Stars of the Paris Olympics shone at Cornbury House Horse Trials (11-15 September) in Oxfordshire today.

Tom McEwen, a member of Britain’s gold medal-winning team at both the Paris and Tokyo Olympics, won CCI3*-S section B riding Brookfield Quality, while Paris team reserve rider – and reigning world champion – Yasmin Ingham took section A on Rehy DJ. And New Zealand’s Clarke Johnstone topped section C on his Paris Olympics mount Menlo Park. All three winning horses are aiming for the end-of-season CCI5* at Pau in France.

All three riders were delighted to win their own weight in Hawkestone beer or cider – a prize that every victorious competitor will be awarded during Cornbury House Horse Trials

Tom said: “Brookfield Quality was awesome. It was a great prep run for Pau, and it was brilliant to be able to do it in the atmosphere of Cornbury with a lot of things going on. The ground was absolutely perfect after last night’s rain.”

Both British riders completed on their dressage scores: Tom on 25.1 with Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry’s Brookfield Quality, and Yasmin on 25.6 with Janette Chin and The Sue Davies Fund’s Rehy DJ.

Yasmin said: “This was a great fitness test for Rehy DJ. It’s beautiful up-and-down parkland and he felt brilliant throughout, so we are pushing on for Pau now and it’s exciting.

“I always try to get Cornbury into my calendar for the season. It’s beautifully run, the courses are amazing and the ground is perfect. I find it really good preparation for both my older horses and the younger ones as well – it’s highly educational.”

Menlo Park, who added just 1.6 cross-country time-penalties to his dressage mark of 24.1, will be tackling his first CCI5* at Pau.

Clarke said: “This is a stepping-stone to that. He did a beautiful dressage and he jumped really well and the ground was fantastic, with an amazing prize, so I put my foot down today and scorched round. He is a really fun, cheeky horse and spooky sometimes, but he loves people and going places and is a horse that you just know really enjoys his job.”

There were some equine heroes in the ribbons in the British Eventing Open Intermediate sections, both of which were won by New Zealand Olympian and former world number one Tim Price.

Tim took section E on Sue Benson’s Falco IV, winner of the CCI5* at Pau in 2021, team and individual bronze medallist at the 2022 World Championships in Italy and sixth individually at the Paris Olympics – and second to him was Ballaghmor Class (Oliver Townend), twice a winner of Defender Burghley’s CCI5* and also winner of the Defender Kentucky CCI5*, as well as a team gold medallist at the Tokyo Olympics for Britain.

Tim’s section D success came aboard Jarillo, owned by Lucy Allison, Clifton Eventers and Rachel and James Good.

He said: “Today was about getting Falco back into a competition environment -I haven’t done much with him since Paris, and today was the first time I have jumped him since the Olympics. The showjumping here is good with a different dynamic with the hill. The ground on the cross-country felt great ,and the course was a fair track and nice to bowl around with a bit of terrain, which puts some fitness into these horses for next time.

“Jarillo is adorable. He’s incredibly quirky and sharp and horse-shy – we have to be very careful with warm-up areas. But when he’s in the ring, that’s when he’s at his happiest; he’s on his own, he is relaxed and can perform.”

Cornbury House Horse Trials continues until Sunday (11 September) with the British Eventing Young Horse Championships, The Howden Way and Project Pony Youth classes and CCI2*-S and national intermediate sections.

As well as a feast of equestrian sport, featuring many of the world’s most famous riders, Cornbury Horse Horse Trials is an innovative and exciting blend of local, sustainable food and drink from our neighbouring farms, premium hospitality, and interactive children’s activities in the stunning setting of Cornbury Park.

The organisers of Cornbury House Horse Trials (11-15 September) are delighted to announce that HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh will attend the event on Friday 13th September 2024 and present the trophy to the winner of the British Eventing Young Horse Championship class for five-year-olds.

The Duchess of Edinburgh, who attended Cornbury House Horse Trials for the first time last year, will be on site to see Team GB’s eventing gold medallists from the Paris Olympics in action, as well as some of the country’s most exciting young riders and horses compete in dressage, cross-country and showjumping. Cornbury House Horse Trials was founded by David Howden and his family in 2020, and 2024 will be the fifth edition of this unique event in the heart of the Cotswolds, which combines world-class eventing with a celebration of locally sourced food and drink and family entertainment.

Cornbury House Horse Trials is delighted to reveal more details of the exciting new class for ex-racehorses – a joint initiative between Cornbury and Jayne McGivern of Dash Grange Stud – to be run at the Oxfordshire event in 2025.

With a first prize of £45,000, the aim of the class is to raise the profile of thoroughbred horses’ suitability for eventing. Jayne McGivern and Cornbury House Horse Trials’ founder and president David Howden are owners and breeders of racehorses as well as event horses, and bringing these two equestrian sports closer together is a shared passion.

The Cornbury Racehorses Eventing Challenge will be run at British Eventing Open Novice level, but using an FEI CCI2*-S dressage test in a long arena and with the showjumping phase last and in reverse order. The aim for subsequent years will be to run the class at British Eventing Intermediate level.

Entrants must have achieved two Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MERs) as a combination at novice in the current season (2025). Horses must not have competed at CCI4* level or above in the past two seasons. Riders will be restricted to two entries each, and horses do not need to have raced or to have been in training, but must be registered with Weatherbys or the appropriate thoroughbred studbook of their country of origin.

David Howden, Cornbury House Horse Trials’ president and founder, said: “I am so excited that we will be introducing this very special class at CHHT in 2025. Jayne McGivern and I share a joint passion for both eventing and racing and for the amazing horses in those sports, and we hope to draw attention to the wonderful versatility of thoroughbred – and to encourage our best riders to recognise their suitability for eventing and to reward them for the correct training of them.”

Jayne McGivern said: “There is no doubt that thoroughbreds can shine at the very top level in eventing, and I hope this class will inspire our top riders and everyone else connected to this fantastic sport to believe in them and give them the opportunities and the best care and training to reach their full potential.

The 2024 running of Cornbury House Horse Trials is underway, and runs from 11-15 September. Tickets may be purchased online at www.cornburyhousehorsetrials.co.uk or on the gate, and all the cross-country action from the event will be shown live on Horse & Country TV.

Pragnell, the sixth-generation, British family-run jeweler with a rich and royal heritage, is delighted to once again partner with Cornbury House Horse Trials. A highlight of the equestrian calendar, this prestigious event takes place in the picturesque surroundings of Cornbury Park, attracting top riders from across the globe. Known for its challenging and educational course and high standards, the event celebrates excellence, courage, and dedication in the sport of eventing.

Pragnell have been a committed partner of the event since its revival in 2020 by David Howden and his family and it is this family theme which sits at the heart of both Cornbury and Pragnell. Along with a shared British heritage and dedication to preserving British craftsmanship, both brands are proud to support British talent. The commitment shown by a rider’s dedication to their craft and training is comparable to the skills applied by Pragnell master craftsmen and apprentices preserving unique techniques required to handcraft Pragnell jewellery.

For this year’s event, Pragnell have created a bespoke pin badge that will be awarded to the winning riders of each class at Cornbury House Horse Trials as part of their prize and a keepsake to commemorate the achievement and skill showcased by the rider along with an overall Leading Rider pin which will be awarded at the end of the competition.

Charlie Pragnell commented: “We are thrilled to partner with Cornbury once again at their prestigious Horse Trials, reflecting our deep-rooted relationship and shared values. To represent this partnership, we are proud to create these pin badges in recognition of the skill and craftsmanship required to succeed in the sport of eventing.”

The pin badge is a piece of craftsmanship has been specially designed to honour the exceptional achievements of the riders who excel at this esteemed event. Crafted with the utmost attention to detail, the pin badges have been hand-made in Pragnell workshops, in the heart of Great Britain by Pragnell master craftsmen. The badge, adorned with the Cornbury House motif and year, is designed to be a timeless symbol of achievement.

David Howden, Founder and president of Cornbury House Horse Trials added: “We wanted all our amazing winning riders at this year’s Cornbury House Horse Trials to take home a memento of their brilliant success. Something to spotlight their incredible tenacity, dedication, and talent. So, we are thrilled that each triumphant competitor in every class will now receive a Pragnell pin. These badges of honour will provide an enduring reminder of their Cornbury achievements in 2024. And I hope all our winners wear them with pride.”

All four members of Britain’s gold medal-winning team at the Paris Olympics – Laura Collett, Tom McEwen, Ros Canter and “alternate” rider Yasmin Ingham – are entered for Cornbury House Horse Trials (11-15 September), alongside multiple Olympians from other nations.

With some of the sport of eventing’s most famous names – equine and human – set to compete at the highly popular Oxfordshire event, the stage is set for a truly golden celebration of equestrian sport.

Cornbury House Horse Trials was founded by David Howden and his family in 2020, and immediately became one of the highlights of the eventing season for riders, owners, grooms, sponsors and spectators. For the second year running, Cornbury hosts the British Eventing Young Horse Championships, as well as Youth Championship classes for under-21 riders, supported by The Howden Way, and international classes at CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S level. There are also hotly contested national classes – the Open Intermediate alone boasts two CCI5* winners in 2023 Defender Burghley hero Ballaghmor Class (Oliver Townend) and Falco, winner of the Pau CCI5* and sixth individually at the Paris Olympics with New Zealand’s Tim Price.

David Howden said: “We are thrilled and flattered by both the exceptional quality and amount of entries – nearly 1,100 of them – that we have received for Cornbury 2024. It’s particularly pleasing that the numbers for the Young Horse Championships and the Youth classes have grown again, as well as those for the supporting classes.

“Cornbury House Horse Trials has always aimed to be the best event for horses, riders and owners, and we are tireless in our efforts to improve on all fronts. The site and the ground conditions are looking fantastic. Following consultation after last year’s event, it was recommended that we ran fewer horses to ensure that we could preserve the all-important footing for horses over all four days of competition. As a consequence, we agreed to run one section less per day on the Thursday and Friday of this year’s event.

“In accepting our entries, we have tried to allow as many people are able to compete at Cornbury House Horse Trials as possible while preserving the best conditions for horses that we can – it is so important to us that we enable the stars of the sport and the best up-and-coming horses and riders with what they need to be able to perform at their optimum.

“As well as our Olympic gold medallists, I am delighted that all four members of the British team that took gold at the recent Young Riders European Championships in Poland  – including individual gold and bronze medal winners Jasmine Underwood and Isabelle Cook – are coming to Cornbury. Nurturing and rewarding our rising stars is so important to us.”

“I can’t wait to show everyone what we have in store for them at Cornbury House 2024 – see you all there!”

In keeping with David Howden’s determination to reward riders and owners for their efforts and achievements, Cornbury House Horse Trials offers unprecedented levels of prize-money, including the much-coveted £2,500 Leading Rider Award. Since its inception in 2022, this has been won by two local Cotswolds riders – Tom McEwen and Laura Collett, who now have two Olympic team gold medals, an individual silver (Tom, Tokyo 2021) and an individual bronze (Laura, Paris 2024).

Laura said: “My owners and I love Cornbury – it is so special and we feel so well looked-after and valued there. It has got better and better each year and I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I will be trying very hard to win back the Leading Rider Award this time!”

As well as a feast of equestrian sport, featuring many of the world’s most famous riders, Cornbury Horse Horse Trials is an innovative and exciting blend of local, sustainable food and drink from our neighbouring farms, premium hospitality, and interactive children’s activities in the stunning setting of Cornbury Park. There’s no doubt that Cornbury House Horse Trials promises a fantastic day out for families, as well as riders, owners, guests and spectators.

Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to be part of one of the most anticipated equestrian events in the area. Book your tickets today and join us for an unforgettable day at Cornbury House Horse Trials!

All the cross-country action from Cornbury House Horse Trials will be shown live on Horse & Country TV.

Leading international equestrian sports network Horse & Country (H&C) today announced details of an extensive and exclusive partnership with Cornbury House Horse Trials (Cornbury). The new arrangement will see H&C live streaming Cross Country coverage from every class at this year’s event. In addition to the sports action, H&C and Cornbury are also collaborating in the production of a series of short films focused on young horses and riders, reflecting Cornbury’s founder and President, David Howden’s commitment to encouraging and promoting young talent through The Howden Way.

Cornbury takes place this year from 11^th – 15^th September at the Howdens’ home in Oxfordshire in stunning parkland, set against the backdrop of the ancient Wychwood Forest. Cross Country runs from the 12^th onwards and members of H&C’s streaming service, H&C+, will be able to watch all the action from every class as follows:

Thursday 12^th September

• FEI CCI3*-S
• Intermediate and Open Intermediate

Friday 13^th September

• FEI CCI2*-S
• Intermediate

Saturday 14^th September

• British Eventing Young Horse 6yo Championships
• British Eventing Young Horse 7yo Championships
• British Eventing Young Horse 5yo Championships

Sunday 15^th September

• Pony Trial
• The Howden Way U21 Championship
• The Howden Way U18 Championship

In addition to the sports coverage, H&C and Cornbury are collaborating to produce a series of short films, titled Cornbury Creates Champions, to be released prior to the event. Each episode will focus on a horse and rider combination and tell the story of their route to the British Eventing Young Horse Championships, a vital stepping stone to the World Young Horse Championships in Le Lion D’Angers in October.

The series will be available as individual episodes on H&C’s, Cornbury’s, and The Howden Way’s websites and social platforms. All four will also be edited together into a full-length television programme which will run on the Horse & Country channel which can be viewed for free in the UK on both Samsung TV Plus and LG Channels. The featured combinations are:

• Dani Evans – Ottentik Nobility (7-year-old)
• Finn Healy – Greannanstown Monbeg Joe (6-year-old)
• Mike Jackson – Oscar (5-year-old, and 4-year-old Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Champion in 2023)
• Izzy Taylor – Barrington Alice (7-year-old)

Commenting for H&C, Director of Content Jonathan Rippon said, “I am delighted to announce this partnership with such a prestigious event. The combination of four days of Eventing coverage alongside a fascinating insight into the development of the young horse in Cornbury Creates Champions, shows that Horse & Country is more than living up to its position as the Home of Eventing.”

For Cornbury, Event Director Richard Clapham commented, “We are delighted to be working with Horse & Country to broadcast Cornbury House Horse Trials 2024 and to be continuing to showcase the event, and in particular the exciting young horses which will be competing in the highly prestigious British Eventing Young Horse Championships.”

To watch all H&C’s Cornbury coverage, make sure you are signed up to H&C+.  Annual membership is only £74.99 as a one-off payment, or there’s an option to pay in 12 monthly instalments of £7.99. And non-members who wish to watch Cornbury can choose H&C’s Pay Per View option and buy a pass for the event for just £17.99.

Members can watch online or with H&C’s mobile apps, as well as on Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, and Amazon Fire. Both H&C+ members and Pay Per View pass holders can watch all the action on-demand straight after the event. Full details on how to join or purchase your pass can be found at www.horseandcountry.tv

Entries for Cornbury House Horse Trials 2024 (11-15 September) are now open.

Established by David Howden at his home in Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, in 2020, this event has become a smash hit within the sport of eventing in just five years.

For the second year running, Cornbury House Horse Trials (CHHT) will host the highly prestigious British Eventing Young Horse Championships for five-, six- and seven-year-olds. These will run alongside the well-established international classes at CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S level. 

In keeping with David Howden’s passion for helping and promoting young talent, there will also be three classes for under-21 riders: the Youth Performance CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S sections, supported by The Howden Way, and the Project Pony Observational Trials for Ponies.

Once again, CHHT’s prize-money will be the highest in the UK at each level, with a total prize-fund for the open sections of the CCI3*-S and seven-year-old championships in excess of £7,000. The five- and six-year-old championships, open sections of the CCI2*-S and under-21 CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S will have a prize-fund of more than £3,000 per class.

The Leading Rider throughout the event will receive a perpetual trophy and a cheque for £2,500. The past two winners of this coveted prize, Tom McEwen and Laura Collett, were both member of Britain’s gold medal-winning team at the Paris Olympics two weeks ago, where Laura also took individual bronze.

There will also be British Eventing national intermediate and open intermediate classes.

As well as a feast of equestrian sport, featuring many of the world’s most famous riders, CHHT is an innovative and exciting blend of local, sustainable food and drink from our neighboring farms, premium hospitality, and interactive children’s activities in the stunning setting of Cornbury Park. There’s no doubt that Cornbury House Horse Trials promises a fantastic day out for families, as well as riders, owners, guests and spectators.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit cornburyhousehorsetrials.co.uk.

The British Eventing Support Trust is delighted to announce its selection as the official charity partner for the prestigious Cornbury Horse Trials, taking place from 11th to 15th September 2024. The event, set in the spectacular Cornbury Park near the town of Charlbury in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, promises an exciting lineup of equestrian competitions and activities.

Cornbury Horse Trials hosts international classes at CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S level, British Eventing intermediate and open intermediate classes, as well as the Howden Way Youth Championships CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S classes. With such diverse competition on offer, the partnership with the BE Support Trust aims to not only elevate the profile of the charity among riders of all levels, but also to raise funds for its vital work supporting the physical and mental health of British Eventing riding members.

Jane Hunter-Walsh, general manager of the British Eventing Support Trust, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership:

“We’re thrilled to have been chosen as the official charity partner for this year’s Cornbury Horse Trials. It’s a super event that’s always so well attended by competitors and spectators which means it will be the perfect place to spread the word about our work. We’re busy planning great fundraising events so keep a close eye on our social media for more info.”

David Howden, Founder and President of Cornbury House Horse Trials added: “As a passionate supporter of eventing and of developing young riders through the Howden Way, I know the job Jane and her team do at the British Eventing Support Trust (BEST) is vital. They aim to ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of the eventing community throughout the country.  So I can’t wait to help them not simply raise funds but increase awareness about this enormously valuable work.”

Throughout Cornbury House Horse Trials, the British Eventing Support Trust will be hosting a series of events and activities, as well as having staff on hand to answer visitor questions. While specific details of these events are yet to be confirmed, attendees can expect plenty of opportunities to learn about the charity’s mission and contribute to its cause.

The British Eventing Support Trust looks forward to engaging with the equestrian community at Cornbury Horse Trials and is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such a prestigious event. For more information about the British Eventing Support Trust and updates on their planned activities for this year’s Cornbury Horse Trials, please visit the website or follow them on social media. You can also choose to make a donation to BEST at checkout when purchasing your tickets.

Tuesday 11 June 2024 

With three months to go, Cornbury House Horse Trials is delighted to announce that it will be staging an unforgettable Endless Lunch by Mirabeau at this year’s event which will be available across Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 September 2024.

The Endless Lunch showcases one of the most vibrant French rosé brands, Mirabeau, which works perfectly alongside the relaxed feasting style experience on offer at Cornbury House Horse Trials, with the food cooked on open fires by chefs from the highly acclaimed, The Bull in neighbouring Charlbury.

Re-defining traditional hospitality, guests can enjoy an informal dining experience while watching the live action from the marquee which overlooks the main showjumping arena. Locally sourced and seasonal menus will be on offer throughout the afternoon, and all accompanied by Mirabeau rosé.

David Howden, Founder and President of Cornbury House Horse Trials said: “It has long been my dream to create a totally unique experience for guests, combining my passion for eventing with exceptional food and drink. And we couldn’t have a more perfect partner to join our team than Mirabeau. After all, we’re both family run enterprises. We both have sustainability at our core. And we both enjoy savouring the moment.

“Which is why I couldn’t be happier that our great friends at The Bull in Charlbury are also back for the sequel. And not only will be by the grill providing pure ‘food theatre’ over open fires for our great guests, but they’ll be cooking with meat raised right here at Cornbury Farm.”

Stephen Cronk, Maison Mirabeau CEO, added: “We are thrilled to be working with Cornbury House Horse Trials this year and feature The Endless Lunch. You can picture the scene now in the surroundings of the stunning background of Cornbury and the Wychwood Forest – bottles of Rosé are being poured, laughter filling the air and it’s all about taking time to savour the moment, whilst also watching world-class sporting competition.”

The Endless Lunch at Cornbury by Mirabeau is now on sale by visiting; www.cornburyhousehorsetrials.co.uk

Cornbury House Horse Trials came to a thrilling finish when world champion Yasmin Ingham, who had led the seven-year-old class of The Howden Way Young Horse Championships throughout the weekend, tipped the very last showjump to hand victory to Tom Jackson.

Tom, who made his senior British squad debut this summer, finished on his dressage score of 30.7 on Hugh and Pam Jarvis’s mare Midnight Endeavour. She was bred in Ireland by James Nash, and is by Future Trend out of a Ricardo mare.

“She’s called Little Miss Perfect at home, because whenever the girls in the yard ask how she was when I’ve been riding her, I say, ‘Perfect’,” said Tom. “She’s a little dinger across country – she just flies round. The showjumping wouldn’t necessarily be her strongest phase – she jumps well, but she can sometimes have four-fault-itis. Not today, though, and it is lovely to win on her.”

Yasmin Ingham had to settle for second on another mare, Gypsie Du Loir. Like Yasmin’s individual gold medallist at the 2022 World Championships, Banzai Du Loir, she is owned by Janette Chin and the Sue Davies Fund and came from the same stud – Elevage Du Loir – in France.

New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson took third and fifth places on Filipo and Fenizio, a pair of grey geldings, both bred in Spain by Ramon Beca and both by the stallion Meneusekal.

This was the first time that Cornbury House Horse Trials has hosted the prestigious Young Horse Championships, and Yasmin said: “The cross-country track was beautifully built and designed and had a really good flow to it, I think it was super educational; young horses need to have a positive experience, and I felt my mare wanting to attack it and increasing in confidence all the time.”

Kitty King won The Howden Way-sponsored national six-year-old title for the third time in career, this time on Kantango, owned by Penelope Holley, Joanna Jones, Kitty’s mother Jane Boggis and Jane Tolley. By Tangelo out of a Winningmood mare, Kantango showjumped with Megan James, and Kitty bought him from Harry Horgan last winter.

“He’s a really smart young horse – this is his first season eventing and he’s taken to it like a duck to water,” said Kitty. “I’m very proud of him. This is a brilliant class and has been a great stepping-stone for my top horses in the past, so I’ve got high hopes for Kantango.”

The pair led the dressage with a mark of 22.7, and only added 0.4 of a time-penalty in the showjumping to that.

Kitty’s previous winners of this national championship were Ceylor LAN, whom she rode at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and Persimmon, with whom she won team silver at the 2015 European Championships at Blair Castle.

Second was Ireland’s Sian Coleman on the Diarado mare Diamond Mistress, and Sara Squires and Van Kaunitz – last year’s five-year-old champions – were third. Both combinations finished on their dressage scores of 26 and 26.8.

Olympic team gold medallist Laura Collett won Cornbury’s Leading Rider prize, taking home a cheque for £2,500 and a magnificent silver trophy. Laura laid down her challenge for this title early on in the event, having won CCI3*-S section A and two British Eventing Open Intermediate sections on Thursday.

There were three classes for under-21 riders, all sponsored by The Howden Way. Ella Howard won the Pony Trial on Colemanstown Rocket, whom her parents bought six years ago when he was four and Ella was nine. Ella has produced him all the way through to this level, and today’s victory was an emotional one for the Howard family as he survived a colic operation last year.

Elizabeth Barrett took the young rider CCI3*-S on Dargun, while Ireland’s Alex Connors won the junior CCI2*-S with her family’s homebred OLS King Aragon.

Australia’s Kevin McNab took the remaining CCI2*-S section on Francesca Pollara’s Dance Monkey 7.

David Howden, founder and president of Cornbury House Horse Trials, said: “We have had the most brilliant event and I have to thank all our fantastic volunteers, officials, sponsors, riders, owners, grooms and supporters for all their very hard work. The weather has been hot, but so has the competition – it has been a real joy to see so many talented horses and riders at Cornbury this weekend.

“This is our fourth year, and it has grown so much since our first event in the Covid year of 2020. Every year we have worked hard to improve every aspect of the event, and I think the additions this time of Field Food – a showcase of delicious locally produced food and drink – Wildings, the very popular area offering lots of interactive activities for children – and the superb hospitality put on by The Pelican have allowed us to step up a level once again.”