FEI Houghton Horse Trials has a truly international flavour

Houghton’s tenth anniversary event will be a competitive one. Entries for the CICO3*, which incorporates the only British leg of the FEI Nations Cup, are full and up to eight teams look set to challenge last year’s winner, Germany.

The CICO3* is also one of five legs of the Shearwater Insurance Tri-Star Grand Slam. Oliver Townend will be looking to add a Houghton win to his victory at Burnham Market International last month – he has three horses entered in this class.

He will, however, be given a run for his money by the likes of previous Badminton winners Sam Griffiths and Paul Tapner, Olympic gold medallist Andrew Hoy and World team gold medal winners Bettina Hoy and Nicola Wilson – not forgetting the on-form Gemma Tattersall who finished third at last weekend’s Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials; she is bringing four horses to Norfolk, two of which are entered in the big class.

International entries are stronger than ever this year, with riders from Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, France, Netherlands, America, Brazil, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, India, Finland and Ireland fighting it out for the spoils.

Running alongside the International event, there are also showjumping, combined training, dressage, arena eventing and pony club classes, as well as the ever popular Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse qualifiers.

For those less horse-orientated Britain Does Vintage debuts at Houghton with a Vintage Fair and tearoom. As usual there will be children’s entertainment, over 70 tradestands, food outlets, and a licenced bar. On Saturday evening a charity cricket match supporting Norfolk charity Walking With The Wounded will take place in front of the Hall – a perfect spot for a picnic. Tickets to Saturday’s event include free entry to the cricket match.

Tickets can be bought on the Gate, which opens at 8.30am every day.