Top level riders have expressed their enthusiasm for a new event, the London Capital and Finance Osborne Horse Trials, set to run at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight this summer with confirmed dates of Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th July 2018. Thanks to corporate support, a prize fund of over £60,000 will be on offer, spread across just four classes with 20 horses per class – the winner of the Grand Prix taking home an enticing £10,000.

Kitty King, who visited the site last summer, commented: “It will be really exciting to showcase the sport that we love to a new audience. For spectators to have such great views of all the action, in such a historical setting, has to be good. And to be in with a chance of winning that sort of prize money at intermediate level is phenomenal.”

The ground breaking format for this new horse trials has been designed to attract spectators unfamiliar with eventing, by means of an easy to follow format. Horses will perform first dressage and then showjumping on the lawns of the stunning palazzo-style house, designed by Prince Albert himself, before setting out across the Osborne estate parkland. Each phase will finish before the next commences. The cross country track will run in front of the house with its sweeping vista down to Osborne Bay and the Solent, enabling spectators to see 70% of the action without moving from one spot.

London Capital & Finance Osborne Horse Trials will run under the BEDE Events banner. Both days will feature two classes, the action all done and dusted between a very civilised 10am and 3.30pm. Fences will be at intermediate height, with a Grand Prix class and three further categories tailored to either top level or less experienced horses. Leading riders will be invited to bring two horses, competing one per day, although entry is open to all appropriately qualified horse and rider combinations.

Andrew Thomson, Director of London Capital & Finance, title sponsor of the inaugural event, is enthusiastic about the opportunities available to investors. “Horse trials sponsorship is an exciting new venture for us. English Heritage has generously offered access to private parts of the house for corporate entertainment which provides us with a unique setting to host our clients and develop business relationships in a way not normally possible. It should be a spectacular two days of top class sport.”

British Eventing Chief Executive David Holmes added: “BEDE Events is so often at the forefront of developing our sport, and this event will be no exception. It will be a wonderful opportunity to take eventing to a new audience.”

Work building the cross country course starts in earnest next month.

At it's launch in 1949 Badminton Horse Trials billed itself as The Most Important Horse Event in Great Britain. The prestigious event is now widely recognised as the most important event of its type in the world.  Attracting over 160,000 fans to witness a field of 80 of the best human and equine athlete combinations tackle the ultimate equestrian challenge, the event is one of the biggest spectated sporting events in the country.

With course designers constantly re-inventing the famous Badminton cross country course and changes to the, world class, shopping village layout in previous years, 2018 sees a re-invention of the Media Centre and the end-of-day press conference.

Changes to the internal layout of the Media Centre will largely go un-noticed however the addition of a public stage is certain to draw attention.

In an initiative developed in partnership with, title sponsors, Mitsubishi the pinnacle of world class eventing is opening up the floor to questions from the fans, supporters and followers of the sport.

Media Director Julian Seaman uttered the word 'modern' when discussing the new developments, and modern it shall be.  With a roving microphone to allow the audience to ask questions the press conferences are set to become another stage of the event and certainly more exciting and potentially more unpredictable than ever before.

With live streaming and coverage on Radio Badminton, those that are not able to be there in person will be able to text their questions in, live during the conference or in advance.

An inventive new approach from the most traditional of events.

Luxury footwear and accessories brand Fairfax & Favor has signed a deal to take title sponsorship of the highly popular Rockingham International Horse Trials, which this year runs from 18 - 20 May. 

Established in 2013, Fairfax & Favor has been a regular exhibitor at the British Eventing affiliated fixture, and its name is now well established both inside and outside the equestrian market. With the rapid growth of the luxury, lifestyle brand, co-founders Felix Favor Parker and Marcus Fairfax Fountaine decided that 2018 was the perfect time to step up a level in the world of eventing.

Parker and Fountaine said of the new partnership: “Fairfax & Favor is privileged to take title sponsorship of Rockingham International Horse Trials. We have thoroughly enjoyed supporting the event as keen exhibitors almost since its inception, and recently shot our Autumn/Winter 2017 campaign in the Castle and the beautiful grounds.

“We are very excited to develop our working relationship, and cannot wait for the Horse Trials to kick off in May.”


Castle owners James and Lizzie Saunders Watson welcome this new partnership, saying: “We are delighted to have Fairfax & Favor as our new title sponsor. It is an exciting, very British brand that we have enjoyed watching grow over the last few years. Its ethos fits very well with that of the castle and our horse trials, and we are looking forward to working with the company in the build up to the 2018 event.”
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Further information about Fairfax & Favor Rockingham International Horse Trials can be found at www.rockinghamcastlehorsetrials.com

NORTH Yorkshire-based British Horse Feeds is delighted to announce a new three-year sponsorship deal at the Equi-Trek Bramham International Horse Trials.

Well-known for its unique and original horse feed, Speedi-Beet and Fibre-Beet, the company will sponsor the Speedi-Beet Double Feat cross-country fence and the prestigious Horse Inspection area in front of the beautiful, grade 1 listed, 18th century house at Bramham Park.

The business enjoys supporting this local event as manufacturers of these innovative quick soaking feeds and this new agreement will see the company sponsoring the horse trials for a 10th year in 2018.

British Horse Feeds, Sales Director Will I’Anson said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring at Bramham International Horse Trials for another three years.

“It is one of the highlights on the summer equestrian calendar and being held in our heartland makes it even more exciting. 

“The Horse Inspection Area and our cross-country fence allow us to make the most of an excellent branding and awareness opportunity but above all it is great to be a part of four days of fantastic equestrian competition.”
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The British Horse Feeds team will be on hand at the event showcasing the feed and offering nutritional advice at their stand in the shopping village throughout the event which takes place June 7 to 10.