Zara Tindall and Pippa Funnell are among those set to take part in a new arena eventing competition at Royal Windsor Horse Show (13 to 17 May).
Mark Phillips is to design the course for the competition, on the first day of the show, which means potential members of all three Olympic teams will be at the event, three months before the Tokyo Games.
Former World champion Zara has confirmed she intends to bring her London 2012 team silver medal-winning ride High Kingdom, while triple Olympic medallist Pippa will also be a strong contender.
A Royal Windsor spokesman said: “British Olympic rider Gemma Tattersall will make her Royal Windsor Horse Show debut this May. Part of the squad that won team gold at the 2018 World Equestrian Games, she is another GB hopeful for Tokyo 2020.
“Flying the flag for the US will be Lauren Kieffer, currently sixth in the FEI eventing world rankings.With a formidable string of horses to pick from, she will be a hot contender for the class. FEI world number five, Tom McEwen is also among the distinguished list of incredible talents set to compete.”
The course will combine showjumping and cross-country elements, and Team GBR performance director and eventing performance manager Dicky Waygood said it would be a “great addition” to the show.
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“It will not only bring eventing to new audiences but will also attract the world’s best riders to what is already an amazing event,” he said.
Show director Simon Brooks-Ward added that he was “delighted” by the addition.
“To host all three disciplines ahead of this year’s Olympic Games is hugely exciting and a fantastic new development for the show,” he said.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
