Wendy Schaeffer and Koyuna Sun Dancer will be competing at Houghton Hall Photo: Pauline Chevalier
Over 350 competitors have entered the international classes at this year’s Subaru Houghton International which features the inaugural FEI Nations Cup Eventing.
Due to the event cancellations in the UK in recent weeks the organisers have rescheduled the programme to accommodate the huge field, and will now run Cross Country over three days, Friday 25 – Sunday 27 May, The FEI Nations Cup will take place on Saturday 26 May.
Alec Lochore, Event Director and Eventing Manager at London 2012, says, “After the sad cancellation of Badminton and Chatsworth, we are now inundated with entries. We are delighted that so many international competitors will be making their way to Norfolk next week including 80 riders from 16 countries for the inaugural Nations Cup competition. There are a significant number of horses and riders at Houghton who will also be challenging for the Gold Medals in London on 31 July. Houghton is blessed with free draining soil and the all important going will be good next weekend.”
The CIC 3* Section C includes riders competing in the Nations Cup and from Australia there are;
KOYUNA SUN DANCER Wendy Schaeffer
KELECYN ICE AGE Emma Dougall
HAPPY TIMES Sam Griffiths
PAULANK BROCKAGH Sam Griffiths
FLYING FINISH Lucinda Fredericks
URZAN Catherine Burrell
SHANNONDALE TITAN Bill Levett
Australian riders will be competing in several other classes, including Kevin McNab riding Clifton Pinot in the CIC 3* Section D1. From the current start list it seems that there will be teams from Australia, Brazil, Spain, France, Germany, New Zealand and of course, Great Britain. There are a host of top riders competing from all nations and a strong contingent of British riders William Fox-Pitt (Seacookie and Lionheart), Piggy French (Jakarta), Pippa Funnell (Mirage d'Elle), Mary King (King’s Temptress and Imperial Cavalier), Nicola Wilson (Opposition Buzz).
In addition to the international classes, some 300 riders and horses will take part in other competitions at Houghton, including the Burghley Young Event Horse class, unaffiliated show jumping and dressage, and the Eventers Grand Prix.
“We are keen to give young riders the chance to compete in a top class setting” comments Lochore, “By offering classes for Pony Club riders upwards, we are helping to support the international riders of tomorrow.”
We’ll be providing full coverage of the event with Libby Law on the ground for An Eventful Life so stay tuned…….
