Riders from 11 nations have completed the first horse inspection at Scone Palace International Horse Trials (27-30 August), with a star-studded field set to contest the international classes at the second running of the event – the biggest in Scotland.
The horses and riders were presented for inspection this afternoon in front of the stands at Perth Racecourse, officially getting this year’s international competition under way.
A total of 14 Olympians are among the entries at the Perthshire fixture, with 12 coming forward for the CCI4*-S. Seven riders inside the top 30 of the FEI World Rankings will also compete, while 12 riders have travelled straight from the FEI World Championships in Aachen (August 11-23).
Piggy March and Diamond March. Photo courtesy of Scone Palace International.
Athletes to watch this week include Britain’s Paris Olympic gold medallists Laura Collett, Tom McEwen and Ros Canter, New Zealand’s world number one Tim Price and fellow medallist Clarke Johnstone and Scotland’s leading rider Wills Oakden. Other favourites across the CCI4*-S and CCI4*-L classes include British stars Emily King, Piggy March, Izzy Taylor and Gemma Stevens.
Also taking place today were Subaru-sponsored grassroots eventing classes. Hope Wilson enjoyed a bumper day in the saddle, heading home with two titles: the BE90 (section C) championship with Ballygriffen Cooper and the BE90 (section D) with Charlie Girl.
Olivia Graham and Melanie Boatman’s Master TS secured the BE90 (section E) championship, while in the BE100 (section F), Jessica McKie took the title with Rose McKie’s WS Ollie BE. In the BE100 (section G), THL After Eight and Eilidh Costelloe topped the leaderboard.
Wills Oakden and Mile Beach. Photo courtesy of Scone Palace International.
The Subaru Scottish Grassroots Championships continue Thursday with the jumping phase, when overnight leaders Eilidh Herd and Zuccheros Deff Leppard (SC BE90), and Pebbles Walker and Shannondale Flight and Maeve Sheridan and Hey Pronto (joint leaders, SC BE100), will bid to hold on to their top spots.
Scone Palace International HT CCI4* (GBR): [Website] [Tickets] [Schedule] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [Live Stream]
