’s an amazing galloper; he’s very ‘blood’ and that’s taken a bit of getting used to. He’s a really fun horse.”

Calahari’s end-of-season goal is the CCI4*-L at Blenheim next week, and Cornbury has provided the perfect preparation.

“The cross-country course here is really good, and I thought the changes this year made it flow nicely. It’s a galloping, attacking track, which was exactly what I wanted.”

Laura is also full of praise for the superb hospitality her owners are receiving here at Cornbury House Horse Trials.

“My owners have commented on how incredible it has been for them, which I personally think it’s the most important part of our sport. They have been blown away by the hospitality. At the end of the day we cannot do our sport without owners, so for David Howden [event president and founder] to provide something like this hopefully will make every other event up their game. I hope this will trickle back to other events and other organisers will follow suit.”

Laura’s three victories so far give her a fighting chance of winning Cornbury’s coveted Leading Rider Award – a cheque for £2,500 and a magnificent silver trophy.

Second in CCI3*-S section A was Douglas Edward, riding his own and Amanda Edwards’ Email De Jarsay, with a score of 29.6. Samantha Brown and Spirit LSS took third on 26.3.

Two Wills won CCI3*-S section B: Will Rawlin on his own and Miranda Rawlin’s Ballycoog Breaker Boy, whose stable name is William. They finished on their dressage score of 26.7 in hot conditions.

It wasn’t Will’s intention to push on for victory, but as he set off around the undulating track he felt the 11-year-old needed some positive riding.

Will said: “He started off just a bit spooky and a bit sticky and I thought we need to go up a gear or two and get into that rhythm. He is so big that he just eats up the ground effortlessly – he just skipped around it like it was nothing, which is always a nice feeling. He has an effortless gallop and I don’t need to do much setting up for the fences, which is where you can save a few seconds.”

Will is also planning on heading to Blenheim CCI-L 4*.

Second was Rose Nesbitt, who added nothing to her dressage score of 27.6 on the family-owned EG Michealangelo.Georgie Campbell finished third on Global Quest, owned by Lance and Diana Morrish, with a score of 28.8.

The remaining Open Intermediate section went to New Zealand’s Clarke Johnstone and Menlo Park, while Pippa Taylor won the Intermediate class on Tequila Sunrise.

Cornbury House Horse Trials continues until Sunday (10 September) with The Howden Way National Young Horse Championships, under-21 classes at CCI3*-S, CCI*-S and a Pony Trial under The Howden Way banner, CCI2*-S sections and more national intermediate classes. All the cross-country is being livestreamed for free via the event website and on Horse & Country TV.

Tickets for Cornbury House Horse Trials, which features far more than “just” the international horse sport, can be bought online via the website or on the gate. “Field Food” celebrates a wide variety of delicious, locally-produced food and drink, including from the Cornbury estate, while at the weekend “Wildings” is a shaded, interactive area full of children’s activities.

Visit www.cornburyhousehorsetrials to buy tickets, watch the livestream and for more information.