An Eventful Life will be filming all competitors on cross country at
Fairfax & Favor Rockingham International - find out more here
This weekend we’re delighted to be returning to Rockingham International Horse Trials which runs from 18-20 May.
Castle owners James and Lizzie Saunders Watson are looking forward to welcoming partners new and old with the luxury footwear and accessories brand Fairfax & Favor having taken title sponsorship of the event and this new relationship is backed up by further support from Robert Loomes & Co, Berrys and Spirit Hyundai Corby.
Robert Loomes & Co is the event's Official Timekeeper, and since 2014 has generously provided a hand-made English watch as a prize for the Advanced Intermediate or Open Intermediate competitor who completes the cross country course closest to the optimum time.
The traditional, extraordinary firm of watchmakers hand-produces elegant, limited edition watches, each one entirely manufactured in this country. Joining the Loomes team on its stand will be members of The Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT). Last year three serving Ghurkhas reached the summit of Mount Everest, one of whom was wearing an exclusive Robert Loomes watch – which will be sold at auction later this year to raise vital funds for the Trust.
Rockingham International's official Charity this year is Home-Start Corby, a family support charity which works alongside children and families living across the Borough of Corby and surrounding villages. Volunteers regularly visit families in their own home and offer parents and their children befriending, a listening ear and lots of encouragement. They also offer support to families on trips and outings.
The team at Home-Start Corby are planning fun activities for children across the weekend of the Horse Trials. On offer will be various craft activities such as upcycle planting (wellies, cans, buckets and bottles), a hobby horse race course, pebble painting, horse shoes, potato printing and ribbons.
But of course the main focus are the horses and riders and there will be plenty happening across the classes. More than 1,000 entries have been made in the eventing classes for this year's event and approximately 700 more are due to compete in the additional classes; Pony Club and Riding Club team showjumping, Arena Eventing and Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse classes.
Eventing entries are not only large they are high class, with riders representing 19 nations from the United States to Russia, Japan to Jamaica. It is, again, a truly international field.
Multiple medal winner William Fox-Pitt has four horses listed, from novice to open intermediate level, while local girl, British squad member and the winner of the first leg of this year’s Event Rider Masters, Piggy French has seven. Pippa Funnell will compete on the Sunday in the intermediate and advanced intermediate classes, and the reigning Badminton champion Andrew Nicholson (NZL) returns with three horses in the international classes – Andrew won the One Star at Rockingham last year.
In addition to those named above, close to 20 competitors are past Olympians including New Zealand's eventing legend and 2015 Loomes Championship winner, Sir Mark Todd, Japan's Toshiyuki Tanaka and Ryozo Kitajima, Ireland's Jonty Evans, Aoife Clark and Michael & Patricia Ryan, Sweden's Ludwig Svennerstal, Italy's Vittoria Panizzon, Brazil's Carlos Parro and Britain's Kitty King and Daisy Berkeley.
Joining the established 'old guard' are some of the up and coming eventing talents, including the reigning Junior European Championship individual gold and team silver medal winning Bubby Upton, past Young Rider European Championship team gold/individual silver medal winner, and previous Pony European Championship team silver medallist Eliza Stoddart – the latter both local riders.
As usual it's not just the eventing that has attracted strong support. One hundred Pony Club teams representing 25 branches have entered for their show jumping competition, and Riding Club teams will also be getting a share of the action. With the additional Arena Eventing and Burghley Young Event Horse classes there will be plenty to see all weekend.
For more information about everything happening at Fairfax & Favor Rockingham International Horse Trials or to buy advance tickets, visit www.rockinghamcastlehorsetrials.com
Who will win the beautiful Robert Loomes watch this year?
