This week (22-25 August), the Defender Blair Castle International Horse Trials will be opening its gates to welcome the world’s very best event riders to the Blair Atholl Estate in the Scottish Highlands for one last time. Entries for the final event are looking to top 400 combinations, including FEI World Number One and double Olympic gold medal winner Tom McEwen and his gold medal-winning teammate, World Number Two Ros Canter.
Other notable entrants include Piggy March, Caroline Powell and Ian Stark, who is also a past Blair cross-country designer and has three Badminton wins to his name. Ian also holds the unequalled record of being the only rider to finish first and second at the five-star event the same year.
A further 300 combinations will run in the Inverness Paving Scottish Grassroots Championships and national classes. There’s also a shopping village, food and drink to sample and Defender’s complimentary Landrover Driving Experiences from 9am-5pm each day of the horse trials.
With a history stretching back almost 50 years and now in its 35th year of international competition, the departure of Blair Castle is set to leave a noticeable hole in the eventing calendar. It is the largest equestrian event in Scotland with 2023 recording more than 45,000 visitors across four days.
Earlier this year the organisers said the conclusion of the horse trials was for environmental reasons.
“The farmland on which the trials are held is increasing its involvement in regenerative agriculture and in future the land will require to be managed all year round in a way that is in accordance with its environmental aims,” they said.
Bertie Troughton, Resident Trustee of Blair Castle, said it had been a “great pleasure and privilege” being at the centre of Scottish equestrianism for so many years.
“We are bowing out after this year with huge gratitude to everyone who made the event so special,” he said. “We are looking forward to hosting a fantastic event, which will be a fitting tribute to hosting the event for 35 years.”
To purchase tickets for the final event, click here.
Lead image of Tom McEwen and Luna Mist at the Land Rover Blair Castle International Horse Trials in 2022.
© Hannah Cole for Eventing Times
