The 2026 British open championship will undergo a “significant rider and owner-led format change”, and a first prize five times last year’s.

The NAF Hartpury International Celebration of Eventing incorporating the British national championships returns to Hartpury University and Hartpury College from 11-16 August.

Organisers have promised that this year the British open xhampionship will “take centre stage”. It has been elevated to FEI four-star level from a national advanced class, and will run within the NAF CCI4*-S, “placing the championship firmly at the heart of the competition”.

“This streamlined structure ensures the British open is contested over the same track, in the same arena and under the same spotlight as the international field,” a Hartpury spokesperson said.

“Where eligible, the overall CCI4*-S winner will also be crowned British open champion, taking both titles.”

The decline in entries to the championship had caused concern; top course-designer Mark Phillips said he was “dismayed and embarrassed” by the class last year, as there were so few entries and “almost more foreign riders than Brits”.

“The prize money of £407 for first won’t have covered the winner’s costs,” he said in his H&H column. “And third prize of £192 won’t have covered the entry fee.”

He noted that the CCI4*-S, in which top Brits ran instead, had a +£7,000 prize pot, adding: “If the British open means nothing to Hartpury and British Eventing (BE), scrap it or give it to an organiser who wants to make something of it.”

2026 British open championship prize pot

The first prize for the 2026 British open championship will be £2,500 on top of the CCI4*-S prize, so “combinations will be chasing up to £5,000 and one of the most coveted one-day titles on British soil”.

“Awarded the championships for the next five years, Hartpury in partnership with NAF is doubling down on its commitment to eventing,” the spokesperson said. “This long-term backing has enabled bold investment, close collaboration with riders and owners and a clear ambition to make the event bigger and better.”

Hartpury deputy vice-chancellor Rosie Scott-Ward said the change had come directly from rider feedback.

“By integrating it with the CCI4*-S, we’re creating a clearer, more competitive and more visible championship that is truly at the pinnacle of the event,” she said. “With everything building to Saturday, it promises to be a standout moment for riders and spectators alike.

“We’re also keen to work on engaging our local community to bring more spectators to our sport for a family weekend in Gloucestershire.”

BE CEO Rosie Williams added that BE had been working with Hartpury to try to add value to the national championships.

“ It’s a really important part of the British Eventing calendar and something we want to celebrate more,” she said. “These changes will help bring the championships to the forefront of the event and give them the prominence they deserve.”

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H&H eventing editor’s Pippa Roome shares her thoughts on recent tragedy, the national championships at NAF Five Star Hartpury and Defender Burghley entries

I can’t start this column without acknowledging the indescribably sad passing of Sarah Yorke in a cross-country fall at Aston-le-Walls on 8 August.The thoughts of the whole eventing community are with her family and friends, as well as the Aston team and medics.

Any fatal accident makes every person who rides cross-country think about their decision to do so. This one, at BE100 level for a rider who had a good record, will hit grassroots competitors particularly hard. But in the end, the huge joy, excitement and fulfilment many take from the sport makes them decide to continue.

I’m not eventing at present, but I made that decision time and again when I was competing. Even with some health issues now that mean any accident could be particularly complicated, I still choose to do another quite dangerous sport in skiing. I love it and, for me, the risk versus benefit stacks up, which is what every individual has to calculate.

Meanwhile we must continue to push for ongoing safety improvements so the number of such falls decrease, while accepting that riding horses can never be risk-free.

Drawing a crowd

I hear that NAF Five Star Hartpury, which again hosted the five British national eventing championships as well as three international classes, is a great event for riders, which is important and kudos to the organisers.

It doesn’t have the same draw for spectators as Gatcombe did and I saw someone on Facebook the week after the event asking if anything would replace Gatcombe and if the novice championships are still held.

British Eventing has a long-term commitment to hosting these national championships at Hartpury. To grow them again, it would be good to see them better publicised to spectators and offering elements beyond the sport to draw people in.

By contrast, I was at the 150th Dublin Horse Show last weekend, where the crowd is huge, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, from Mexican waves during the puissance to gasps as Irish riders jump the Nations Cup.

The Royal Dublin Society, the membership organisation that runs the showground, is engaged in a €52m (£45m) regeneration project, including redeveloping the historic Anglesea Stand all along one side of the arena. That stand was therefore out of commission this year, which must have led to an unimaginable mountain of changes and planning for organisers, but is scheduled to be back next year.

A clear Burghley favourite

Ros Canter’s appearance on the Defender Burghley entries list after the announcement of her pregnancy and withdrawal from Agria European Eventing Championship selection will prompt plenty of discussion over the next few weeks.

Will she start or run cross-country? Burghley is two weeks before the Europeans. And of course, if she does withdraw, the knock-on effects in a solely individual event are far less than in a team situation where other riders’ plans would be affected.

Data analytics experts EquiRatings put Ros and Lordships Graffalo at a 51% chance to defend their Burghley title successfully. I thought the 36% win chance given to them at Badminton this spring was huge in a sport with as much jeopardy as eventing, although they were clear favourites – and that win and a smaller field at Burghley will have fuelled that percentage growing.

But 51% feels wild, much as I can’t see anyone arguing against the fact she’s the out-and-out front runner for the title – if she runs. If she withdraws, that’s a seismic change in the predictions and it becomes a very open field.

Ultimately, that very personal decision belongs to Ros alone, in consultation with her loved ones. I wouldn’t judge her whatever she does.

● Who do you think will win Burghley? Write to hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

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Michael Jackson’s ride Bhodi won the British Eventing retrained racehorse championship at the NAF Five Star Hartpury International Horse Trials; Michael and this 10-year-old owned by Emily Oppenheimer were the only combination to finish on their dressage score, 27.5.

“Emily bought him from Piggy [March], who rode him to novice level three years ago,” said Michael of this son of Dark Angel, who ran 10 times on the Flat with limited success before his switch to eventing. “Emily has been training with me and competing him since then, and I took over the ride in the second half of last year. The plan is very much to go to the ex-racehorse class at Cornbury next month.”

Corinthian Cup result: “What he’s achieved is amazing”

The Corinthian Cup, a novice championship for amateur riders, went to Emily Kemp and Boleybawn Arctic. Emily and the 11-year-old son of Arctic were the only combination to complete on their dressage score, 30.4, to win by just 0.2 of a penalty.

“He’s won four of his past six runs, but my hopes were to finish in the top five,” said Emily, 24, who runs a rug-washing business. “I took the shortest route all the way around the cross-country and I’ve worked out that I need to ride him with a long rein in this phase as he likes to assess fences, and that’s just how he likes it – it meant he got into his rhythm and flew round.

“I’m lost for words – he’s a horse of a lifetime and he makes it great fun. The places he’s taken me and what he’s achieved is amazing.”

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Ireland’s Austin O’Connor took the Fairfax Saddles British novice championship at the NAF Five Star Hartpury International Horse Trials with Diamond Mistress. They capitalised on a speedy double clear to finish on their 26.5 dressage.

“She has a great old brain,” said Austin of this eight-year-old owned by Kate Jarvey. “She’s a very big mare, so she’s very much growing into herself, but she’s got everything – movement, jump and most importantly, the desire to do the job.”

Austin said this class has been the plan for this mare by Diarado for a while.

“Although you never set out expecting to win, we knew she could be competitive and she was good in every department this week,” he said.

Austin took over the ride on Diamond Mistress from Ireland’s Sian Coleman in 2024.

“Sian did a brilliant job with her, but Kate wanted the mare to be exposed to more competition in the UK,” explained Austin. “There is no doubt in my mind that she could be a very good championship horse in future.”

Dressage leaders Sam Gillespie and Florissa added two showjumping time-faults to their 24.7 first-phase score to finish second and become British novice champions.

“‘Florie’ did a lovely test and then jumped a great double clear, but the showjumping time-faults cost us the win,” said Sam. “But she still thinks she’s a champion and I was really impressed with how she rose to the occasion, and am thrilled for her owner and breeder, Nicky Carmichael.”

Austin was third after dressage; Dani Stewart-Richardson was also ahead of him on Londonlook TN, but 3.2 time-faults across country dropped her to fourth.

Cross-country jumping was more influential in this section than in the other two main British championships; only 63.8% went clear compared with 84.6% in the intermediate and 87.5% in the open, and nine (15.5%) not finishing.

The Jump 1 Combination at fence 17abc – a brush followed by two arrowheads – caught out the most pairs; six faulted here and four went no further round the track. This combination was technical for the level, on an open distance with the light and dark of the trees also coming into play.

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The hotly contested Jump 1 British intermediate championship at the NAF Five Star Hartpury International Horse Trials went the way of Katie Magee riding Sharon Parnaby’s eight-year-old Cushlas Indigo, with whom she won the novice championship last year. The duo finished on their 27.8 dressage, which left them fifth after the first phase, and their speedy double clear secured the win.

“He’s only eight, but he’s been one of those wonder kids that just seems to keep delivering every time we take him out,” said Katie, who plans to take this horse to the eight- and nine-year–old championships at Blenheim next month. “Sharon found him in Ireland as a three-year-old and I’ve had him since he was rising five. He’s just had a very smooth progression.

“He can get a bit full of himself, but he stayed chilled in the dressage. He was bouncy in the showjumping but managed to jump clear. He finds it all very easy, and although he gets a bit of anxiety here and there, he’s a real superstar and I’m excited about his future.”

Katie added to her great weekend with third in the novice championships with Margaret Sunter’s Springhead Jupiter.

Lizzie Baugh and the quirky Piltown Concorde, a nine-year-old she co-owns with Janette Shipley, finished second in the intermediate on their 29.5 dressage.

“He’s a very talented horse; a nervy type but if he comes out having got out of the right side of bed, he’s absolutely brilliant, and that’s exactly how he was this weekend,” said Lizzie. The rider added that she has had to be inventive to get the best out of this horse, who will head to the eight- and nine-year-old class at Blenheim.

“I had him in for schooling as a four-year-old and started his eventing career. He’s always been quirky – he’s nervous to get on and is difficult in his mouth and a little bit weird,” she said.

“He went through a phase as a five-year-old when he would threaten me with broncing every time I rode him, but I got him going by riding him in his field.

“We had a make-or-break moment when I took him cross-country schooling at Shelford and I got stuck in the warm-up. He wouldn’t move, but I managed to get him going and he gave me the most incredible feeling across country that any young horse has given me. That was the day he found his calling in life.”

The top two were the only ones to make the time across country in this section. Louise Bradley and Alison Garlick’s 10-year-old Ardeo Mandela retained their third place after dressage with 3.6 time-faults.

Ros Canter led the first phase on Silvesters Finesse on 26.2, but had eight faults in the showjumping and then opted for a steadier cross-country round. Izzy Taylor withdrew SBH Big Wall, who had been second on 26.7, after 16 showjumping penalties.

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Katie Magee had a day to remember when securing both the British open championship and British intermediate championships, becoming British national champion in the process.

She won the open title with Treworra, an 11-year-old owned by Angela Hislop, with whom she finished 11th at Badminton this year. They finished bang on the 7min1sec optimum time to complete on their 29.7 dressage.

“It’s rare that I’m speechless, but it’s incredibly special to win this class and very unexpected,” said Katie, who next heads to Burghley with this horse. “I’ve been training hard with Nicola Wilson, and we’ve been continuing to develop his strength with lots of flatwork.

“He’s a really good cross-country horse; in the dressage and showjumping, he’s always had the potential, but he’s a good 17.2hh so he’s just needed a bit of time to fill into his frame, which he can carry much better now.”

Of her quick cross-country round, Katie said: “He’s 75% blood, so he’s quite an old-fashioned type and I’m very lucky to ride him.

“The surfaces here are great and the team did a brilliant job with the going on the cross-country, so it has served as a perfect Burghley prep run.”

Katie added that Eric Winter’s cross country course was a “really, really good track – there were plenty of questions, but they were all very fair.”

Ultimately 14 of the 16 cross-country starters jumped clear, three making the optimum time.

British open championship: previous winner impresses once more

Tim Price finished second with Joe and Alex Giannamore’s Vitali, who won this championship in 2024 and 2022 . They led the dressage on 23.3, but 7.6 time-faults put them 1.2 penalties behind Katie.

“I’ve had some good help from Shane Breen with this horse’s jumping,” said Tim, who has picked up some costly rounds on the final day of three-day competitions with this horse in the past. “I’ve not been jumping him too much away from competitions, but when we do, we make sure he really understands the job at hand and do gymnastic work and things that he needs to really pay attention to.

“Shane’s been good with my riding as well, because he has me riding him like a good jumper rather than a horse that I’m constantly thinking about what’s going to go wrong.”

David Doel and the five-star campaigner Galileo Nieuwmoed finished third, adding nothing to their 32.7 dressage, building on a win in the open intermediate at Aston-le-Walls last month after a horse fall at Badminton in the spring.

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Tim Price and Vitali return to defend their British open championship title later this month, but they will face stiff competition from other top-class entries for the class.

The British open, as well as the British intermediate and novice championships, take place at NAF Five Star Hartpury Horse Trials (6-10 August), having moved from their traditional home at Gatcombe’s Festival of British Eventing when that event was cancelled for 2024 and potentially forever, after the fixture was abandoned in 2023.

New Zealander Tim and Joe and Alex Giannamore’s Vitali won the British open on its final running at Gatcombe in 2022 and then triumphed at Hartpury last year. They come back to the Gloucestershire venue to try to make it three in a row next weekend.

Among other contenders for the title in the British open championship entries are Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent, who was withdrawn before the final phase in this class last year, and Ireland’s Austin O’Connor with the outstanding cross-country horse Colorado Blue.

Tim may also face competition from compatriots as his wife Jonelle Price brings forward the feisty five-star mare Grappa Nera and the on-form Samantha Lissington has entered Bicton CCI4*-S runner-up Lord Seekonig.

Last year’s national champions Emily King and Valmy Biats are not expected to start this year, but others vying for that accolade – as well as the open title – include Zara Tindall (Class Affair), David Doel (Galileo Nieuwmoed) and Max Warburton (Deepairc Revelry).

David also has a strong contender in the intermediate championship, Charlie Foxtrot, in which favourites include Oliver Townend on Dromgurrihy Gold, Barnie Brotherton with DHI King Nelson and last year’s novice winners, Katie Magee and Cushlas Indigo.

The novice is the biggest of the British championship classes, with 67 entries, including Ellie Fredericks on Upper Class Brit – a granddaughter of three-time five-star (then four-star) winner Headley Britannia – and rides for British team regulars Ros Canter (Broadstone Lion Man) and Kitty King (MBF Redhouse Evoque).

Hartpury also hosts the Corinthian Cup (the restricted British novice championship) and the retraining of racehorses championship, as well three international classes – a CCI4*-S, CCI3*-L and CCI2*-L.

The 67 entries for the CCI4*-S include several horses long-listed for the British squad for the European Eventing Championships in double Badminton Horse Trials winner and Olympic team gold medallist Lordships Graffalo (Ros Canter), Millstreet CCI4*-L winner Flash Cooley (Gemma Stevens), Kentucky Three-Day Event podium finisher Et Hop Du Matz (Harry Meade) and Cola III and Its Cooley Time (Bubby Upton). Bubby was first and second in this class last year on these two horses.

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Bayaanaat, the ride of Izzy Taylor, was the winner of the British Eventing retrained racehorse championship at the Gatcombe Festival of British Eventing replacement, the NAF Five Star Hartpury International Horse Trials today (11 August).

Although this class only attracted nine entries this year, it was a competitive section. Izzy and the eight-year-old, who she co-owns with Lavinia Taylor and Caroline Goodwin, led from start to finish to complete on their 28.3 dressage.

“He’s very cool. He came to me as a four-year-old and he has a really lovely brain,” said Izzy of the gelding who ran a handful of times on the Flat and over hurdles with little success. “He’ll do an autumn CCI3*-L and I think he’s a proper one. He’s mega across country, he’s got the showjumping now and he’s cool on the flat.”

Oscar Fitzgerald and the sparky little grey Our Old Fella were second in the British Eventing retrained racehorse championship on 28.8, while Jack Randall, ridden by Alexander Tordoff, was third on 32.9.

Corinthian Cup result

The Fairfax Saddles Corinthian Cup, a novice championship for amateur riders, was a competitive affair with Victoria Gregg and Langson Governor the eventual winners, just .1 of a penalty ahead of second placed Freya Partridge and the diminutive Candy Flight. Victoria and the son of Larduc led the dressage on 23.5 then added four faults in the showjumping before climbing back up to the top of the leaderboard with a clear cross-country round, picking up just .4 of a time-fault.

Langson Governor, a 13-year-old owned by the rider, has proven himself to be very consistent at this level, with this championship remaining the aim for the past three years over a limited number of runs.

“It comes down to finances,” explained Victoria, who was in second after the first two phases in this class last year before it was forced to abandon owing to wet weather. “I run a busy livery yard and it’s a case of being able to get the time away. He’s a big fella, so we’re very careful with him ground-wise and we only run him when the conditions are perfect. He’s good at his job, so from a financial and time point of view, we have to pinpoint what we need to do to qualify in the championships we want to aim for. We’d have loved to have been at Gatcombe, but it is what it is.

“My best friend bred him – she’s only 4’11, but he was born 14.2hh and he’s 18.1hh now. But I think because he’s only ever had me ride him since day dot, he doesn’t know how big he is. We’ll stick to competitions like this rather than progressing up the levels.”

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Katie Magee won the hotly contested Fairfax Saddles British novice championship at the Gatcombe Festival of British Eventing replacement, the NAF Five Star Hartpury International Horse Trials today (11 August).

Riding Sharon Parnaby’s seven-year-old Cushlas Indigo, Katie finished on her 26.3 dressage, which left them second after the first phase, but their speedy double clear secured the win.

“I was a bit surprised to win, to be honest,” laughed Katie. “He’s had a really good season so we were hoping for a top 10 finish in quite a competitive class, so this is a brilliant result.”

Katie has produced Cushlas Indigo up through the grades, with wins at novice level and placings at three-star.

“His owner found him in Ireland and bought him for me to ride,” explained Katie, whose next stop with this son of Imperial Heights is the CCI3*-L at Blair Castle later this month.

“He’s a really lovely character and very straightforward but with enough character and spice to keep it interesting. Has been spooky in his past couple of tests so it was good to get the mark he was capable of this weekend. He’s getting better and better – he does what he needs to do and the bigger the fences, the better he’s getting. He was brilliant last year too and we’ll keep producing him and see where he takes us.”

Hector Payne and the flashy eight-year-old mare Global Lovestory were second on 27.5, while Kirsty Chabert and Hanerina SSF were third on 28.

British novice championship first phase leaders, New Zealand’s Samantha Lissington and Mr Cookie Time, added 3.2 cross-country time-faults to their 26.1 dressage to finish in seventh.

Of the 50 cross-country starters, 37 jumped clear and 12 completed inside the 5min 59sec optimum time.

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Oliver Townend added to his impressive tally of British championship victories when securing the Aston Martin Bristol British intermediate championship at the Gatcombe Festival of British Eventing replacement, at the NAF Five Star Hartpury International Horse Trials today (11 August).

Riding John and Victoria Peace’s En Taro Des Vernier, Oliver capitalised on a speedy cross-country round, where he clocked the joint second fastest round of the day for four time-faults to complete on 36.4 – adding four showjumping faults to a 28.4 dressage.

“I think he’s a very, very good horse. He’s one of those that isn‘t flash on the flat in comparison to the modern day lot, but I think that you’ll see him at proper five-stars,” said Oliver, who purchased this horse, who previously mainly showjumped, from France. “He‘s a machine to ride across country and a nice jumper and he has a really nice personality about him. He’s a playful character, he deserves this win and we think he’s a good one.”

Speaking of plans for the rest of this season, Oliver said not to be surprised to see him at a top level event.

“He could end up at a five-star at the end of this year. He’s so enthusiastic cross-country – he’s probably the first one I’ve ever had that you’re almost pulling him off the corners – he almost tries to do it too well, which is an incredible feeling when you‘re jumping skinnies on angles and you‘re telling him ‘not the wide bit’, but he’s so desperate to please.”

Oliver said that he thought the track at Hartpury was a “proper” test.

“It was like riding around a four-star with the terrain taken into account, which is exactly what you want for a championship course. It was as tough as you could have it really. Obviously we’ve lost Gatcombe, which is the saddest thing in my eventing life, but at the same time it’s a brilliant replacement in terms of the terrain. We’re sadly missing quite a lot of what Gatcombe has, but at the same time, from a horse point of view, you come out of this event knowing exactly what you‘ve got.”

Oliver commented that Crazy Du Loir, who was novice champion in 2022, and led the British intermediate championship after the first two phases last year before rain stopped play, also deserved this win. However, the incredibly talented 12-year-old mare, who led going into the final phase, stumbled on landing jumping into the second water and left Oliver with no chance at remaining in the saddle.

British-based Dutchman Andrew Heffernan secured second with SSK Cape Cooley, 1.8 penalties behind En Taro Des Vernier, while Fiona Kashel was third with Monbeg Cazador on 39.3.

Of the 24 cross-country starters, only France’s Gaspard Maksud jumped clear inside the time with Just Perfect, which was enough for them to finish fifth. Twenty starters jumped clear.

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Tim Price retained his British open championship title at the British Championships today (11 August). Riding Joe and Alex Giannamore’s Vitali, Tim cruised around the track at the Gatcombe Festival of British Eventing replacement, the NAF Five Star Hartpury International Horse Trials, clocking just 1.2 time-faults – the fastest time of the day.

New Zealander Tim was second after the dressage aboard 14-year-old Vitali on 20.5 with Kitty King leading the way on Vendredi Biats with 20.4, but Tim’s speedy cross-country round propelled him to the top of the leaderboard.

“He’s so well suited to this sort of competition. He obviously hasn’t had the best record showjumping when that phase is on day three – that’s something I’m still working on and it will come,” explained Tim. “But in this one-day format, it suits him. He’s got fresher legs this way around and everything is a bit more related to the training you put in for the dressage over the days leading in so the body is a bit more manageable, whereas in a three-day format, he gets more strung out across country and it’s a lot to put him back together.

“He’s such a showman in the dressage, and then we got a clear showjumping round out of him and it’s then a bit game on because he’s a fast horse. He’s been there, done that. The time was super-tight and then I heard Em [Emily King] had gone pretty close to it and I thought ‘gosh, I was trying to get close to the time on my other rides and I was miles off’. But he was super and is so adjustable at speed, which of course helps.

“There was lots to do on the cross-country and it was strong enough. It is good Burghley prep and for what Hartpury is able to offer, it was up there with one of the better tracks.”

Comparing the British open championship at Hartpury to Gatcombe, Tim says it’s a good preparation but slightly different.

“In terms of Burghley, last year I really missed not having Gatcombe as a prep-run [owing to the event’s abandonment] as it just set horses up so brilliantly. This obviously isn’t Gatcombe, but it still got right into my horse’s bread basket – there were enough hills, so I’m hoping this will stand him in very good stead for Burghley and having a bit more gas in the tank than we had there last year when we didn’t get the Gatcombe run.”

Emily King crowned British champion

Emily King was crowned British National champion in the British open championship, as she was the highest-placed Brit, finishing second on her own, Philippe Brivois and the Valmy Biats Syndicate’s Valmy Biats. Emily follows in the footsteps of her mother Mary King, who took this title in 1990, 1991, 1996 and 2007.

It was very close at the top following the dressage with just .4 of a penalty separating the top three, but Emily’s cross-country round, where she incurred the joint-second fastest round of the day for 3.2 time-faults, moved her from third after the first two phases into the runner-up spot.

The highly consistent combination of Kitty King and Vendredi Biats added 8.4 cross-country time-faults to a dressage of 20.4 to finish third.

“He pulled a shoe off early on at fence eight so that made it hard to be quick, but he went really well, did a lovely dressage test and showjumped brilliantly,” explained Kitty of the 15-year-old, owned by Diana Bown, Samantha Wilson, Sally Lloyd-Baker and John Eyre. “He’s so consistent now at this level.”

Kitty stated that the plan is to take ‘Froggy’ to Maryland 5 Star in October.

“I’ve raised half of the funds to take him there, I’ve just got to raise the other half now. I’m hoping to raise the rest by offering someone to ‘adopt’ him for the week, so they will get the full owner experience at the event, but without being named as an owner.”

Zara Tindall and five-star stalwart Class Affair were fourth on 30.7, while Tim Price finished fifth on 37.8 with Coup De Coeur Dudevin.

Of the 34 starters, 30 jumped clear around the Eric Winter-designed cross-country course, while akin to Gatcombe, nobody made the 7min 1sec optimum time.

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Big names and previous winners are among the British open championship entries at this weekend’s Festival of British Eventing.

Previously held at Gatcombe Park, this year the championships will be running at Hartpury in Gloucestershire, alongside the venue’s NAF Five Star International Hartpury Horse Trials (8–11 August)..

The British open championship was abandoned owing to heavy rain in 2023, so 2022 winners, New Zealand’s Tim Price and Vitali, line up to defend their crown this weekend.

There are 37 horses entered for this class; joining Tim will be Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent, who will be hard to beat owing to this mare’s form in 2024, which includes winning the five-star at Kentucky and a recent victory in the CCI4*-S at Burgham.

Kitty King and her top horse Vendredi Biats, with whom she won team gold and individual silver at the 2023 European Championships and has since been on flying form, will join Oliver in the line-up.

Valmy Biats and Emily King will be ones to watch too, having not finished outside the top five in all six of this gelding’s starts this year, including fourth at Badminton and fifth at Aachen.

Tom McEwen, who won Olympic team gold in Paris last week and has just become world number one for the first time, is entered with CHF Cooliser, a gutsy mare who was last seen finishing second in Luhmühlen’s five-star.

Zara Tindall rides her top horse Class Affair in the British open. He is among the contenders in this class who will then likely head to Burghley Horse Trials; some of these horses may not run across country at Hartpury, depending on their riders’ build-up plan for the five-star.

Jonelle Price lines up with Grappa Nera and Chilli’s Midnight Star and both are worth keeping an eye on.

The British novice championship is the largest of the three main championship classes with 52 entries, and the British intermediate championship plays host to 40 entries.

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Need a list of places to stay near Hartpury University?

Hartpury University, which is situated just outside of Gloucester, hosts a number of big shows and championships throughout the year, including the Blue Chip Winter Showjumping Championships and the NAF Five Star Winter Championships, incorporating the Petplan Area Festival Championships.

We’ve put together a list of hotels and places to stay near Hartpury, including B&Bs and holiday lets at a range of price points to help you make the most of your visit. With popular events drawing a large number of competitors and spectators, accommodation often fills up fast. So, don’t hang around if you find something suitable. Accommodation is listed by driving distance from the venue (GL9 3BE).

• Hotels near Hartpury
• Guest houses, inns and B&Bs near Hartpury
• Holiday lets and apartments near Hartpury

Hotels near Hartpury

Guesthouses, inns and B&Bs near Hartpury

Holiday lets and apartments near Hartpury

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Hartpury University and College will hold this year’s British Eventing (BE) national championships, following the cancellation of Gatcombe.

In March it was announced that the Magic Millions Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe (2-4 August) was off following the adverse weather experienced last year which led to the abandonment of the event, and the “ever-increasing costs associated with operating on a greenfield site”.

The championships will now run alongside the NAF Five Star International Hartpury Horse Trials on 7-11 August.

The novice, intermediate and open national championships, the Corinthian Cup restricted novice championship and the retrained racehorse championship will run alongside Hartpury’s CCI2*-L, CCI3*-L, and CCI4*-S classes, with an additional day of cross-country on 11 August.

“Britain’s national champions will then be crowned in what will be a fitting finale to a week celebrating the sport of eventing,” said a BE spokesman, adding that Hartpury is “no stranger” to holding top events, having hosted the European dressage and eventing championships for juniors and young riders in 2022.

BE chief executive Rosie Williams added that BE is “really pleased” to be working with the Hartpury team.

“We are all focused on building this back to a major event for our members of all levels to aspire to, and it is brilliant to have Hartpury on board to help us do that,” she said.

“Members attending the championships will have access to top-class facilities across all days of competition, while also being able to enjoy the atmosphere that the existing international event brings with it. Our national classes are the pinnacle in the calendar for many of our members, and we look forward to being able to watch the titles being contested within a top-class environment.”

Hartpury deputy vice-chancellor Rosie Scott-Ward said “it is our privilege to be trusted with delivering these championships in 2024”.

“Like many others, we were sad to hear of the loss of Gatcombe’s Festival of British Eventing from the calendar this year,” she said.

“While it’s not easy stepping up at relatively short notice, I’m very proud of our team here who have already got to work to ensure we deliver a superb competition and championship atmosphere for competitors.”

Ms Scott-Ward added that Hartpury has “exciting plans” for the cross-country courses.

“We are working with designer Eric Winter and [course-builders] Jump1 to create world-class tracks and exceptional going, both for the championships and also for our prestigious international classes,” she said.

“We look forward to welcoming everyone in August.”

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

Two of Britain’s Olympic gold medal-winning eventing team will be back in action this weekend when they contest the NAF Five Star International Hartpury Horse Trials (12-15 August).

Fresh from their record-breaking performance in Tokyo, where they chalked up the lowest completion score in Olympic eventing history, both Oliver Townend and Tom McEwen will be appearing at the Gloucestershire event.

Local rider Tom, who also added an individual silver medal to his team gold with Toledo De Kerser, rides Braveheart B in the NAF Five Star Magic CCI4*-S. Oliver will campaign two rides — Chapel House in the NAF Five Star M Power CCI2*-L and Davinci III in the NAF Five Star Magic CCI4*-S.

The four-star line-up will feature multiple former Olympians and five-star event winners, including William Fox-Pitt, Tina Cook, Sam Griffiths, Jeanette Brakewell, Zara Tindall, Piggy March, Gemma Tattersall and Pippa Funnell.

Pippa will be returning to Hartpury with her 2019 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials winner MGH Grafton Street. She will also bring two other rides, including Majas Hope, who finished 16th at Badminton in 2019.

The cross-country course has been designed by Eric Winter, course-designer at Blenheim for 10 years before he took on the role at Badminton in 2017.

“Following the disappointment of having to cancel the 2020 event due to the pandemic, we cannot wait to welcome the eventing community back to Hartpury,” said Phillip Cheetham, Hartpury’s equine director.

“We’re thrilled to see such a stellar line-up of horses and riders across all three classes and are honoured to be welcoming two members of our brilliant Tokyo Olympic team. The cross-country course is looking fantastic and the ground conditions are ideal.”

This year also marks the 10th anniversary of Hartpury’s relationship with title sponsor NAF, which has also since added its name to Hartpury’s other major summer equestrian events; the NAF Five Star Hartpury Festival of Dressage and NAF Five Star Hartpury Showjumping Spectacular.

The action kicked off yesterday (12 August), following Wednesday’s preliminary horse inspection for CCI2*-L and CCI3*-L competitors. Dressage was running yesterday and today, followed by cross-country on Saturday.

CCI4*-S competitors will show jump on Saturday with the CCI2*-L and CCI3*-L rounding off the action with their showjumping on Sunday.

Entry to the event for spectators is free on Thursday and Friday, £10 per person on Saturday and £5 per person on Sunday. Owing to Covid-19 regulations, all those wishing to attend (even on free days) must register via Eventbrite.

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Hartpury International Horse Trials: what riders need to know [H&H VIP]

Get the lowdown on this fixture from Eventing magazine's horse trials guide — including what riders say about the event,

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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

Get the lowdown on this fixture from Eventing magazine's horse trials guide — including what riders say about the event, plus vital statistics

Date: Thursday 13 – Sunday 16 August 2015

Event chairman: Russell Marchant

Director: Phillip Cheetham

Contact: 01452 702126/7; eventing@hartpury.ac.uk; www.hartpury.ac.uk/eventing

Location: Gloucestershire

Entries open: 9 July

Ballot date: 23 July

Entries close: 3 August

Link to Hartpury entries: www.britisheventing.com/hartpury

How to get there

Just off the A417 Gloucester to Ledbury road within easy reach of the M50 and M5.

What the organisers say

Our title sponsor is NAF.

All CCI2* dressage will take place in the indoor Hartpury arena. CIC3* and CCI* competitors will perform their dressage tests in the international outdoor arena, where the showjumping is also sited. The arena and warm-up are on an all-weather, pro track surface by Andrews Bowen. Paul Connor designs the showjumping and Eric Winter designs the cross-country, which runs over undulating parkland.

All tracks have two water fences and run over permanent grassland. Hartpury is committed to making the going the best possible and have invested further in this for 2015 — the new irrigation and ground management system will be extended to cover more areas of the course.

Some changes have been made to all courses and they will be challenging but fair.

The CCI* and CCI2* are suited to more experienced horses, while the CIC3* is for those seeking an educational run.

What the riders say

Dressage & showjumping — “Fabulous facilities and venue, but lorry parking is a little cramped and there is limited hook-up. Lorry park is also very slippery for unloading horses.” “The one- and two-star dressage is held in an all-weather arena. The CIC3* runs in the indoor school, which has a unique atmosphere [see organiser comments]. The final warm-up is in a small adjacent indoor which can feel a little cramped.” “There is good viewing of the showjumping in the all-weather arena with interesting, decent tracks, and the warm-up is held in an arena beside it.”

Cross-country — “The CIC3* provides a good pre-autumn three-day event run.” “Bold, undulating courses with good questions.” “It’s a long hack from the stables.” “Ground much improved from previous years as it now has a watering system in place.”

Percentage of cross-country clears 2014

CIC3*: 70%

CCI2*: 67%

CCI*: 77%

Download part two of the horse trials guide for just £1.49: Eventing horse trials guide part two