Angles, mounds and plenty of water: five* key cross-country questions that will decide the Blenheim winner
Take a look at a selection of the key fences on the 2026 Blenheim Horse Trials cross-country course
How to sum up the Agria Blenheim Horse Trials cross-country course in three words? Angles, bumps, water.
Jay Hambly is the new cross-country course designer at Blenheim Horse Trials this year. The CCI4*-L course features 26 numbered fences and horses will get their feet wet four times.
The track follows the same route as previous years at Blenheim Horse Trials and while many questions are in the same places as past events, the overall course has a slightly different feel to the European Championships track from 2025.
Five key questions on Blenheim Horse Trials cross-country
The Blenheim Water Dew Pond (6ab)
The Blenheim Water Dew Pond is the first serious question on course. It’s right by the shopping village and will be the first time that horses get their feet wet. The skinny bitty frangible arrowheads of 2025 are gone and have been replaced by brush fences. These look more inviting (to my eye!), while remaining a good accuracy question.
Competitors ride up a little mound and jump the first (6a), before running down and splashing through the dew pond, then heading out over an angled fence on dry land (6b).
There are longer alternatives at both elements here, which will take a few extra seconds.
Fence 6a, perched on top of a mound.
After riding down the mound and through the pond, riders tackle 6b.
This gives a better idea of the angle – fence 6a is in the distance perched atop the mound. Competitors jump that coming towards the camera, splash through the water and then jump 6b (the jump closest to the camera) on the angle.
Alternative 6a.
Alternative 6b.
Corner Treasure Chests to Corner (9abc)
There’s often a decent question on the lawn in front of Blenheim Palace. This year it is a test of rideability and accuracy. Riders will come to this with, hopefully, the benefit of having just had a good jump through similar looking fences (Hill Rise Treasure Chests, 8ab) in the Palace Arena.
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There are a few different routes through this. On what I make out to be the most direct route, competitors jump a solid corner (9a) followed by a poppy (on my walking…) two strides to a deep, solid chest fence (9b). They then face a choice on the direct line to 9c (another solid corner) – do they go the braveman’s route and slice inside the sculpture, or give themselves a fraction more space and go around it? There are alternatives at 9b and 9c, so riders could also mix and match a little and I think we might see a few different routes through this.
An overview of the direct route at fence 9abc. Fence 9a is the corner closest to the camera, 9b is the box in the middle of the frame, and 9c is the corner to the left of the trellis (the fence you can see to the right is an alternative 9c, jumped coming towards the camera).
A close up of 9a.
Fence 9b.
The corner at 9c, plus the sculpture – riders will need to decide whether to go to the left or right of this piece of artwork.
Another angle of fence 9c on the direct route.
The alternative at 9b is a corner.
Fence 9c on the longer route.
Murlac Hanging Brush (14abc) to Agria Water Crossing Question (15ab)
I was slightly torn in my mind about where this question actually starts. By this point on the course, riders will be starting to feel the cumulative effect of how all the previous fences have ridden. The ride that they have through the undulating ground of The Miele Roller Coaster (11ab) to Ha Ha Oxer (12), and then the HorseHage Roll Top (13) will all have a bearing – hopefully a positive one.
The direct route at the Murlac Hanging Brush (14abc) is just one jump, the skinny brush we saw at the 2025 Europeans. The longer option here is a loopy three-jumping effort that will take up a lot of time, and you cannot avoid jumping into the water.
After this, competitors gallop across the lake and come out over two skinny brush fences on a curving two strides. There are options at both of these.
HorseHage Roll Top (fence 13).
Direct route at fence 14abc.
Alternative 14a.
Alternative 14b.
Alternative 14c.
Competitors will gallop through the lake between fences 14 and 15.
Fence 15a, direct route.
Fence 15b, direct route.
Alternative 15a.
Alternative 15b.
The GFS Saddles Water (16abc)
There’s no time to dry off as the next question is another water fence. Competitors gallop up the hill to the GFS Saddles Water (16abc), which comprises a big log into water – riders can’t avoid this – followed by an angled brush-topped log in the water (16b), then onto dry land to a skinny arrowhead.
The hanging log into water at 16a. You can just see the flags for 16b, in the water, between the flags for this first element.
Fence 16b is the right of these brush-topped logs in the water.
A close up of the final element (16c) on the direct route.
Oxer to Corner to Narrow Brush Oxer (18abc)
The furthest point on the course tends to have a decisive fence. This year, competitors on the direct route head up a mound to a frangible open oxer, then run down to an open corner (also on frangible devices). Like the fence in front of the house, Jay gives riders the choice of slicing in front of some decoration, or going round on a wider line. The final element is a big boxy brush on a related distance. Riders are committed to the ‘a’ and ‘c’ elements, but there is an option for ‘b’.
Fence 18a, atop a mound. Fence 18b is the corner to the right of the frame.
Fence 18b – riders will need to choose which side of the Christmas trees they go on the approach to this fence.
A clearer look at 18b, with the box brush of 18c behind.
Fence 18c.
*Bonus extra* Cross-Country App Question (20abc)
The title says five key questions, but who doesn’t want just one more? We’ve seen similar here on many previous Blenheim courses, but there’s often one or two who want an extra little look at the ditch at this light-into-dark question, which is why it’s earned a spot among the key fences. The straight route here is over a rail (20a), followed by a ditch (20b), then an open arrowhead (20c).
Alternative 20c (the middle rail will be in place during competition).
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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.