8 reasons to head to Bramham this weekend
The Equi-Trek Bramham Horse Trials (6 to 9 June) is always a highlight of the eventing calendar. Yorkshire’s premier event offers a feast of top-class sport, as well as plenty of extra attractions.
Here are eight reasons you should consider making a visit to this year’s Bramham…
1. Top class competition in the Equi-Trek senior CCI4*-L (previously CCI3*). This class is always hotly contested and this year will be no different. Among the favourites are Chatsworth Event Rider Masters winners Laura Collett and London 52, and Pippa Funnell and Billy Walk On, who will look to make amends for a green mistake at Badminton. This class follows the traditional three-day event format, with dressage on Thursday and Friday (6 to 7 June), cross-country on Saturday, 8 June and showjumping on Sunday, 9 June.
2. See the stars of the future in the British Horse Feeds under-25 CCI4*-L, which mirrors the timetable of its senior equivalent. Leading younger riders will battle it out for the title, including Yasmin Ingham (on Sandman 7, who won European team silver with Pippa Funnell in 2015), Felicity Collins (Just Amazing III) and Ireland’s world team silver medallists Cathal Daniels and Rioghuan Rua.
3. Watch top horses in the CCI4*-S (previously CIC3*). The favourite in this class is Gemma Tattersall’s Rio Olympic ride Quicklook V — expect an impressive dressage test — but others to watch include Harry Meade and Away Cruising and a new combination for Japan, Ryuzo Kitajima and Cekatinka, the mare who finished eighth at the World Equestrian Games last year with Tim Price. Emily King, the 2018 under-25 champion here on Dargon, pilots Brookleigh in this section. This class wraps up on Saturday, with pairs showjumping in the morning and then going cross-country later in the day.
4. Gorgeous young horses in the Dubarry Burghley young event horse. This takes place on Friday and the likes of Polly Stockton, Ben Hobday and Tom McEwen will be giving their four- and five-year-olds some ring experience.
5. If you’re a grassroots rider, you too can compete at Bramham. New for this year is the Saracen Horse Feeds arena eventing at 90cm and 100cm. The class takes place in the Obelisk Paddock on Sunday and riders will tackle a course of showjumping and cross-country fences, with a 10m higher showjump to finish.
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6. There’s so much more going on! Bramham is a big event, with event horse breeding and young stock classes and the BETTA Life hunter show (Thursday), British Showjumping (Saturday and Sunday), Open Wide Equine Dentistry para showjumping (Saturday), the Devoucoux stallion parade (Friday) and Pony Club mounted games (Saturday and Sunday) and team showjumping (Saturday). And there’s a dressage demonstration by father-daughter duo Paul and Bobby Hayler on Thursday.
7. Shopping. Bramham has 140 tradestands, so you can pick up all sorts of goodies. The stands are open until 8pm on Friday if you’re dashing in after work — entry is free after 4pm.
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8. Puppies. Guide Dogs for the Blind are Bramham’s nominated charity for 2019 and will put on a display on Saturday and Sunday. And there may be a few puppies on their tradestand — whose weekend isn’t brightened by meeting a cute puppy?
Full report from Bramham in H&H next week (issue dated Thursday, 13 June).
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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.