For three days in the middle of April, the beautiful Belton House Estate which is based just off the A1 on the outskirts of Grantham in Lincolnshire, is transformed into a hive of activity. Whatever you want from a day out in the country, Belton 2016 has it to offer with more family entertainment than ever before (and not all of it involving horses!) This year’s event include a BRAND NEW interactive zone, a classic car show, a family fun fair, stallion parade, over 100 trade stands, a family dog show and an exhilarating high gate jump competition.
William Fox-Pitt will be pulling on his competitive boots once again when he partners his ‘old faithful’ 4* ride Cool Mountain along with Little Fire and Secret Night in the Open Intermediate Classes on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th April. Only getting back on board again in December last year after his crashing fall at Le Lion D’Angers with 2* mount Reinstated in October, we are all very pleased he is back at Belton House for his 13th year running
Joining William on his own remarkable journey back from injury is six time Olympic rider, Andrew Nicholson. The world famous Kiwi rider has said he has been “incredibly lucky” after he suffered a serious neck injury during a heavy fall at the Festival of British Eventing in August 2015. “My surgeon told me that the injury I sustained would have caused paralysis in 98% of cases, I was very lucky.” Andrew fell with Cillnabradden Evo in the CIC3* at Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire last season and made his return to competitive eventing at the beginning of March this year, much sooner than most expected after the severity of his injury. Returning to Belton for the 8th consecutive year Andrew brings his Badminton bound rides Avebury and Nereo to contest the Advanced on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th April.
This year there there is no reason to miss any of the action at Belton. WATCH the CIC 3* LIVE via worldwide online streaming on Sunday 17th April from 2pm
For the first time Belton International Horse Trials is offering worldwide eventing fans the opportunity to watch all of the action from the comfort of their own homes by streaming Sunday’s 3* Cross Country online. With a commentary team including Triple Gold Medal winning Olympian Matt Ryan providing Sunday’s commentary, spectators are promised to be kept informed and entertained by his un-mistakable Aussie style! And for spectators on site there will be filming and coverage over all three days shown on the Big Screen situated by the Lycett’s Lounge Hospitality tent out on the Cross Country Course so there is no reason to miss any of the weekend’s action
An Eventful Life will also be videoing every rider on the cross country course each day so you can relive your ride fence by fence – more details about our cross country videos here
Tickets and details of the three-day programme are now available via the website at www.belton-horse.co.uk. Special early bird rates are available for those who buy tickets online until 10th April.
