Gloucestershire-based Olympian Tom McEwen leads a glittering field at this year’s NAF Five Star International Hartpury Horse Trials, following Team GB’s outstanding gold medal-winning performance at the Paris 2024 Games.
The annual event will this year incorporate the British Eventing National Championships, following the cancellation of Gatcombe’s Festival of Eventing.
A total of 15 nations are represented across the international NAF Five Star Metazone CCI2*L, NAF Five Star Superflex CCI3*L and NAF Five Star Magic CCI4*S classes. In addition, a bumper entry lines up for the Fairfax Saddles British Novice Championship and Restricted Novice Championship, Intermediate-Novice Retraining of Racehorses Championship, Aston Martin Bristol British Intermediate Championship, and Hartpury University and College British Open Championship. The additional classes mean cross country action will extend across two days from 10-11 August.
Tom McEwen’s teammate Yasmin Ingham, who travelled to the Paris Olympic Games as the ‘alternate’ rider, also competes at Hartpury this week. Members of the bronze medal-winning Japanese event team are also part of the line-up.
Five-star combinations are out in force with this year’s Rolex Kentucky CCI5*L winners Cooley Rosalent and Oliver Townend among the favourites to take the title in the Hartpury University and College British Open Championship. The British Open also includes Kitty King and Vendredi Biats, former winners of the NAF Magic CCI4*S and this year’s Bramham CCI4*S winners, and Zara Tindall who returns with five-star horse Class Affair. Pippa Funnel has multiple rides including MCS Maverick who won the Bramham CCI4*L event in 2023, and this year’s winners from that event, Harry Meade and Annaghmore Valoner, are also entered.
Badminton course designer Eric Winter has returned to Hartpury once again, to set a challenge fitting for a championship.
The event will provide a great day out in the Gloucestershire countryside and tradestands selling a range of equestrian, dog and human products as well as food and drink will be on hand. A family dog show will also take place on Saturday 10 August.
Staff and students are taking a break from their summer holidays to assist with the running of the competition. The events provide an exciting opportunity for students to volunteer and help with all areas of event management, as well as seeing the world’s best riders compete.
Tickets can be purchased here and the event’s show jumping and cross country action is available to live stream on Horse & Country TV.
