We bring you the lowdown on this fixture from Eventing magazine's horse trials guide — including what riders say about the event, plus vital statistics
Date: Saturday 7 – Sunday 8 March 2015
Organisers: Clem Tompsett MBE and Jackie Seddon
Contact: 07787 515603; jackie@tompsettgrowersltd.co.uk
Location: Cambridgeshire
Entries open: 23 January
Ballot date: 6 February at 12 noon
Entries close: 18 February
Link to Isleham entries: www.britisheventing.com/isleham
How to get there
Whitehall Farm is located 1½ miles off the Soham bypass (A142). Follow signs to the entrance, off the Prickwillow Road (B1104). Grid reference TL630765.
What the organisers say
Why Isleham? Our record shows we always run, with our unique going, and reinvent ourselves each year with investment in our courses. The focus for March is a redirection of tracks for the BE90 and BE100 to go around the reservoirs, altering the novice water and the exit from Red Top Avenue for the novice and intermediate to use the contours of the woods.
We take pride in producing a well-organised and very friendly event for competitors. We have invested in the road leading to the owners’ car park.
We provide a designated well-trained team on-site during the event to maintain the ground conditions, often rolling late on Saturday to provide best ground conditions for the Sunday. Isleham is holding the area eight Pony Club competition later in the year, so this is a good opportunity for under-18 novice competitors to see the tracks.
Our main sponsor is Tompsett Burgess Growers Ltd and we support the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust.
What the riders say
Dressage & showjumping — “Big, flat field, masses of room and good going with well spaced and flat arenas. The cross-country runs alongside the dressage warm-up field, but the field is big enough not to cause a problem usually.” “Large showjumping warm-up on peaty soil so it never gets too cut up.” “Lovely big, flat showjumping arena next to the tradestands with smart jumps and a well-run collecting ring with a white board.”
Cross-country — “Excellent warm-up with a number of fences centrally located near everything.” “Educational courses. Can be very twisty but better last year. The ground here is amazing and holds up incredibly well despite huge amounts of rain. It can get deep, but very rarely holding.” “The fences are well prepared and inviting and suitable for a first-timer.” “Apart from one huge man-made bank, the course is flat and rides very well. Some BE90 horses take exception to the ditch halfway round, which is near the lorry park.”
Percentage of cross-country clears 2014
OI: 77%
I: 54%
ONU18: 91%
ON: 92%
N: 95%
BE100 Open: 92%
BE100: 87%
BE90 Open: 88%
BE90: 74%
Download part one of the horse trials guide for just £1.49: Eventing horse trials guide part one
Buy Eventing magazine’s March issue for our full horse trials guide detailing every event from March to June 2015 or purchase a digital copy of the guide here. The second half of the guide will be in our April issue (on sale 20 March) and online to buy digitally after publication