by bramhamadmin | Jun 14, 2026 | Uncategorized
It was a historic day for Newmarket rider Bubby Upton as she claimed back-to-back wins in the showcase Defender CCI4*-L section with Its Cooley Time. Together they jumped a copy book clear show jumping round to head the field and earn themselves a prime spot in Bramham’s hallowed halls of history.
Defender CCI4*-L
The day’s action got underway with the sun shining bright. Thirty-four horses remained in the running order after Saturday’s cross-country action, but the news came in of two overnight withdrawals – Tom Rowland with LB Mettaphor and Jim Newsam with Tullybee Louie – so it was 32 that came in front of the Ground Jury of Christina Klingspor (SWE), Andrew Bennie (NZL) and Les Smith (GBR).
There were audible gasps from the crowd as Selina Miles with Cooley Snapchat, in second place overnight, were sent to the holding box, followed swiftly by third-placed combination Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier. Caroline made the decision to withdraw, while Selina’s horse was passed after re-inspection.
That gave us a start list of 31 for the jumping finale to crown this year’s Defender CCI4*-L champion. Course designer Jason Abbs had set a technical test, and the feeling was that the time allowed could be a deciding factor, particularly because the scores were so tight across the top-placed riders. This was confirmed after the first dozen combinations, with faultless rounds becoming a premium.
As we entered the final group, there were two immaculate clears from Tom McEwen riding Quintus for Deirdre Johnston and Jane Knight, and Ireland’s Aoife Clark – a winner here in 2014 – with Full Monty de Lacense, owned by the Ace of Spades Syndicate, put the pressure on those to come.
Four-fault rounds from Katie Magee and Sharon Parnaby’s Cushlas Indigo, who impressed with a clear inside the time yesterday, and Lizzie Baugh riding Piltown Concord for Janette Shipley, dropped them out of podium contention, but set for a top-10 finish.
We then moved into the top four, where just 2.8 penalties separated them – their rounds needed to be clear to keep their places.
Tiana Coudray was the first of the contenders, who produced an assured clear with Kyrle Arscott, Annabelle James and her own D’Artagnan to pile on the pressure. Next up was reigning world champion Yasmin Ingham with The Sue Davies Fund and Janette Chinn’s Gypsie du Loir. The duo had been promoted up the order to third as a result of Caroline Powell’s withdrawal.
Yaz and ‘Gigi’ were Bramham winners last year in the CCI4*-S section and clinched that title with a clear. Could they match it this time? They started assuredly, with the athletic mare really pinging – they just caught the second part of the Defender double for four penalties but were clear the rest of the way. Sadly, the rail cost a place on the podium, but where would it leave them overall?
It was now down to the penultimate pairing of Selina Milnes and William and Angela Rucker’s Cooley Snapchat, who had one of the rides of the day yesterday. They cantered in looking a picture, with bright bay ‘Casper’ still seeming fresh after Saturday’s test. It was a super round, but they stopped the clock two seconds over the time. That added 0.8 to their total, but was enough in hand to retain their second place and keep the pressure on the overnight leaders.
If Bubby Upton was feeling the nerves, she hid it well as she cantered into the expansive Defender Arena. Beneath her was a horse who gives her supreme confidence – her ‘freak of nature’, as she calls Its Cooley Time, owned by Susan de Zulueta, Jane Dear, Susie Holland-Bosworth, The Duchess of Norfolk, Hillary Russell and Bubby herself. The knowledge that she’d jumped a clear in this very arena some 12 months previous must have given some reassurance.
Selina’s time faults meant that Bubby had just 0.9 in hand – she could be two seconds over the time, but no more. They set off and the grey gelding simply glided round, meeting each fence on the exact spot and jumping in textbook style, never looking like having a fence down. They cantered through the timing beam and it was inside the optimum – the title was theirs for a second consecutive year. As she finished, the emotion of the occasion was clear, with the Newmarket rider looking shocked and elated all in one.
“He jumps like a jumper, goes cross-country like a point-to-pointer and flicks his toes like a dressage horse – you can’t really ask for more! Of course, the line is thin with him, but I genuinely wouldn’t want to be sat on another horse going into the final day. He’s just extraordinary and makes my job so easy, so it’s a pure joy and privilege to go in there, with that kind of pressure, sat on a horse like him,” declared Bubby.
The pair haven’t had the easiest time of it over the past 12 months, with upsets at their first senior championship – the FEI Eventing European Championship at Blenheim last September – and Kronenberg in March. However, Bubby has held fast to her conviction of the gelding’s potential and talent.
“Yesterday meant so much to us all,” she said of her cross-country round. “When it goes wrong a few times on the bounce, it’s quite easy to lose faith in the whole system, but thank God I’m surrounded by such amazing people and never did that. We just made a few small tweaks here and there, but fundamentally never lost faith or belief. I really feel like this past year has been the making of us.
“I’m just over the moon and honestly quite emotional. It hasn’t come without a rollercoaster ride to get here and I honestly couldn’t be prouder of him [Its Cooley Time]. My team and I never lost belief, never lost faith – he’s always been a complete freak of nature with his talent, but it’s come with its difficulties, too. To get it all right this week has been months of work and analysis, and going back to the basics, and getting the system tweaked a bit, but what a horse – unbelievable!
“He’s now going to have a well-deserved holiday in the field and then we’ll regroup, make a new plan and go from there,” she explained.
In taking back-to-back wins, Bubby and ‘Finn’ emulate ‘Mr. Bramham’ William Fox-Pitt and the legendary stallion Chilli Morning, who took the long title in 2012 and 2013.
Wetherby Skip Hire Bramham Grand Prix
A total of 47 combinations came forward for the traditional Bramham curtain closer, the Wetherby Skip Hire Bramham Grand Prix, in front of a buzzing, knowledgeable crowd. There was a good representation from the Whitaker clan, a few event riders aiming to spoil the jumping party and then there was local rider Richard Howley. He’d been on fire this week with wins in the Horse of the Year Show Grade C Championship Qualifier and the National 1.40m Open, but now had his eyes set on another win in the Defender Arena.
The first round yielded 17 clears to go through to the jump off, but it was that man in form who went on to comfortably take the win in the end. Riding Caprice D’Elle for ESM Equestrian, Richard, who runs HK Horse with Morgan Kent at Ingmanthorpe Hall near Wetherby just a few miles away, blistered around the jump off clear with a time of 41.97. That gave him a winning margin of just 0.6 over second-placed Graham Gillespie with Crystal Graf HK. James Smith completed the podium riding Juno Rose 23.
“I believe this is the sixth time we’ve brought the trophy back to Wetherby, but it’s important we try to do our best. We’re under strict instructions to make sure we’re not away from Bramham Horse Show when it’s on and to come with the best string of horses. It’s always a pleasure to come here – it’s an amazing show, the facility is amazing, the ground is fantastic and it’s great to bring top level sport up to the north of England,” said Richard.
On his horse, Richard commented; “He’s a fantastic horse. I’ve ridden him for about six months now – he’s really competitive and consistent in his jumping, and he’s a pleasure to have.”
Saracen Horse Feeds Arena Eventing
The ever-popular Saracen Horse Feeds Arena Eventing gives competitors the chance to ride on the hallowed Bramham turf in the Obelisk Paddock, in the shadow of the main arena. Some 113 combinations came forward across 80cm, 90cm and 100cm sections to tackle a course of showjumping fences before going on to a shortened cross-country track laid out by Bramham course builder David Evans.
Our winners this year were:
- 80cm – Bobbie Hodgson and Steady Neddy
- 90cm – Izzy Whitaker and It’s Zina
- 100cm – Jill White and Lariico Gii
See you in 2027
Four days of incredible sport and a host of memories made means the Defender Bramham International Horse Trials is over for another year. Thank you to all the riders and their connections, our valued partners and sponsors, our charitable partner this year Cystic Fibrosis Care, the hundreds of volunteers who make the event possible and, of course, the spectators who turn out and make the event such a special occasion every year.
The final scores, results and all the info you need is on the Defender Bramham International Horse Trials app – just download from your preferred app store or visit the website www.bramham-horse.co.uk. You can catch up with on socials too – we’re on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
by bramhamadmin | Jun 13, 2026 | Uncategorized
In an action-packed Saturday at the Defender Bramham International Horse Trials, bumper crowds were treated to a top day’s equestrian action with over 130 horses tackling Andy Heffernan’s clever cross-country test. In the Defender CCI4*-L, Bubby Upton and Its Cooley Time are a step closer to defending their title while in the Defender CCI4*-S it was a third Bramham win for Tom McEwen. With his Olympic and European medal winning partner JL Dublin, he won by just a single second margin. Alice Casburn had a dream Bramham debut with Topspin to win the British Under 25 title.
Defender CCI4*-L
The field for the 2026 edition of the Defender CCI4*-L may only be around 50 combinations, but it’s full of talent, so today’s cross-country test was always going to be a feast for the eyes. In his second year as Bramham course designer, Andy Heffernan really stamped his signature this time around. A change of direction, several new combinations, old favourites in new locations and encouraging options for all, gave riders and spectators alike a new perspective.
Saturday morning is usually emotionally supercharged for any course designer, but Northumberland’s Katie Magee, who was fifth out on course, gave Andy a reassuring moment by going clear inside the time with Lady Sharon Parnaby’s Cushlas Indigo – the fences were jumpable, the time achievable.
The first of the contenders for top placings to head out into expanse of Bramham Park was Selina Milnes with William and Angela Rucker’s Cooley Snapchat. This duo won the short section here in 2023, so know the terrain well. Winning the best dressed female at the first horse inspection thanks to a vision of sequins, it seems, brought out Selina’s inner dressage diva to produce a 27.9 on day one, which left her fifth heading into today. Selina hasn’t been at full fitness this spring with rib injuries, but riding her seasoned campaigner was like putting on a familiar, comfy pair of slippers – the duo simply purred round, stopping the time at 9.57, some five seconds inside the time to set the score for others to beat.
Shortly after, it was the turn of Thursday’s dressage leaders, Piggy March and MCS Maverick, owned by the Maidwell Mavericks. They set off in determined form, eager add another title to ‘Eric’s’ 2023 victory here with former rider Pippa Funnell. The first five fences were taken with ease. They made three-part Defender Shoulder at six look like a schooling exercise, before taking the turn to the Womble Bond Dickinson Bond Pond. They were super through the first bounce element, before then taking on the skinny in the middle of the pond. A bold jump brought the second bounce up quickly and Eric couldn’t quite make the step up cleanly, bringing him to an abrupt halt. Piggy took the long route and hacked round the rest of the course clear, but their chance of a second title was over.
The next combination who could end the day in a prominent position were 2024 MARS Badminton champions Caroline Powell and Chris Mann’s Greenacres Special Cavalier. Their 29.0 dressage test left them sixth heading into today and, with the course causing a good few issues and a tight time, Caroline knew a good clear could promote them up the leader board. Their round was true quality – a partnership who know each other so well and the brave mare answered her rider’s request at every question. Experience brings results and Caroline’s in-built metronome reaped dividends because they stopped the time at 10.01 – one second under the optimum to retain their 29.0 score and provisionally slot in behind Selina.
Reigning world champion Yasmin Ingham and her rising star Gypsie du Loir, owned by The Sue Davies Fund and Janette Chinn – runners up ahead of the cross-country on 24.8 – headed out on course to see if they could make it a repeat of last year, when they posted a fantastic clear to clinch victory in the short section. Today’s longer test was completed in style, with the 10-year-old mare showing maturity beyond her years. Yaz did ‘hold her hand’ a few times for reassurance and clarity, which cost a few precious seconds. They completed in 10.16, some 14 seconds over time to add 5.6 penalties to their score, relegating them off the podium on 30.4, but it was a round to be proud of at this stage in ‘Gigi’s’ career.
Directly after Yaz was the USA’s Tiana Coudray and Annabelle James, Kyrle Arscott and her own D’Artagnan. After dressage, they were fourth on 27.4 and with scores incredibly tight, they needed something clean and quick. ‘Smokey’ obviously got that memo and gave Tiana a super ride to complete just eight seconds over the time allowed, adding 3.2 for a two-phase total of 30.6, putting them just a shade behind Yaz.
As the end of the class drew near, the anticipation built. There was one final duo on everyone’s mind – Bubby Upton and Its Cooley Time, owned by Susan de Zulueta, Jane Dear, Susie Holland-Bosworth, The Duchess of Norfolk, Hillary Russell and Bubby herself. It’s no secret that this week has been full of emotion. ‘Finn’ is a horse that Bubby clearly adores, but mixed form since they realised a dream last year just turns the sentiment level up. Add to that the adrenaline and nerves that go with cross-country day and she had reached fever pitch mood.
Bubby set off in the knowledge that she had 3.7 penalties in hand over Selina if she wanted to retain the lead – that’s just under ten seconds. The first few fences were tackled with huge enthusiasm by ‘Finn’, as is his normal, but the martingale had snapped by fence four – for Bubby, this is a vital piece of tack to help with his exuberance. At the Womble Bond Dickinson Pond, the grey gelding’s athleticism came to the fore with a great bounce in but, with a new found freedom, his high head carriage made it difficult for Bubby, who did a great job managing as they progressed around the course.
As they jumped the Defender Round House complex, three fences from home, it was touch and go as to whether they were going to get the time. Finn was still keen and Bubby managed to keep a good rhythm until they’d cleared the Rainbow Equine Hospital Finale and finished. The time was 10.11 – nine seconds over. She’d managed to keep her lead, but the margin was now just 0.1 of a penalty.
That makes it very tight at the top, with just a fence between the top six. There is, of course, the final horse inspection to negotiate before the final showjumping phase to determine the 2026 Defender Bramham CCI4*-L champion.
Defender CCI4-S and British U25 Championship
In the short format, it’s the coloured poles that are first up on the penultimate day at Defender Bramham. The most notable change in the top order was a drop down to fifth by overnight leaders Jesse Campbell and Speedwell, who had a rail in the treble combination towards the end of Jason Abb’s flowing track. This handed British duo Tom McEwen, riding James and Jo Lambert and Deirdre Johnston’s JL Dublin, pole position with a copy book clear. Kitty King and Renkum Jitterbug went second and Kiwi Samantha Lissington with her own and Pip McCaroll’s Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ climbed into a podium placing going on to the cross country.
The first round to catch the eye came from Alice Casburn riding mum Caroline’s homebred Topspin. This duo have huge experience together and rerouted to Bramham – a first trip – after Badminton didn’t quite work as planned. A 33.4 dressage left them in the top 30 and their faultess showjumping round pulled them up the order slightly. However, they were electric across the country and made light of Andy Heffernan’s course to finish in 7.07, 10 seconds over the optimum to finish on 33.4. This threw a gauntlet down for all to match and, being only 24, Alice is eligible for the U25 championships – this brought her right into contention for the title.
Dressage day one leaders Alex Hua Tian and Manjushri of China successfully negotiated the showjumping and also had a good spin around the country, with a good clear and just eight time penalties to give a final tally of 37.4 to go just behind Alice.
The ‘round of the day’ accolade must go to World Class Programme rider Sam Ecroyd, riding Bloomfield Manuscript for Joe and Kate Walls and Tricia and Rob Sargent. Their 33.7 dressage score left them just outside the top 25, but they crafted a clear in the jumping to start their rise up the order. Sam set off in determined fashion and really never took his foot off the pedal – but without pushing out of a forward flowing rhythm. They stopped the timing beam at 6.57 – spot on the optimum time. It would prove to be the only faultless round of the section. This gave them the lead and the score to beat of 33.7.
Jesse Campbell’s rail may have dropped him off the top, but he was still in touch, and, in Speedwell, he has a great horse for across the country. Sadly, they just didn’t lock on to the skinny island fence in the Womble Bond Dickinson pond and ran past, ending their chances of a top placing.
The next into the start box was Tom McEwen and ‘Dubs’, who turned out to be simply class – the trust and partnership they share was clear. The tricky combination fences which had plagued many others were nothing but a schooling exercise. However, time would be a factor and as they jumped the Stick Pile at fence 21, they were slightly down on the clock. Tom didn’t overly push ‘Dubs’ but used the strong natural flow. They safely jumped the last, and the time was given as 7.04 to add 2.8 penalties for a final total of 29.6 to knock Sam off the top spot.
There was one final combination who could spoil Tom’s party – the notoriously quick Smantha Lissington for New Zealand with Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ. The mission was simple – nothing but clear inside the time could beat Tom. Samantha gave it her all, shaving every millimetre possible. They were flying, but it was going to be close… 6.59 was the final time. Not quite quick enough for the victory but it was well deserved runners up spot, with Sam Ecroyd earning one of his best results to date with some fantastic cross-country riding.
Tom summed up the day; “I thought his jumping this morning – which feels like another day ago – he was jumping really well, smooth. Yes, he was really good – we had a bit of a hold on course, which is not bad thing round a course that I still thought was very technical and had plenty to do. I thought he was brilliant again. We had a really, really good canter around, the ground was amazing and the fences were brilliant. There were a good few combinations, especially the Defender Shoulder – I thought that was a really good combination and it was great prep to maybe being selected. He is a little bit lightly run compared to the of some others, but that’s just the decision we made.”
In the under 25s, victory went to Alice Casburn and Topspin. Cerys Macauly was consistent with Kananaskis to snatch second and Tom Bird climbed from 97th after dressage to 21st overall, with strong jumping performances to secure third spot in the championship.
“He just keeps digging and keeps getting better,” said Alice of Topspin. “He has come out feeling so well this year. Mum and I nearly had our first fall-out earlier in the year because I think I had in my head that he was 18, but Mum was like “are you riding by the number or riding by what you are riding?,” and I sort of sat there and thought about it and I was riding by the number. He’s shown that this year – he’s come out so well and the flat has improved, he just loved every second out there. I knew that when I went to the showjumping that he was spooking at everything and having a great time. I felt like he deserved this more than me. He’s done everything for me, from all the way at the bottom to the top, and I am very, very grateful and lucky to have him.”
There was one sad note to the day when news came through that Charlie Foxtrot, the ride of David Doel, suffered a fatal cardiac catastrophe out on the cross-country course. Veterinary personnel were on the scene immediately but, despite their best efforts, nothing could be done. On behalf of the eventing community, the Bramham team offers sincere condolences to David, the owners Michael and Sophie Payne, and the horse’s connections.
Coming up
Sunday is finale day and the final horse inspection in front of the house at Bramham starts at 9:00, with 32 due to come forward for the Defender CCI4*-L. The showjumping starts at 14:00 in the Defender Arena, where we’ll find out who will take the top honours this year. The annual Wetherby Skip Services Grand Prix will bring the curtain down from 15:00.
You can follow the action with times, scores and all the info via the Defender Bramham International Horse Trials app – just download from your preferred app store. You can catch up with on socials too – we’re on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
If you’re planning on joining us, but haven’t purchased your tickets yet, save time at the gate and buy online before you arrive.
by bramhamadmin | Jun 12, 2026 | Uncategorized
In both the Defender CCI4* sections, there are new names sitting at the top of the leaderboards after a fulsome day of dressage. In the Defender CCI4*-L section, it’s a familiar combination who are in pole – reigning champions Bubby Upton and Its Cooley Time got their title defence off to a dream start with a superb test that propelled them to the top of the leaderboard. In the CCI4*-S section, it was Jesse Campbell who came out tops in a huge section, riding Speedwell for New Zealand.
Defender CCI4*-L
Our top three after day one of dressage in the Defender CCI4*-L knew that they had an abundance of talented combinations to come before the cross-country could get underway, so it was a nervous day’s wait today to see if they could hold on to their slot on the leaderboard.
The first hour and a half of action under the ground jury of Christina Klingspor (SWE) at C, Andrew Bennie (NZL) at E and Les Smith (GBR) at M featured some good tests, but nothing that troubled the top 10. However, halfway through the second session, New Zealand’s Caroline Powell trotted down the centreline with the 2024 MARS Badminton champion Greenacres Special Cavalier, owned by Chris and Michelle Mann alongside Caroline. The seasoned mare has competed around the globe, so would be one of the more experienced in the field. That shone through, with an assured performance that ended with a good square halt, which yielded three eights from the judges. That final flourish insured 70%+ scores all round and a final penalty score of 29.0 to go third.
That was the only rattle of the leaderboard for 10 or so combinations, but the final session was littered with names with high-scoring potential. The first of those were last year’s CCI4*-S winners Yasmin Ingham and Gypsie du Loir, owned by The Sue Davies Fund and Janette Chinn. Yaz had a good ride yesterday in the Defender arena with Goliath du Loir – with both rides bred by Pierre Gouye in France – to go sixth, but that was in heavy drizzle. Today brought much more favourable conditions, with sunshine aplenty, and the dainty mare floated around the arena to garner plenty of eights. The judges clearly liked the picture of harmony, with all of them awarding +72% scores to give 26.4 – a new personal best for ‘Gigi’ at the level – and the lead, some 1.6 penalties better than overnight leaders Piggy March with the Maidwell Maverick’s MCS Maverick.
Straight into the arena behind Yas was USA’s Tiana Coudray, here on her fifth trip to Bramham and a second for her ride D’Artagnan, who last competed here in 2024 to finish 10th. The duo certainly looked at home in the arena, with the handsome grey really catching the eye. The judges found their rhythm with the eight button and there was even a nine for the extended walk from Christina. A slight mistake in the final flying change pegged the marks back to fives, but the final halt brought a further nine from the Swede. The final score was posted as 27.4, equating to 72.64%. That nestled the US paring neatly between Piggy March and Selina Miles in third.
The atmosphere was building to an exciting climax, with the eager expectation of the reigning Defender champions, Bubby Upton and Its Cooley Time, owned by Susan de Zulueta, Jane Dear, Susie Holland-Bosworth, The Duchess of Norfolk, Hillary Russell and Bubby herself, cantering into the arena. Could they get their campaign to retain the title underway in style? Of course they could. The warm-up went to plan, with ‘Finn’ – who can have a cheeky side – on point, and the duo looked super as they trotted up the entry chute and into the expansive arena.
They were a picture of athleticism, fluidity and harmony to yield a number of eights as the test went on. There was a stiff breeze all afternoon, which was ideal for drying the ground after yesterday’s heavy rain, but not so for relaxation in the arena. However, the Quality Time TN sired-grey was in complete tune with his rider. There was one little ‘shimmy’ but Bubby held her cool, as did Finn, and they brought the test to an end in style – eight, ten and nine came from the judges for the final halt. It was good, but just how good? The marks seemed on a par with Yaz and Gigi, so the arena fell quiet as all awaited the final score. The large scoreboard revealed 24.2 and the lead was in the hands of the duo from Norfolk by just 0.6 penalties.
An elated Bubby said; “Coming back to Defender Bramham as defending champion with Its Cooley Time of course has an underlying element of added pressure – I’d be lying if I said it didn’t – but what a privilege to be sat on a horse like him and to have won a class like this with him as only an 11-year-old. For me I kind of spin it like that, and to be back here with him is magical and we obviously have very special memories. For me, it’s just trying to do him justice in every single phrase because he really is a freak of nature and it’s my job to make sure that I don’t let him down.
“He did an unbelievable test to take the lead, which is fantastic. I didn’t look at the scoreboard once throughout the test – I was just really trying to focus on the feel and being in the moment with him, preparing each movement. I was absolutely thrilled with him. Something suddenly fell over or something in the middle of our test and there was a huge clatter – he literally kind of flew underneath me and raised up, and I was like “oh no.” I had about three movements left to do and that sadly did disrupt my last half-pass and last change, which was a shame, but we managed to just hold it together. In terms of his performance, though, I just couldn’t fault him. It was the best I’ve ever had with him in terms of feel throughout the test, so I was absolutely thrilled with the progress we have made from this time last year to now,” she concluded.
Bubby is excited by the cross-country challenge ahead; “The course this year has been spun the other way around by Andy [Heffernan, course designer]. He obviously built it last year and did an unbelievable job, but has definitely made it quite a lot tougher this year. We’ve got our work cut out, so fingers crossed that I can just do him justice. He’s an extraordinary horse and we made a couple of mistakes last year, so have really gone back to the drawing board and re-evaluated the system that I had with him. Fingers crossed I can put it into action and do him proud,” she said.
At the end of the day, it’s an all-British female podium, with Bubby in pole position, Yaz a shadow behind and Thursday night leader Piggy March in third.
Cross-country for the long section gets underway at 09:00 and the riders have been full of praise for Andrew Heffernan’s course, expertly crafted by David Evans and his team. A change of direction and plenty of new head-scratching fences have had the riders thinking, but the general impression is certainly positive. Just six penalty points separate the top 10, so time will be a factor if they can stay clear over the fences.
Defender CCI4*-S
With over 50 combinations to get through, it was another 8:30am start for the judging panel of Christian Steiner (AUT) and Annabel Scrimgeor (GBR), but the pair were quickly put in their stride when the first combination, Tamra Smith and Lillet 3 for the USA, gave a spritely performance to score 30.0 and go into second. It was going to be an exciting day.
Towards the end of the second morning session, U25 rider Barnie Brotherton, who’s just back from an enforced layoff due to a broken arm, rode a stormer of a test with DHI King Nelson, who was amongst the leaders at last year’s Bramham. It’s a family affair for the Brothertons, with mum Naomi owning the horse and sister Beau taking time out from her dressage career to groom for Barnie and ‘Nelson’. With help from an uncle, they’ve all worked to keep Nelson fit while Barnie healed. Their 30.2 gave them a spot on the podium behind Tamra and overnight leader, Alex Hua Tian for China – it also promoted them to leaders in the British Under 25 National Championship, which is embedded into the CCI4*-S.
Around an hour later, it was the turn of defending U25 champions, Tom Woodward and Low Moor Lucky, who have targeted Bramham with the aim of back-to-back titles. ‘Lucky’ and Tom know each other well, having lived the dream of going through Pony Club up to five-star, despite Lucky being declared unrideable in his early years. Now 19, this looks to be his last season at the elite end of the sport, so could this fairytale have the ultimate happy ending? The test was strong – relaxed, accurate and in good rhythm, with consistent marks between six and seven. Overall, they finished just under the 70% mark for a penalty score of 31.6. It was enough to go second in the U25 division and top 10 overall.
With a short interlude for lunch, the stage was set for an exciting spell of combinations to really shake up the leaderboard. First of those was Wiltshire-based Kiwi Jesse Campbell and the Irish-bred Speedwell, owned by Karen Coumbe and Deborah Stang. The duo headed to Bramham with a CCI4*-L victory under their belt at Strzegom in Poland in April, so their confidence was high. The tall rider cuts an elegant picture in the arena, but has the talent to match and the eights flowed – a communication error in the left half-pass blotted the copybook with two fours, but they were quickly back in their stride. Both judges enjoyed what they saw, giving eights for the final harmony mark, contributing to a final penalty score of 25.5, which catapulted them into the lead.
But Jesse knew the next combination into the arena could make his lead a short-lived one. It was none other than Paris Olympic team gold medallists Tom McEwen and JL Dublin, owned by Deirdre Johnston and James and Jo Lambert. Tom has a clear plan for 15-year-old ‘Dubs’, who won European Championship individual gold with Bramham local heroine Nicola Wilson in 2021, to peak for the World Championships at Aachen in Germany this August. It’s the first opportunity for Great Britain to secure qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, which is something very much on Tom’s ‘to do’ list.
A bright start which included a nine for the entry showed they meant business. Plenty of sevens and eights followed, with ‘Dubs’ clearly enjoying himself in the Bramham afternoon sun. Clean flying changes and a good final centre line gave a strong finish, but there was a costly error of course along the way, so it would be a two-mark deduction from each judge. That gave a final score of 26.8 – not quite enough to topple Jesse, but they slotted neatly into second.
Just two horses later, it was the turn of Kitty King and 10-year-old Renkum Jitterbug, owned by the late Elizabeth Golby. This duo is relatively new to four-star level, but they can certainly produce a good test in between the white boards and today was no exception. You could see the horse really wanted to try for his rider and listened intently to every aid. The test was well presented and correct to deliver a 27.7, so nearly a person best, putting them onto the podium behind Jesse and Tom.
As the afternoon wore on, many tried to crack the top five, but only one combination succeeded. That came in the form of Samantha Lissington for New Zealand, riding Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ. Their polished performance delivered a 29.2 to go fourth, further relegating Alex to fifth.
So, after a huge section, it’s New Zealand’s Jesse Campbell who holds the ascendancy from Tom McEwen for the home side, with compatriot Kitty King in third. In the U25 British Championship, Barnie Brotherton holds pole, with defending champion Tom Woodward hot on his heels and yesterday’s leader Carys Macauley completing the podium.
Jesse was full of praise for his equine partner, and the Bramham team; “I’m really delighted – he was fantastic. In his training and all his work, he’s just getting better and better and h just delivered everything I wanted. There was one little mistake but, on the whole, I’m really pleased.
“The initial plan right at the start of the year was to maybe take him to Luhmühlen, but after he won in Poland I wanted to bring him to Bramham – the grass arena, the atmosphere and you can always count that it’s going to be a busy and spicy sort of atmosphere here. I have a target maybe later in August that I’d like to get to, in Germany [the FEI World Championships] and I think you do everything you can as part of the preparation.
“Andy [Heffernan] and the team have done a fantastic job [with the cross-country course]. The going is always magical at Bramham and there’s always been something special about the park. I’m really happy with the course itself. It’s very intense, which I think mimics a championship really well – Andy did sort of tell the riders that that was his intention and I think he has delivered a fantastic course.
“Speedwell’s very special in the fact that he was my late wife’s horse. She found him as a three-year-old and produced him all the way to four-star. After her tragic accident, I took on the ride and I’m just trying to do her proud. She always said he was going to be the best horse in the world – I’m just trying to carry that on and he is fantastic, so it’s a huge honour to ride him,” he reflected.
The CCI4*-S start their final day of competition with the showjumping phase at 8:00, before heading out into Bramham Park from 12:40 for cross-country.
Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Qualifiers
First place in the four-year-old class went to MSHI Rockstar Le Tot, ridden by Hayden Hankey and owned with Chris Makin, winning on a score of 90. The combination had already won three previous qualifiers, so are well set for the final at Burghley Horse Trials in September. As such, the qualifying places from today’s competition went second-placed Lucinda Atkinson riding Donanyika, finishing on a score of 88.5, and to Josh Fearnley riding Santessina, who finished only one penalty behind to slot into third.
In the five-year-old class, both the first and second placed combinations had qualified for the final in previous rounds. First was Hayden Hankey, riding his own and Catherine Witt’s Bank Roll, finishing on a score of 89.0. Emma Carmichael and Raman Tren followed in second place. The qualifying places went to third-placed Cokyta Classic A One Z, ridden by Ellie Newbert and fourth-placed Emily Grace, riding SHL Fernando.
You can follow the action with times, scores and all the info via the Defender Bramham International Horse Trials app – just download from your preferred app store. You can catch up with on socials too – we’re on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok
If you’re planning on joining us, but haven’t purchased your tickets yet, save time at the gate and buy online before you arrive.
Full results: EventingScores
by bramhamadmin | Jun 11, 2026 | Uncategorized
The rain may have been a feature on day one at the Defender Bramham International Horse Trials but, in Yorkshire, it never spoils a good party. The dressage on display in the Defender CCI4*-S and CCI4*-L sections kept a dedicated crowd entertained, while the world’s elite battled it out for a score to give them an advantage in the weekend’s jumping phases.
In the showcase Defender CCI4*-L, it’s Britain’s Piggy March and MCS Maverick who lead the way, while in the Defender CCI4*-S, Alex Hua Tian and Manjushri hold the ascendency for China.
Defender CCI4*-L
As the formbook predicted, the early pace in the Defender CCI4*-L was set by the second-to-go combination of Yasmin Ingham riding Goliath du Loir, in the ownership of The Sue Davies Fund and Janette Chinn. French-bred ‘Gogo’ impressed here last year as a nine-year-oold and, a year on, he’s really matured, which showed with a score over four marks better than last year. The Ground Jury of Christina Klingspor (SWE) at C, Andrew Bennie (NZL) at E and Les Smith (GBR) at M settled on a final mark of 68.74% to give a penalty of 31.5 and set the benchmark.
Yaz held the lead for around an hour before Alexander Bragg presented his test on Team Joey’s Jaeger Master. Alex is a Bramham regular and makes little of the journey from Somerset to compete here and today proved why he enjoys his forays to Yorkshire. Jaeger Master and Alex have been together for just a year, but have formed a good partnership already, having finished as runners-up in the CCI4*-L at Ballindenisk. A polished performance gave them 30.2 penalties – a four-star personal best score – to snatch the lead from Yaz.
As the lunch break approached and with no clear let up in the drizzle, Selina Miles brought brightness to the arena with a fantastic display with William and Angela Rucker’s Cooley Snapchat. The duo clearly loves Bramham, having won the short section in 2023 and finishing just off the long section podium in 2024 on their dressage score. Today, they started strong, with marks generally trending around 6.5 to 7.5 out of ten and a few eights scattered throughout, building to a strong climax and final flourish. An aggregate percentage of 72.08 yielded 27.9 penalties for our first sub-30 score of the day and a new leader.
After a refreshing lunch, competition resumed with a bang – the next pairing in was Piggy March and the 2023 Bramham victor MCS Maverick, owned by the Maidwell Mavericks. When he won three years ago, Eric’ was partnered by Pippa Funnell, who passed the reins to Piggy in 2025. After a short ‘getting to know you’ period, Piggy and Eric, by the prolific eventing sire Mill Law, returned to Bramham but couldn’t quite defend the title, finishing eighth. So, they return in 2026 to give it another go and the judges were duly impressed. Plenty of seven and eights were delivered for some expressive work to land on a score of 26.4, to better Selina by 1.5 penalties.
It was a score that couldn’t be beaten as the afternoon unfolded. Former British U21 champions Ibble Watson and Aristoteles SZ – by jumping sire Arko III, who finished 10th individually at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games – gave it a great shot with a 29.7 to go third.
Sadly, Ibble’s podium place was short-lived because the next competitor, Daisy Berkeley with her own, Camilla Case and Caroline Dick’s Diese du Figuier just edged her out by a narrow margin with 29.5. The duo rerouted to Bramham after retirement on cross-country day at the MARS Badminton Horse Trials last month and this is their third time here – another combination making a third appearance in Yorkshire.
So, it’s Piggy who sits in pole position at the end of the day. Her thoughts on the test? “It was good, I was very pleased with him. I was a bit scared, with the rain and all of the umbrellas around the edge because the new layout is very close to the side. He’s an excitable horse, but he did keep it together and showed some really lovely work. He was a little bit cautious in the walk but other than that, very pleased with him,” she enthused.
Bramham is clearly a destination event for the duo and it’s great to have them back. “He was a new ride to me last year, and we went to Burghley in the autumn and I just rode him really badly. Badminton comes really quick in the year and I’m really keen to go back to Burghley, but wanted to practice somewhere that resembles it, or where you could get good terrain or fences that scare you, and there’s not many one days where you can get that feel. I was really keen to bring him here. I thought it was a really good practice to get our partnership together.
“I know he has won it before, but I am just staying in my sort of bubble and trying to learn and get together with this horse. He’s still only 13 and I think a lot of him. He’s a beautiful horse, very quality, but I just need to get on the same page and the right page with him. So, I’m here to learn and get the partnership better,” Piggy explained.
We resume dressage in the Defender CCI4*-L section at 10:50 on Friday morning. With Caroline Powell and 2023 Badminton champion Greenacres Special Cavalier, 2025 Defender CCI4*-S winners Yasmin Ingham and Gypsie du Loir, and the current Defender title holders Bubby Upton and Its Cooley Time to come, will Piggy and Eric still be on top going into Saturday’s cross-country phase?
Defender CCI4*-S
The 116-runner strong Defender CCI4*-S started with the sparrows at 8:30 this morning, with 56 on the running order to get through on this first day of dressage. First under the watchful eyes of our judging panel of Christian Steiner (AUT) and Annabel Scrimgeor (GBR) was Kirsty Chabert riding John Johnston and Carole Somers’ Classic VI. The duo is fresh from victory at the Bicton CCI4*-S Nations Cup leg, where they also helped Great Britain to take the team title, and they brought the form with them. A polished performance despite the rain made the judges take note and there was plenty to impress. An aggregate score of 67.29% gave 32.7 penalties, which was a good score to set the target.
Kirsty and ‘Betty’ sat atop the leader board for much of the morning, until Ireland’s Susie Berry swooped in riding Sue Wilkinson’s Stranford. Their 32.2 gave them a 0.5 advantage and the lead. Lunch came and went, with Susie looking secure at the top of the leaderboard. That was until Kitty King and her grey star Cristal Fontaine trotted into the arena. Kitty won here in 2024 with another legendary grey, Vendredi Biats, and is hoping for a repeat with ‘Louis’, who’s back in four-star action after a spell on the sidelines. With his French breeding, Louis excels in the dressage phase and is a regular sub-30 scorer. The grey and wet conditions weren’t exactly optimum conditions, but the duo secured a number of eights for some pleasing work in the arena to finish on 31.6 and take the lead.
After the lunch break, two-time Bramham winner Bubby Upton came close to toppling Kitty, riding her own and Caroline Owen’s Auckland 7 with 31.7, as did the next in Harry Meade, also a former winner here, riding Viscount Viktor for Ginny Rusher and Glynn Norcutt. This duo posted 31.8, so not quite enough to take the lead but it put them contention for a top 10 place at the end of day one.
Next in front of the panel was Gemma Stevens with a clone of three-time Bramham winner Chilli Morning – aptly named Chilli Morning IV and the 2024 Seven-Year-Old Eventing World Breeding Champion. A passion for Bramham is in the horse’s genetics and he clearly felt at home, with the sevens and eights flowing. A small hiccup in the final flying change in the penultimate movement meant that they couldn’t quite break the 30 barrier, but 30.4 gave them a comfortable lead.
It was a position that Gemma held for much of the afternoon but, as the day began to round out, there were a few names on the running order who could threaten her place.
That threat ultimately came in the form of ‘one in a billion’ rider, China’s Alex Hua Tian – another who’s topped the Bramham podium in the past. Alex has a penchant for dressage and really excels in the phase. He used that skill and favour aboard his own Manjushri, who is just a nine-year-old with limited runs at four-star level.
The horse’s record shows that he shares his rider’s liking of dressage, with a number of strong – and winning – sub-30 scores. Alex’s tall, elegant frame suits Manjushri and the picture in the arena was fluid and harmonious – thoughts echoed by the judges. It was a consistent test which flowed well, and the final centreline was one of the best of the day. A square halt brought a smile across the Cheshire-based rider’s face and a huge pat for his equine partner. Two +70% marks appeared – making them the only duo to break that magic 30 barrier – and the final penalty score was 29.4, which couldn’t be bettered.
A delighted Alex said: “I’m very happy. He’s a nine-year-old, Majushri, or ‘Buddy’ as we call him at home. He’s always been a been a competitive horse, but he is still pretty green at four-star. He ran at a couple of four-stars last year and this is only his second run this year. I’ve had a little walk around the cross-county and it’s big enough out there, so he is going to have to be quite brave on Saturday. But I am very happy with him. He got a bit behind my leg in there, but there’s more to come. He’s very scopey and very exciting.”
And his thoughts on Andy Heffernan’s cross-country track? “Bramham is Bramham. It’s an iconic event and he’s naturally a big, galloping, bold horse. I think the course will really suit him. The [main] water is not too big this year – there’s a big bounce in, but not very big drop in, so I think that will suit him. He’s here for development and education, and if we can be competitive at the same time, that would be amazing,” he concluded.
Running concurrently in the section is the British National Under-25 Championship and it’s Cerys Macaulay riding Wendy Coney and Richard Coney’s Kananaskis in the lead. Part owner Richard has been instrumental in the horse’s career, piloting him from Junior level up to five-star level before Cerys took over the ride in 2024. The Irish-bred gelding is now an evergreen 18 years old and this will be his, and Cerys’, first attempt at Bramham. Their 32.9 was the best of the under-25s and also gave them a top 10 place in the overall standings.
Hannah Marley riding Timothy and Zoe Rymer’s JSR Zebedee sits second on 34.7, while Alex Turnbull and part-Shire Harelaw Wizard, who was produced by former Bramham course designer Ian Stark and is owned by his son-in-law Charles Robson, complete the podium with 35.5.
It’s another 8;30 start in the CCI4*-S section on Friday, for another full day of dressage. With over 50 combinations from a global all-star cast still to come, it’ll be a nervous day for Alex to see if he will still hold the ascendancy come 17:15 tomorrow.
Both sections are being livestreamed by Horse & Country with a subscription, so you can catch every test online.
Breeding and hunter classes
The TopSpec Arena played host to an array of sport breeding and show hunter classes, which ran all day, and the rain certainly didn’t detract from the prime equine examples on show. Several classes had coveted Horse of the Year Show or Royal International Horse Show tickets attached to them, so competition was fierce for qualification to showing’s season finales.
Our winners were:
Broodmare with foal at foot – Joanne Mosley and Cosmic Rose
Foals – Sue Simmons and Pandora of Westoak
In-hand yearling
- Filly – Sarah Ramsden and Mylens Starlite Express
- Colt or gelding – Lizzie Richmond and JL Graphite
In hand two-year-old
- Colt or Gelding – Nicola Hazlett and Joyful TickTock
- Filly – William Hibbert and Fenston Oriana
In hand three-year-old
- Filly – Anne Hebron and Tiger Eclipse
- Colt or Gelding – Bradley Beardmore and Tiger Feet ll
Supreme Champion – Bradley Beardmore and Tiger Feet II
Lightweight hunter – Robert Walker and Flash Point
Middleweight hunter – Polly Coles and Bloomfield Valhalla
Heavy Weight hunter – Leon King and Waterfall
The overall champion title went to Yorkshire rider Rob Walker, with Jill Day’s Flash Point, by Watermill Swatch.
Looking ahead to Friday in the TopSpec Arena, it’s the turn of the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse classes for four- and five-year-olds. Many of the horses competing at Bramham, and many of the top events around the world, cut their teeth in this class. If you have an eye on the future, this is the arena to keep an eye on tomorrow.
Ending the day with the pop of champagne corks
After a long day of competition, the showground came alive with the traditional, and thoroughly enjoyable, Lycetts drinks party – complete with barbeque, dancing and plenty of champagne, courtesy of Pol Roger. Prizes were also presented for yesterday’s Hiho Silver best dressed and British Horse Feeds best turned-out competitions at the first horse inspection. These went to Selina Milnes and Tom Rowland, who thoroughly embraced the ‘touch of festival’ theme, and to groom Tash Bailey, who turned out Stephen Heal’s ride Hisco.
You can follow all the action with times, scores and all the info via the Defender Bramham International Horse Trials app – just download from your preferred app store. You can catch up with on socials too – we’re on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok
If you’re planning on joining us, but haven’t purchased your tickets yet, save time at the gate and buy online before you arrive.
Full results: EventingScores
by bramhamadmin | Jun 10, 2026 | Uncategorized
The spirit of Leeds Festival arrived early to Wetherby to get the Defender Bramham International Horse Trials 2026 underway with the first horse inspection for the Defender CCI4*-L, sponsored by British Horse Feeds. Some 51 competitors from six countries came forward under the Ground Jury of Christina Klingspor (SWE – President), Les Smith (GBR) and Andrew Bennie (NZL), all briefed to add ‘a touch of festival’ in their attire – many took it to heart, with some spectacular outfits on show.
Leading British jewellery outlet Hiho Silver once again put each competitor under the spotlight to decide the male and female riders who best answered the brief. Hiho’s Andrew Ransford and Bramham’s Rachel Lane Fox judged Tom Rowland and Selina Miles the winners. Tom went for the casual partygoer look, while Selina dazzled in silver sequins. Well done to both – and all who supported!
Andrew Ransford of HiHo said; “We’ve had a great judging panel Bramham every year with myself, Rachel Lane Fox and her incredible friend Helen. It was Rachel’s idea to combine everything that goes on at Bramham and because of that, the theme was ‘a touch of festival’.
“There were two clear winners for us today. The unbelievable Tom Rowland in the absolutely hilarious get up he’d chosen. Rachel said that at Leeds last year, every single person looked just like that! It was superb.
“Selina won a hot competition from the girls with a sequinned long dress and did a brilliant job. I’m told Rachel Lane has her eye on it!
From my perspective, it was wonderful to see more people ‘got the memo’ this year and we had such a strong showing.”
Preparing the horses to go before the judges is in the hands of the hard-working grooms behind the scenes and today they all excelled themselves, with horses gleaming, neatly on-point plaits and artistic quartermarks all-round. However, it was Stephen Heal’s ride, Hisco, under the ownership of The Knight Syndicate and groomed by Tash Bailey, who was deemed top of the pops by the British Horse Feeds team of judges. Congratulations to Tash – a stunning effort.
Three horses were asked to represent, but subsequently passed, so it’s the full complement of 51 who go through to the next two days of dressage. One of the favourites to take the 2026 title – reigning World Champion Yaz Ingham and Goliath du Loir, owned by The Sue Davies Fund and Janette Chinn – is drawn second to go, so could lay the gauntlet early. Others to watch on Thursday include Selina Miles (Cooley Snapchat, owned by William Rucker), Tom McEwen (Diedre Johnston and Jane Knight’s Quintus) and Piggy March, riding MCS Maverick, owned by the Maidwell Mavericks, who won the event in 2023 with former rider Pippa Funnell. Dressage gets underway at 10:30 in the new-look Defender Arena.
The other eventing showcase is of course the Defender CCI4*-S and, here, the roster boasts a bumper 116 combinations from 11 countries. This section also incorporates the British Under-25 Championships. Selecting a potential winner is no easy task, but Paris 2024 Olympic gold medallists Tom McEwen and JL Dublin, owned by Diedre Johnston and James and Jo Lambert, have to be the bookie’s favourites. They do dressage under the Ground Jury of Christian Steiner (AUT) and Annabel Scrimgeor (GBR) on Friday. Others to watch on day one include first-to-go Kirsty Chabert and plucky mare Classic VI, who led the British team to victory in the FEI Nations Cup at Bicton two weeks ago with an individual win, Bramham regular and former winner Zara Tindall and Showtime, Gemma Stevens with her two Chilli Morning relations – son Chilli’s Jester and clone Chilli Morning IV, and Kitty King, who took the Bramham win in 2019, this time riding Cristal Fontaine.
The short section starts bright and early at 08:30. Both sections are being livestreamed by Horse & Country with a subscription, so you can catch every test.
In the Top Spec Arena, there’s a full programme of showing for youngstock, hunters and breeding to add to day one’s action.
You can follow all the action with times, scores and all the info via the Defender Bramham International Horse Trials app – just download from your preferred app store. You can catch up with on socials too – we’re on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok
If you’re planning on joining us, but haven’t purchased your tickets yet, save time at the gate and buy online before you arrive.
by bramhamadmin | May 22, 2026 | Uncategorized
While ‘football fever’ is set to grip the nation for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, a small corner of Yorkshire will be bringing ‘equestrian euphoria’ to the masses at the Defender Bramham International Horse Trials, 11 – 14 June. April showers and sunshine have the iconic park looking beautiful and ready to provide the perfect backdrop for four days of world class eventing, top equestrian action and the ultimate spectator experience. So…footy or horses, which will you choose?
The jewels in Bramham’s crown are the Defender CCI4*-L and CCI4*-S competitions and entries from some of the world’s best are coming in. There are currently over 150 entries from ten nations on the stellar roster with many of the combinations hoping to catch the eye ahead of this summer’s FEI Eventing World Championships in Aachen, Germany.
Britain’s Olympic team gold medalist Tom McEwen, world number one Harry Meade and current European champion Laura Collett fly the home side flag alongside names like Zara Phillips, Piggy March, Kitty King and Gemma Stevens.
All our 2025 champions make a return – two are hoping to defend their titles including current Defender CCI4*-L champions Bubby Upton and Its Cooley Time and British U25 title holders Tom Woodward with Low Moor Lucky. It’ll be a new name on the Defender CCI4*-S trophy as last year’s victors Yasmin Ingham – who’ll be hoping to defend her World Champion crown in August – and Gypsie du Loir step up to the long section.
The Bramham Organising Team has declared 2026 a year of reform with a number of positive changes in the offing. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the park where course designer Andrew Heffernan started with a clean sheet of paper with the routes looking very different with several new fences introduced. Andrew, working with master builder David Evans and team, has worked hard over the winter to produce a track with equine welfare at the fore but also delivers a test which Bramham is synonymous with. The countdown until the final tracks are revealed is underway but expect something truly special.
The heartbeat of the event – the Defender and Top Spec arenas and tradestand village – have also undergone some changes. The Pol Roger Members’ Enclosure has moved around the main arena and to ensure a judge’s eye view on the dressage days, the arena itself has rotated too. The facilities for members have also been part of the change and this year’s offering promises to be the best ever. New premium catering options from the Harrogate Food and Drink Company, luxury amenities and a welcoming feel will take visitor’s Bramham experience to the next level – so why not treat yourself?
While horses take center stage at Bramham, the shopping and culinary treats come a close second. The 150 outlets in the tradestand village have something for everyone. The Country Living Pavillion, a firm favourite with visitors, has moved location and is now arena side and will be bigger and better than ever. Title sponsors Defender will of course be there to showcase their impressive fleet and remember anyone with a Land Rover key fob will be able to visit the Land Rover Owners Lawn for a welcome coffee break.
Make sure you pay a visit to our 2026 charity, Cystic Fibrosis Care who’ll be onsite to showcase their tremendous work to support children and adults living with this debilitating, life shortening disease. They’ll also be offering a bag drop where you can park your purchases while you walk the course, take refreshments or head off to buy more!
Time spent outdoors is never wasted and one of the best ways to enjoy it is in a garden. So, it’s with huge excitement that we welcome the Askham Byran Floral and Plant Marquee for this year. The college’s horticulture department will be there with a vast selection of flowers, seasonal, perennial and house plants for sale. Plus, the staff and students will be hosting a range of talks, expert advice sessons and ‘Have a go’ activities.
A further new addition this year will be the Chatham Chat Zone. Over the weekend the equestrian ‘hostess with the mostest’ Nicole Browne will be hosting insightful sessions with an array of great guests. If you’re visiting, make sure to check out the Bramham App to find out who’s on and when on Saturday and Sunday.
Eventing may be the sporting spotlight at Bramham but there’s a host of other equestrian competitions too. There’s youngstock and hunter showing classes, a Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse qualifier and British Showjumping classes including a Horse of the Year Show qualifier, a six bar, accumulator and the show’s curtain call, the Wetherby Skips Grand Prix. The Saracens Horse Feeds Arena Eventing classes at 100cm, 90cm and 80cm are a huge favorite on Sunday while local Pony Club teams will be in action all weekend with show jumping and mounted games – always a crowd favourite with plenty of spectator encouragement!
Have you bought your passes yet? Save time and money by booking your Bramham tickets in advance – but hurry, advance prices end on 07 June. Admission tickets start at £18 for over 17s and there’s further savings on weekend and season passes. You’ll also need a car park ticket for your vehicle so don’t forget that – there’s a day, weekend and season option. Upgrade yourself to VIP status with Pol Roger Members’ Enclosure tickets – you can do it on the day but these are likely to sell out so we advise buying ahead.
For those who like to be at the heart of the action, we also offer a glamping courtesy of The Glamping Group or a campsite facility for any type of accommodation with shower and toilet facilities – you can book for a season pass or weekend – but hurry, bookings are limited, and the weekend package is nearly sold out!
Event Director Nicholas Pritchard commented; “We’re approaching the busiest time in the build up to the event and the site is really coming to life, to see our vision and changes for this year in action is truly exciting. Everything is coming together nicely thanks to our incredible team on the ground and the wider support of our sponsors, contractors and volunteers.
A quick glance down the entry lists really lifted the excitement levels with some of the world’s best heading to Yorkshire – and we’re delighted to be playing a part in their eventing journey – whether that’s a place on their national team or simply moving to the next level. Andrew’s course looks a cracker, and we can’t wait to open the gates to everyone to share all the Bramham traditions alongside our new look.”
Visit the website www.bramham-horse.co.uk for all the news, lowdown and ticket information. Follow us on, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok as we count the days until the 2026 Defender Bramham International Horse Trials.
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Bramham Media Contact:
Winnie Murphy, Press Officer – winsome22@live.co.uk or 07967 186556.
Media accreditation closes on 29 May so get any last-minute applications in – Media – Defender Bramham International Horse Trials.
Passes will be mailed on or around Tuesday 2 June.
