Some of the world’s top eventers will be vying for the CIC3*, Event Rider Masters and CCI3* titles at this weekend’s SsangYong Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials (13-17 September 2017). But head over to the Bladon and Hensington Arenas and there will be equally hotly contested competitions in action.
Here’s all you need to know about the Riding Club and Pony Club Team Eventer Challenges…
What are the Riding Club and Pony Club Team Eventer Challenges?
The popular 90cm and 100cm Riding Club and Pony Club Team Eventer Challenges, sponsored by Dodson & Horrell, are grass arena-based competitions. They take place over a testing course of showjumps and cross-country fences with an optimum time for completion. The team with the lowest cumulative score are the winners, and there is also an award for the most stylish rider. Due to the popularity of the eventer challenge classes at Blenheim, horses and riders are only allowed to compete in one competition.
When and where do they take place?
The highly charged action takes place in the Bladon and Hensington Arenas during Blenheim Horse Trials, with the Riding Club team eventer challenge taking place on Thursday 14 September and the Pony Club team eventer challenge on Friday 15 September.
Where do the horses stay for the event?
Teams from across the country take part in this competition — and so for those that are travelling from afar, Blenehim provides a list of convenient places where horses can be stabled, nearby to the event.
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Unfortunately entries are now closed for the 2017 event, but you can be added to the mailing list for the 2018 competition by emailing admin@blenheimhorse.co.uk.
Who are the reigning champions?
In 2016 Stansted & District Riding Club took the 100cm title, and Atherstone & District were the winners of the 90cm class in the Riding Club challenge. For the Pony Club challenge, Oakley Hunt West (pictured above) were the winners of the 100cm class, and the Wylye Valley took the 90cm title.
Don’t miss our full report from the SsangYong Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials in the 21 September 2017 issue of Horse & Hound magazine.
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A graduate from Durham University, Madeleine joined H&H in 2011 and became Features Editor — producing content across the magazine and website, including the popular inside back cover article ‘The horse that made me’ and the weekly ‘The best of my fun…’ interview. She has written on topics as diverse as hay making and headcams, to hot totty in the horse world and circus horses. Madeleine now works as a freelance feature writer for Country Life, The Telegraph, Horse & Hound, cntraveller.com, The Spectator and The Field, as well as writing obituaries for The Times.
