Following the announcement in April that Belton Park would no longer be available as a venue for one of British Eventing’s flagship events, BEDE Events, the organisers of the longstanding Belton International Horse Trials, swung into action to find a suitable replacement
When we spoke to Stuart Buntine of BEDE Events in May, he was upbeat about finding a replacement, saying "I’ve been offered three castles and five stately homes this week!” and, in late June, following a review of potential sites to replace Belton Park by British Eventing, it was announced that Thoresby Park in Nottinghamshire would be the new venue
The team at BEDE Events remain at the helm and the location is similar to that of Belton Park, just five miles south of Worksop, which also means that the ground at Thoresby is free draining sandy soil, essential for running such a big event early in the year
The inaugural event at Thoresby, dubbed ‘The Eventing Spring Carnival’, will run from 27th – 29th March 2020 and will run CCI-S 4*, CCI-S 3*, CCI-S 2* International classes as well as at Novice, Intermediate and Advanced national level. The Grantham Cup class, well-known as the lead up hit-out for Badminton Horse Trials’ combinations, will also continue to take place at Thoresby
Plenty of work is now going on to establish a purpose-built venue layout and we’ll bring you more about that in early 2020 but in the meantime, the Box Office is open and BEDE Events is offering a special Member Discount until midnight on Christmas Day so get in quick!
Become a member with a friend for just £40 (save £30) and you can both relax in their exclusive members lounge with arena side views, private toilet facilities, private garden, complimentary tea and coffee and dedicated pay bar/restaurant serving light lunches
