Piggy March and the ex-racehorse Our Old Fella. Photo courtesy of Cornbury Horse Trials.
Exciting news from the UK! Cornbury House Horse Trials has announced an exciting new addition for 2025: a dedicated Thoroughbred class at the Open Novice level offering a staggering £45,000 top prize. The initiative, spearheaded by Dash Grange Stud’s Jayne McGivern and Cornbury’s founder David Howden, is open to Weatherbys-registered Thoroughbreds and aims to showcase the breed’s potential beyond the racetrack. It’s also a natural extension of Howden’s ongoing commitment to Thoroughbred aftercare, including the recently launched Howden Way Thoroughbred Aftercare Program (TAP) — a nationwide support system to help former racehorses transition to new careers. Could this be your horse’s future destination? You can learn more about this program here.
U.S. Weekend Preview
Equestrians’ Institute H.T. (WA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]
IEA Horse Trials (IN): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]
The Spring Event at Archer (WY): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Ocala Summer H.T. (FL): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
GMHA June H.T. (VT): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Poplar Place June H.T. (GA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [ref=”https://evententries.com/#LiveScoreszPhdTSyZB4_0jqP1FTY2XQ==” target=”_blank”>Scoring] [Volunteer]
MCTA H.T. at Shawan Downs (MD): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times]
Essex H.T. (NJ): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Volunteer]
Genesee Valley Riding & Driving Club Spring H.T. (NY): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]
Major International Events
Chaumont en Vexin CCI4*-L/S (France): [Website] [Timetable] [Timing & Scoring]
Millstreet International CCI4*-L/S (Ireland): [Website] [Entries] [Timetable] [Live Stream]
News & Reading
Each year the US Pony Club awards a media internship at Kentucky in honor of the late Ann Haller, a longtime well-known face on the press and media team at many events. This year’s recipient, William Coon, has been a volunteer during Kentucky before and was eager to learn about the sport from a new angle through this award. You can read more about his experience — which included an opportunity to meet this year’s winner, Michael Jung — here.
A quality canter is a strong base of support for just about everything you do in the saddle. Another key ingredient to adjustability is the ability to obtain the right canter for the task you’re doing. Different types of jumps or transitions require their own type of canter. In this breakdown, grand prix show jumper Elizabeth Gingras walks us through her favorite exercises to work on this without jumping a million fences. Read or bookmark it here.
Ahead of CHIO Aachen in July, take a dive into the history books of the next World Championships venue (2026). This ten-day festival is an annual spectacle that dates back to 1898, when it began as a racing tournament. What was started as a way to bring horse enthusiasts and new fans together has grown into an attraction that sees over 350,000 spectators each year. Learn more about this historic event and venue here.
Sponsor Corner: Virginia Horse Center Foundation
Photo by Veronica Green-Gott
Did you know that in addition to eventing, Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA also hosts a full calendar of other equestrian events each year? This year’s slate includes the VHC Youth Equestrian Festival in July, breed shows, the Thoroughbred Heritage Horse Show, and much more. You can view the full calendar at Virginia Horse Center here.
Video Break
Guess who’s back! Doug Payne’s former 4* eventer, Starr Witness, is back and ready to tackle the dressage ring again:
