It’s time to kick off the final CCI5* of the season in France! It’s been a hell of a season, and this week is looking like it’ll bring plenty of fall season feel to our roving reporter, Tilly Berendt (if you see her, she’d probably love a hot drink and a smoke) with wet weather in the forecast for today as well as cross country day. To get us warmed up for the week, we’ve got a first look at Pierre Michelet’s cross country course for this year, thanks to CrossCountry App (you can also view the course in-app or in your browser here):
This year’s course features an optimum time of 11:00, with 31 numbered fences containing around 48 jumping efforts, not including long routes. One newer feature early on course comes at fences 4 and 5, which now feature a “broken bridge” style of jump with a built-up landing. Generally, the course will follow the same path as 2025’s edition. The intensity of the course is set mostly on the back half of the course, with 28 of the jumping efforts set in the final five-and-a-half minutes or so.
We’ll have much more coming your way all week long from our season sendoff at Pau, so make sure to keep an eye locked right here on EN. Go Eventing!
Les 5 Étoiles de Pau CCI5* (France): [Website] [Entries/Timing/Scoring] [Pau TV Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage] [Play Eventing Manager – Use code PCTD to join the EN leage!]
Major International Events
Les 5 Étoiles de Pau CCI5* (France): [Website] [Entries/Timing/Scoring] [Pau TV Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage] [Play Eventing Manager – Use code PCTD to join the EN leage!]
U.S. Events This Weekend
Waredaca Classic Three-Day Event & H.T. (MD): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scores] [Volunteer: Horse Trials] [Volunteer: Classic Three-Day]
YEH West Coast Championships & Last Chance Qualifier (CA): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scores]
Bouckaert Equestrian International (GA): [Website] [Entries/Times] [Scores] [Volunteer]
Windermere Run H.T. (MO): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scores] [Volunteer]
Hitching Post Farm H.T. (SC): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scores] [Volunteer]
News & Recommended Reading
Could Burghley be the next host of the World Championships for Eventing? Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.
- A UK World Championships? Two iconic British venues are said to be eyeing a bid for the 2030 FEI World Championships, Horse & Hound reported yesterday. The FEI formally opened expressions of interest for the next cycle last week, stating that multi-discipline bids were preferred. One option in the UK is Burghley, which hosted World Championships in 1966 (the inaugural World Championships year) as well as 1974. It is reported that Burghley would most likely target a single-discipline Championship rather than host multiples (which would make sense given the layout of the Burghley grounds). Blenheim is also said to be eyeing a bid for nearly all disciplines save vaulting, which would be sent over to Hartpury for its indoor arena (a requirement for vaulting).
- The upcoming Kentucky Oktoberfest Horse Trials, originally scheduled for October 30-November 1, has been rearranged to be a one-day event on October 31.
- No tail? No problem. Meet the racehorse-turned-eventer who hasn’t allowed her missing vertebrae to hold her back from climbing the levels of eventing.
- Does daily work replace free movement for horses? The short answer: no. The long answer: extensive research backs the “no” answer definitively.
Survey Says
Millstreet (Ireland) is one venue that frequented the comments on our social media poll re: a 2030 World Championships host site. This summer, Millstreet hosted the inaugural FEI Eventing World Championships for U25 riders. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
We recently polled our audience on EN on their preferences for the 2030 World Championships. What did you all have to say? Also, if you didn’t get a chance to answer our poll last week, we’ll keep it open here.
Kentucky is a popular answer, with 65% of our survey respondents picking this option. One commenter on our Facebook, however, pointed out that Kentucky wasn’t exactly a financial success in 2010. Two years out from the 2008 financial crisis, the state of Kentucky itself benefitted from a $200M+ economic impact, but the organizers of the Games weren’t so fortunate. The World Games Foundation’s 2010 tax return showed over $1,000,000 in defecit, and the whole shebang was nearly its own financial crisis had it not been from an saving grace cash gift from the founder of Alltech (also the Games’ title sponsor, which pitched in $10,000,000 for the placement) and a loan from Darley secured by then-FEI president HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein (Darley is owned by the Princess’ husband at the time, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, from whom she eventually fled to the UK in 2019).
ANYWAY.
The economic picture is what will affect the final decisions here more than anything else. Kentucky may yet make sense if a different financial model can be sustained; ongoing improvements have been made to the Horse Park in recent years, and new barns are in the works as we speak (some are already open and in operation). The Campground is also undergoing millions of dollars in upgrades over the coming years. EN hasn’t yet reached out to any prospective host venues in North America to inquire about their interest in submitting a bid.
Many arguments were also made for the established venues in Europe like Aachen, which has now hosted two World Championships and stands the best chance to be profitable with its existing infrastructure. The Aachen campus is also undergoing additional expansion and renovations – both equestrian- and non-equestrian-related – so a strong future in sport seems to be promising for this German favorite.
Coaching Corner
- Riding a spooky horse? How to make the most of those 45 seconds before you go down centerline.
- Spooky moment –> teaching moment
Go Eventing
From the archives of the Kentucky Three-Day Event, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2027 (do you have your tickets yet?):
