An Eventful Life will be filming all competitors on cross country at
Osborne House - find out more here
The London Capital & Finance Horse Trials is the new ‘showcase’ event on the British Eventing calendar designed to attract top class riders and summer spectators to Osborne House, once the palatial holiday home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
"It is impossible to imagine a prettier spot" said Queen Victoria while the views across the Solent from the garden terraces reminded Prince Albert of the Bay of Naples. They are the same views that all will be able to enjoy as the backdrop to some great equestrian sport on Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th July when the inaugural eventing competition will take place
Each day the competitors will complete their competition with four classes being held – two Open Intermediate classes for riders at specific BE point levels on Wednesday and two classes on Thursday, also at Open Intermediate with one open to all and the Grand Prix, open to the highest pointed horses only. Entries have been restricted to 20 horses per class and there is plenty on offer to tempt the riders across the Solent with a prize pool in excess of £60,000 and a minimum of £4000 first prize in all sections
There’s plenty to tempt spectators too, be they resident or holidaying on the Isle of Wight or those who will make the one hour trip by ferry from Southampton or Portsmouth, with Red Funnell and Wight Link offering discount ferry tickets, especially for the event. The eventing competitions have been designed to keep the crowds entertained with specially created dressage tests and the cross country course, with two water complexes, run down the valley toward the Solent, with much of the course able to be viewed from the terraces of Osborne House.
William Fox-Pitt, Oliver Townend, Emily King and Holly Woodhead are some of the well known riders who will be vying for the coveted trophy and there will be opportunities to meet the riders in the River Lodge Equestrian Riders Lounge. Or you can browse the trade stands around the Durban Lawn, many with products specific to the island, and enjoy falconry displays from Haven Falconry and a 17th Century Classic Dressage Demonstration
For those wanting to make more of a holiday of it, the island is renowned for its beaches and seafront restaurants so why not stay a while and hope that the British summer continues to provide some more perfect weather ……
