Hartpury Horse Trials Back With a Vengeance

July 31, 2008 - PRLog -- The Mitsubishi Motors Hartpury Horse Trials is back with a vengeance; despite having an enforced year-off in 2007 due to flooding and clashing with this years Olympic Equestrian Eventing Competition out in Hong Kong, an overwhelming number of entries have been received for next weeks event (7th-10th August) being held across the beautiful 800-acre Hartpury College Estate in Gloucestershire.

In the region of three hundred entrants from fourteen nations will compete across the CIC***, CCI** and CCI* competitions; the generous prize fund, which includes a new Mitsubishi Outlander, and the ‘big international event’ atmosphere Hartpury never fails to deliver,  once again attracting a healthy contingent of riders.

Strong contenders in the CIC*** include reigning Eventing World Champion Zara Phillips MBE with Secret Legacy and Tallyho Sambucca, Sarah Cohen with Trebetherick and Irish Jester, Oliver Townend with Imperial Master and Golden Hue, Piggy French with Lemington Lets Dance, Ruth Edge with Mr Dumbledore and Fast Track, Swedish Hong Kong Reserve Rider, Anna Hilton with Lester De La Pree, New Zealander Bruce Haskell with Kiwi Smog and Not Kidding  and Australians Sam Griffiths with Happy Times and Paul Tapner with Tiger Flynne and Highspring.  Both the CCI** and CCI* have also attracted an excellent field of amateur riders, many of whom view Hartpury Horse Trials as ‘their Badminton’.

New cross-country course designer, Eric Winter, has made very few changes to Mike Etherington-Smith’s challenging 2007 course that unfortunately remained untested due to the horrific floods that hit Gloucestershire last summer.  

Eminent officials include former international eventer, FEI International Judge and Hartpury Equine Academy Director, Nick Burton, who will be this years President of the CIC*** and fellow FEI International Judge and Secretary General of the International Eventing Officials Club, Jean Mitchell MBE.  This will be Jean’s last Hartpury due to her imminent retirement from her illustrious career within International equestrianism.

The relationship with title sponsor, Mitsubishi Motors UK, continues to flourish; the strength of the Mitsubishi brand, its affinity with Eventing Sport and the generous prize fund (the third largest of all horse trials in the UK behind Badminton and Burghley), which this year includes a Mitsubishi Outlander, enabling Hartpury to develop a truly world-class event.

An enthralling programme of weekend family entertainment, to include a Medieval Jousting Display, an Exotic Animal Extravaganza, Pony Club Games, an Andalusian Pas de Deux, a Side Saddle Display, The Severn Sound Black Thunders and a visit from Severnwye Llama Trekking with their collection of Llama’s, Jasmine the Camel and Giant Rabbits(!)  and over fifty trade stands selling a huge range of equestrian and rural craft products and delicious refreshments, will ensure a memorable experience for all.

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Situated with 360 hectares of beautiful Gloucestershire countryside, Hartpury College is an outstanding provider of sports science, equine care and management, animal science, agricultural and land management courses.