2004 British Eventing Season Kicks Off In Style

This weekend marks the start of the 2004 eventing season with Isleham in Cambridgeshire and Stilemans in Surrey hosting the first full one day events on the 6th and 7th March.

The UK season runs until the end of October and includes some 190 events at over 160 locations throughout the country. It is expected that around seven thousand horse and rider partnerships will take part in the sport during the year - approximately 62,000 cross country rounds!

The premier international events, including Badminton, Burghley and Blenheim, take on increased profile this Olympic year as attention focuses on the British Three Day Eventing Team's prospects in Athens during August. The Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials at the end of April will play an important role in the final team selection.

Chief Executive of British Eventing, Peter Durrant said, "We are looking forward to a successful season and to continuing the growth in participation and profile that the sport has enjoyed over the past few years. This year we have brought in a number of new initiatives, such as the four year old Breeding Championships - the first time horses this age will be able to compete. We hope that this will bring talented young horses into affiliated eventing to start their careers. "

A full fixture list is available on the British Eventing website www.britisheventing.co.uk

Major Dates for British Eventing 2004

April 29 - May 2 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire
May 15 - 16 Chatsworth International Horse Trials, Derbyshire
May 20 - 23 Chepstow International Horse Trials, Gwent
May 5 - 6 Sansaw Park International Horse Trials, Shropshire
May 27 - 30 Windsor International Horse Trials, Berkshire
June 10 - 13 Guardian Collections Bramham International Horse Trials, Yorkshire
June 17 - 20 Burgie International Horse Trials, Morayshire
July 31 - Aug 1 Lulworth Castle International Horse Trials, Dorset
August 6 - 8 Festival of British Eventing, Gatcombe Park, Gloucestershire
August 12- 15 Hartpury International Horse Trials, Gloucestershire
August 21 - 22 Thirlestane Castle Scottish Championship Horse Trials, Scottish Borders
August 26 - 29 Bowmore Blair Castle International Horse Trials, Tayside
September 2 - 5 Burghley Horse Trials, Lincolnshire
September 9 - 12 Blenheim Petplan International Horse Trials, Oxfordshire
September 19 Gatcombe Park CIC**, Gloucestershire
October 6 - 10 Weston Park CCI*/**, Shropshire
October 21 - 24 Aldon CCI*, Somerset

For further information on these and any other British Eventing affiliated events please go to www.britisheventing.co.uk or telephone (02476) 698856.

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