Blenheim Palace Horse Trials to be run by The Jockey Club
From 2021, The SsangYong Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials will be run by the Jockey Club. This will be the organisations first time running an eventing competition. The competition has previously been a sole self-organised event. The compeition hosts a CCI4*-L alongside the prestigious CCI4*-S for eight- and nine-year-olds event horses.
Blenheim Palace Estates Director Roy Cox stated “The international horse trials is one of our most prestigious events, attracting world-class riders to compete in this iconic competition. We are delighted its future has been secured and have every confidence the Jockey Club, with its rich history and wealth of experience, working alongside British Eventing is the perfect combination to ensure this great event, which contributes so much to the local area, continues to thrive.”
The Jockey Club was founded in 1750 and which Her Majesty the Queen as its patron, has over 340 fixtures in its remit, including large industry events such as the Cheltenham Festival and the Grand National. It is the largest commercial group in racing, turning over an extraordinary £201.1 million in revenue each year.
Ian Renton, Regional Managing Director of the organisation stated “It truly is a great honour to be appointed to organise the Blenheim Palace Horse Trials for the next five years. “We look forward to working closely with Blenheim Palace and British Eventing to ensure the event has a fantastic future. As a company, we welcome nearly four million people a year to events at our venues and our team are excited to put on a fantastic show at Blenheim in keeping with the international prestige of both the horse trials and the palace itself. With the Home of Jump Racing just 40 miles away, I’m also confident there are economies of scale and cross-promotional opportunities from this partnership,” he continued. “Overall, we’re thrilled to be involved and thank the Blenheim Palace and British Eventing team for placing their faith in us.”
The International Horse Trials is set to take place on the 15th – 19th September 2021.