Torrential rain, Carl Hester and some hairy cross-country moments: why Blenheim 2016 didn't disappoint

Michael Jackson and PSH Promise Me in the CIC*** 8/9 -year-old cross-country

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

What would a horse trials be without some heavy rain, sufficient thrills and spills on the cross-country course, champagne to celebrate and a few celebs thrown into the mix? Which is why this year's Blenheim International Horse Trials (8-11 September) didn't disappoint. Don't miss the full report in the 15 September issue of Horse & Hound magazine, out this Thursday

If Carlsberg did… cross-country viewpoints

It's hard to trump the picture-perfect setting at Blenheim Palace

A far cry from Rio

Britain's Olympic dressage silver medallists Carl Hester, Fiona Bigwood, Charlotte Dujardin and Spencer Wilton, take some time out to enjoy Blenheim

This wasn’t part of the plan…

Jodie Seddon and Skies The Limit III during the young horse CIC3* cross-country

So… how do we get out of here?

Michael Jackson and PSH Promise Me get into trouble in the young horse CIC3* cross-country

Don’t mention the weather

You can rely on the Great British public to ignore (torrential) rain

Time to celebrate!

Paul Tapner (3rd) Oliver Townend (1st) and Jonelle Price (2nd) in the final standing in the 2016 Event Rider Masters series at the of the Cross Country phase of the CIC***ERM at Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials in the grounds of Blenheim Palace near Oxford in Oxfordshire UK on 11th September 2016

Famous faces

Actor and president of the British Horse Society Martin Clunes (carrying Willberry Wonder Pony) chats to Gemma Tattersall

Flying high

Gemma Tattersall is on flying form in the Eventers' High Jump Challenge

My work here is done…

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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.