The Chedington Bicton Park 5* Horse Trials (2-5 September)
promises to be a thrilling competition with an entries list that is a mix of
established horse-and-rider combinations and exciting new prospects.
The newly crowned Olympic gold medallist and world number
one Oliver Townend will travel to the beautiful Devon venue, which is hosting
Britain's only CCI5*-L this year, with MHS King Joules, sixth at Pau last year,
and five-star debutant Tregilder. The world number two, New Zealander Tim
Price, has the 2018 Burghley winner Ringwood Sky Boy, and Piggy March, fourth
in the FEI World Eventing World Athlete Rankings, rides her 2019 Badminton
winner Vanir Kamira.
Pippa Funnell, winner of the last CCI5* on British soil,
Burghley in 2019, brings Majas Hope and Billy Walk On, William Fox-Pitt, who
has won five out of the world's six CCI5*s, rides Oratorio II, and Nicola
Wilson, who won Bicton's inaugural CCI4*-L in June, will be attempting to go
one better on the supremely talented JL Dublin.
The reigning world champion, Ros Canter, is entered with
CCI5* debutant Pencos Crown Jewel, who was placed at Bicton in June, and the
world silver medallist, Ireland's Padraig McCarthy, has Leonidas ll and HHS His
Noble Call.
The nations of Great Britain, Sweden, Ireland, Australia and
New Zealand will be represented in the quality field of some 40 runners, who
will tackle a cross-country course created by hugely experienced and
imaginative CCI5* course-designer Captain Mark Phillips. He has reversed the
direction of the international track created for the inaugural CCI4* in June
and, as expected, has produced some proper championship fences while mitigating
Bicton's undulations with a less intense test than that of Burghley.
Having produced at short notice a highly successful CCI4*
competition in June, the team at Lord and Lady Clinton's Bicton Arena have
pulled out all the stops to answer rider and owner demand for a British CCI5*
after the cancellation of Burghley. Chedington, Dr Geoffrey Guy's
state-of-the-art equestrian facility in Dorset, which supported the CCI4*, is
also backing this one-off five-star and, with Elite Eventing, has made it
possible for a prize fund of €125,000.
"Thanks to Chedington, Elite Eventing and the
dedication of the team here at Bicton, we have been able to seize the
opportunity not only to put on Devon's first five-star event, but to create a
competition truly worthy of that status," said Bicton Arena Manager Andrew
Fell. "It's going to be a memorable weekend."
Limited tickets are on sale for dressage
(Friday, 3 September), cross-country (Saturday, 4 September) and show jumping
(Sunday, 5 September). The first horse inspection will take place on Thursday,
2 September.
And if you're coming to spectate, here's where you may want to watch from.
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