An Eventful Life is filming all competitors on cross country at
Oasby Elite 2021 - order or view videos here
161 combinations will contest five sections of Open Intermediate competition at the invitation-only event at Oasby Elite on Monday March 22nd
When reading the 'Who's Who' entry list, it seems as if we are looking at an unusually long entry list for a 5* but this event is simply designed to give the top-level riders a run prior to the opening of ‘normal’ events after Covid-19 restrictions ease in England on 29th March.
Although one of the target events for these top combinations, the CCI5* at Badminton Horse Trials is now cancelled, plenty of riders have come forward for the opportunity of an early run for some of the best horses in the country.
The World Champion Ros Canter has three entries with Pencos Crown Jewel, Lordships Graffalo and Rehy Royal Diamond, the World Number One Oliver Townend has one in each section, including 5* winners Ballaghmor Class and Cooley Master Class and the British Number One Piggy March also has five entries including Badminton winner Vanir Kamira and Brookfield Inocent who, under normal circumstances would have most likely competed at Badminton and Kentucky this year
Piggy March and Brookfield Inocent in the Open Intermediate at Oasby (1) 2019
The only 5* winner in 2020, at Les Etoiles de Pau, Laura Collett and London 52, and 2019 Burghley winners Pippa Funnell and MGH Grafton Street are also part of the line-up keen to get their season underway.
It isn’t just the ‘Best of British’ as top-level riders from international federations who are based in England also received an invitation and the line-up includes combinations from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the Netherlands, Ireland, Brazil, Sweden and Italy
Australia’s only entry, Kevin McNab brings forward Scuderia 1918 A Best Friend and Scuderia 1918 Don Quidam while New Zealand has several riders entered with multiple horses
Oasby is an event traditionally run at the beginning and end of the season thanks to its ability to handle wet ground conditions but luckily (and the sport surely deserves some luck by now), the weather is looking good as we head towards the first event of the season
BEDE Events organiser Stuart Buntine has designed the course as a good ‘pipe-opener’ for these horses, who must literally be champing at the bit by now, and this Elite-only event will be followed by Oasby (1) on 2nd & 3rd April, postponed from its usual early March date, which will run classes from BE90 to Open Intermediate. These British Eventing competitions will also be followed by an Unaffiliated event on Monday 5th April
We will have a full wrap-up following the event and of course we are filming all competitors on cross country at Oasby Elite, Oasby (1) and Oasby Unaffiliated
Oasby Elite Cross-Country will also be streamed live on H&C+
Kevin McNab and Scuderia 1918 Don Quidam
