Scottish open championship goes to Central Scotland Horse Trials
The Scottish eventing championships will be at Central Scotland Horse Trials next year.
The news that the event at Scone Palace, Perth, will host the Scottish open and novice championships follows the demise of Thirlestane Castle Horse Trials, where these classes have been held until now.
Central Scotland will run the classes at its August fixture (15-16 August), with the open championship an advanced intermediate class and the novice championship at intermediate novice level.
Central Scotland have also added a CIC** to their spring fixture (1-3 May).
British Eventing regional director Iain Graham said: “We are delighted that the Scottish eventing championships will run at Central Scotland Horse Trials.
“Scone Palace is a fantastic venue and we have a great organising team in the shape of James Oakden and his enthusiastic committee. It is an ideal location as Perth is easily accessible from all areas of Scotland and the parkland has great ground and is suited to an August competition.”
Course-designer Ian Stark has plans to build several new fences for the championship.
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
History of Central Scotland Horse Trials
Central Scotland Horse Trials was the first ever one-day fixture in the UK’s eventing calendar. Established on 30 April 1950, it consisted of dressage, roads and tracks and cross-country.
The format was pioneered and run by Lieutenant Colonel Mick Lindsay following a run round Badminton in 1949. He thought a one-day event would be accessible to more riders and set up the Central Scotland Horse Trials Committee, which is where the event got its name. In 1952, the roads and tracks were substituted for a round of show jumping.
The Central Scotland Horse Trials have been held at several different venues — including Hallyburton and Coupar Angus — but returned to Scone Palace in 1991.
www.centralscotlandhorsetrials.co.uk
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
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.