New for 2013, Houghton International's Three Day Event is hosting a wide range of both Affiliated and Unaffiliated showing classes – and online entries are now being taken.
There is a raft of qualifiers for the Royal International Horse Show, as well as for Hickstead and the Royal Windsor, Equifest, BSPA Championships of Colour, Veteran Horse Showing Championships, Royal London and Chiltern Rider Championships.
Sue Rawding, a past winner of the HOYS Show Hunter of the Year on her own and her husband’s home bred Reaction back in 2004, will be one of the highly acclaimed judges in the hot seat. “I started judging a long time ago and have been privileged to judge as well as ride at HOYS,” says Sue. “This new show is an exciting development and we are all really looking forward to it.”
Tiny Clapham, due to judge Retrained Racehorses, has suffered a setback having broken her leg at Burnham Market Horse Trials last month but will hopefully be on duty come the end of May. Ride judging while Tiny judges the Conformation for Saturday’s Working Hunter classes is Bruce Langley-McKim, believed to be the only man to have turned his hand to team chasing while riding side saddle.
“Introducing Showing classes makes the event even better for spectators,” Bruce explains. “With horses running across country on one side, and show jumping and showing on the other will showcase the incredible versatility of the horse. Whatever the discipline, success stems from good flatwork and training, and all the elements will be on show at Houghton.”
Showing classes take place on Friday and Saturday, 24th & 25th May.
The box office is now open with prices starting at £7 per adult, £4 per child. Full details on how to book, and the provisional timetable are available on http://www.houghtoninternational.co.uk.
Houghton Hall is located in stunning parkland, half a mile off the A148 King’s Lynn to Fakenham road, approximately 13 miles east of King’s Lynn and 10 miles west of Fakenham.
Notes for Editors:
Affiliated Show Jumping also comes to Houghton for the first time this year.
The first International Horse Trials was held at Houghton Hall in 2007
Houghton International hosts the British leg of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup competition – a global team event run over 7 legs in 7 nations.
Over 700 horses will compete across the disciplines during the four day show.
There will be over 70 shops on site.
The sport of Eventing is the ultimate test of a horse and rider and can be likened to Triathlon.
There are 3 different phases to the competition, dressage, cross country and show jumping, in which each horse and rider take part. Eventing is the only Olympic sport where men and women compete on completely equal terms
Interviews and photo opportunities can be arranged.
