It’s a bonza week in showing and showjumping with the summer season coming to a head at the Royal International Horse Show, plus there’s top-class eventing in Northumberland and young talent on display.
1. The Longines Royal International Horse Show, West Sussex
How to watch: steaming is available throughout the week on ClipMyHorse.TV and through hickstead.tv. Please refer to the broadcast schedule at hickstead.co.uk for full details
Get the H&H lowdown: web coverage on breaking news and championships at the Royal International Horse Show throughout the week on the website as well as a bumper special report in 4 August issue of H&H magazine. Preview on episode 112 of The Horse & Hound Podcast, out now, and review on episode 114, out on Friday 5 August
Why we’re excited about it: hailed as the “mid-season championships”, the Royal International is one of the two major championship shows for showing riders and their animals. Only select combinations who secured tickets during the season will compete and vie for one of the iconic blue sashes awarded to the winners. The show will host finals for all types and breeds of horses and ponies, in both flat and working hunter ranks. Watch your favourite riders on their star mounts, and catch the best amateur combinations in the country. Who will take home the prestigious supreme pony and horses titles on Sunday afternoon? Only time will tell.
On the showjumping side, top riders will be flocking to one of the flagship events in the UK, with four days of five-star competition including Friday’s Nations Cup team competition and Sunday’s King George V Gold Cup. A host of national championships and supporting classes fill the packed six days and Saturday’s historic feature class, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, is one of this country’s most prestigious competitions.
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2. Hambro Sport Horses Burgham Horse Trials, Northumberland
Get the H&H lowdown: full report in 4 August issue of the magazine
Why we’re excited about it: Northumberland’s premier event plays host to three packed international sections, with more than 100 entries in each. The CCI4*-S is the feature class and entries include two of the three combinations who won the team gold at the Tokyo Olympics last year – Oliver Townend on Ballaghmor Class and Laura Collett on London 52, while the third pair (Tom McEwen on Toledo De Kerser) contest the open intermediate for a quieter run after recent success in Aachen. Watch out also for the top two in this class from last year, Izzy Taylor (Monkeying Around) and Sarah Bullimore (Corouet). With places at the World Championships on the line as final selection approaches, everyone will want to be at their best.
3. FEI Dressage and Eventing European Championships for Young Riders and Juniors, Hartpury, Glos
Get the H&H lowdown: reports from both the eventing and dressage in 11 August issue of the magazine
Why we’re excited about it: it’s not every day a European Championship comes to British soil. But this week, Europe’s best young riders and juniors will come together at Hartpury for their annual FEI championship. In dressage, riders from 15 nations will battle it out for a place on the junior podium, while 17 nations are represented at young rider level. Among these are British teams that promise to be competitive at both levels, including the 2021 junior silver medallist Annabella Pidgley, hoping to go one better this year on home ground. In eventing, the Brits riding under the Team NAF banner include Ibble Watson, whose mother Erica rode at the top level successfully and who will be one to watch on Aristoteles Z in the young riders. Tina Cook’s daughter Isabelle, who will ride Mexican Law, could well shine at junior level.
Get the H&H lowdown: full report and insight from the jumping classes in next week’s issue of H&H, in the shops Thursday 4 August
Why we’re excited about it: a real gem of the county show circuit with a feast of showing and jumping classes, including the competitive International Stairway class.
How to watch: ITV Racing will be on air 1.30-5pm on Tuesday to Friday, with live coverage of Saturday’s racing from 12.55-4.15pm, plus The Opening Show on ITV4 at 9.30am
Why we’re excited about it: “Glorious Goodwood” is one of the highlights of the British Flat racing season, as well as a bustling social occasion with Ladies’ Day on Thursday. Staying superstar Stradivarius is bidding for a record fifth Group One success on Tuesday while a host of big names will be lining up for other feature races including the £1m Qatar Sussex Stakes and Friday’s King George Qatar Stakes.
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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.
