Entries for all the eventing classes at Cornbury House Horse Trials 2026 (9-13 September) are now open.

The seventh running of the Oxfordshire event, which was founded by event president David Howden in 2020, will stage the following classes:

• A NEW British Eventing Advanced class for under-25 riders, which will be restricted to 25 competitors.

• The Arena Racing Company (ARC) Racehorse to Eventer Challenge Cup, which has a total prize-fund of £50,000

• The British Eventing National Young Horse Championships for five, six- and seven-year-olds, supported by The Howden Way

• Pragnell-sponsored CCI3*-S sections

• Premier Equine-sponsored CCI2*-S sections

• The Howden Way Youth classes at CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S level.

Ballot date for all classes will be 18 August at 12 noon. Entries to be made via the British Eventing website. ARC Racehorse to Eventer Challenge Cup entries must demonstrate proof of eligibility.

New Advanced course-designer Andrew Heffernan, who works in conjunction with Cornbury’s long-standing course-designer David Evans, has introduced exciting new changes to the cross-country tracks for 2026, including relocating the start and finish area and using different parts of Cornbury Park and the surrounding Wychwood Forest.

Alongside top-class sport, Cornbury offers so much to its visitors:

• NEW hospitality in the shape of the Great Cornbury BBQ, which is available on Sunday, 13 September at £45 per head in the spectacular hospitality marquee overlooking the main arena.

• Browsing the hand-picked, curated selection of independent retailers that comprise the Cornbury Village

• Sampling exceptional, locally sourced food and drink at our “From the Farm” initiative, which will bring together some of the region’s finest producers, including Cornbury Farm, Bruern Farm, Honeydale Farm and Diddly Squat

• NEW Artisan Food and Drink Tent, featuring local producers

• NEW Cornbury Chat Stage, featuring local personalities and equestrian heroes on Saturday, 12 and Sunday, 13 September

• NEW Diddly Dog Show supported by Diddly Squat Farm on Saturday, 12 and Sunday, 13 September, with a variety of classes to enter

• Entertainment every night after the sport finishes in the Wychwood Inn on-site

• Explore the rest of the site with the return of Variety Wood, along with the Pol Roger Lodge up at the Pragnell Water Feature on the cross-country course.

David Howden said: “I can’t wait for this year’s event – we’ve made considerable changes to the site and the cross-country courses, which will give it all an exciting new look and feel. The new Advanced under-25 class will perform their dressage in a brand-new arena on the lawn of Cornbury House, which will look spectacular and give riders a real taste of the championship atmosphere we will be creating at next year’s FEI Eventing World Championship for Under 25s that we are hosting here at Cornbury.”

 Visit www.cornburyhousehorsetrials.co.uk for more information and to buy tickets.

Cornbury House Horse Trials’ supported charity for 2026 is the British Eventing Support Trust (BEST), and donations can be made at the point of ticket purchase.

Cross-country, showjumping and some highlights of the dressage will be shown on ClipMyHorse.tv.

ENDS

• NEW hospitality in the shape of the Great Cornbury BBQ, which is available on Sunday, 13 September at £45 per head in the spectacular hospitality marquee overlooking the main arena.
• Browsing the hand-picked, curated selection of independent retailers that comprise the Cornbury Village
• Sampling exceptional, locally sourced food and drink at our “From the Farm” initiative, which will bring together some of the region’s finest producers, including Cornbury Farm, Bruern Farm, Honeydale Farm and Diddly Squat
• NEW Artisan Food and Drink Tent, featuring local producers
• NEW Cornbury Chat Stage, featuring local personalities and equestrian heroes on Saturday, 12 and Sunday, 13 September
• NEW Diddly Dog Show supported by Diddly Squat Farm on Saturday, 12 and Sunday, 13 September
• Entertainment every night after the sport finishes in the Wychwood Inn on-site
• Explore the rest of the site with the return of Variety Wood, along with the Pol Roger Lodge up at the Pragnell Water Feature on the cross-country course.

Cornbury House Horse Trials is delighted to announce the inaugural Diddly Dog Show, a brand-new addition to this year’s event, taking place on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September 2026.

Supported by our friends and neighbours at Diddly Squat Farm, the show will bring plenty of fun, character and countryside charm to Cornbury’s weekend programme, giving visitors the chance to enter their furry friends into a range of classes while supporting a very good cause.

All entry fees from the Diddly Dog Show will be donated to the Ernest Cook Trust, an educational charity that helps connect young people with the countryside through outdoor learning, environmental stewardship and hands-on experiences in nature.

Classes will include Best Pub Dog, Best Tractor/Horsebox Companion, Best Young Handler (12 and under), and Best Yard Dog  and a Best in Show each day with the judges, full class schedule and entry information to be revealed in due course.

The new dog show forms part of Cornbury’s growing weekend offering, which combines world-class eventing with family entertainment, boutique shopping, local food and drink, and premium hospitality, all set against the stunning backdrop of Cornbury Park.

David Howden, Founder and President of Cornbury House Horse Trials said: “We are hugely excited to introduce the Diddly Dog Show to Cornbury this year. Dogs are such an important part of countryside life, and this felt like a brilliant way to add something fun and inclusive to the weekend, while also raising money for the Ernest Cook Trust. We are very grateful to Diddly Squat Farm for their support and look forward to welcoming plenty of four-legged competitors in September.”

Diddly Squat Farm’s, Lisa Clarkson added: “The Diddly Dog Show is exactly the sort of fun countryside event we’re delighted to be part of. Dogs are at the heart of life on the farm here, so it seemed the perfect opportunity to celebrate them while helping to raise money for a fantastic cause. We can’t wait to see all the characters—both two-legged and four-legged—at Cornbury in September.”

The Diddly Dog Show will take place from 2pm to 5pm on both Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September during Cornbury House Horse Trials. Interested parties can register their interest below with full details on how to enter, class schedule and timings to be announced in due course. Please note, you will require a valid entrance ticket to Cornbury House Horse Trials to be able to enter.

Register for the Diddly Dog Show here