Big prizes for Eventers Grand Prix at Houghton Horse Trials

Event riders have the chance to take home £1,000 in the North Astor Group Open Eventers Grand Prix, which runs alongside the three-day event of Houghton Horse Trials (24-27 May).

The class is at 10am on Thursday 24 May and competitors will tackle between 20 and 26 1.15m show jumps and portable cross-country fences. The winner will be the person with the fastest time, with 5sec added per knockdown.

There will be a similar 90cm novice class on the Saturday at 2pm with a £400 first prize.

Houghton Hall is running its first three-day event this year, organised by Alec Lochore’s Musketeer Event Management company. Entries for the CCI** have closed at 137 horses, although there are still a few spaces in the CCI*, which currently has 57 runners.

British World Equestrian Games squad members William Fox-Pitt, Mary King and Oliver Townend all have horses entered in the three-day event.

For more information and Eventers Grand Prix schedule visit: www.houghtoninternational.co.uk

Pippa Roome

H&H magazine editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.