Fancy a day out in the countryside watching elite horse sport? Then check out these top UK horse trials

Looking for a horse trials to attend this summer? We have the dates of all the major UK horse trials still to come in 2025, so look no further.

Our handy guide to the 2025 eventing calendar below will give you all the essential info on which horse trials are near you and why you might want to visit…

Horse trials 2025: major UK dates for late summer and autumn

Event name: NAF Five Star Hartpury Horse Trials
Event date: 6–10 August
Location: Gloucestershire
Why it’s important and worth attending: Hartpury hosts the British national championships at open, intermediate and novice level, so it’s a great opportunity to see top combinations in the open, while the winners of the intermediate and novice championships are ones to earmark as stars of the future. Because it’s a championship, all the riders will be trying extra hard to win – rather than having a nice quiet schooling round – so the competition is fierce. There’s a novice restricted championship, the Corinthian Cup, and a championship for retrained racehorses, too.
Something you must do while you’re there: mix town and country with a visit to Gloucester, just 15 minutes drive away. Check out the cathedral, built in the 1100s, or the historic docks, do some shopping or take part in a Ninja Warrior adventure.
More information: hartpury.ac.uk/equine/horse-trials/

Event name: Scone Palace Horse Trials
Event date: 21-24 August
Location: Perthshire, Scotland
Why it’s important and worth attending: this is the first running of Scone in this spot in the eventing calendar, with the event taking over the date previously held by the popular Blair Castle Horse Trials. Scone provides a beautiful backdrop for Scotland’s premier horse trials, with the added bonus of permanent facilities at the racecourse. There are classes from grassroots level up to four-star, with some stars of the sport expected.
Something you must do while you’re there: Bedmax, the event’s official bedding partner, has collaborated with the the Society of Equestrian Artists (SEA), so pop along to the Bedmax stand to be treated to a live demonstration by SEA members Anthea Wood and Georgia Finnis, who will be painting on-site throughout the event.
More information: sconehorsetrials.com

Event name: Defender Burghley Horse Trials
Event date: 4-7 September
Location: Lincolnshire
Why it’s important and worth attending: Britain has just two five-star horse trials – the pinnacle of the sport – each year and Burghley is one of them. The very best horses and riders in Britain, as well as visitors from overseas, will be battling it out for the title and the cross-country course, designed by renowned US designer Derek di Grazia, is known for being the toughest test in eventing.
Something you must do while you’re there: take a stroll up Winners’ Avenue and look at all the plaques for former victors – it’s a veritable who’s who of eventing and a lovely way to learn about the history of the sport. At the top, you will be sure to gasp at the size of the huge ditch in front of the Cottesmore Leap.
More information: burghley-horse.co.uk

Event name: Cornbury House Horse Trials
Event date: 11-14 September
Location: Oxfordshire
Why it’s important and worth attending: Cornbury hosts the national five-, six- and seven-year-old championships, as well as junior and young rider sections, so you can spot future stars both equine and human here. And the new Racehorse to Eventer Challenge Cup has a huge £45,000 first prize, so it should attract some top names who will be going all out to take that cheque. 
Something you must do while you’re there: if you have kids, the Wildings interactive activity space is a must-do over the weekend. The space takes inspiration from the nearby Wychwood Forest and children and parents can take part in willow weaving workshops, clay animal making, a craft workshop, circus activities and, for an additional charge, face-painting.
More information: cornburyhousehorsetrials.co.uk

Event name: Agria FEI European Eventing Championships at Blenheim Horse Trials
Event date: 18-21 September
Location: Oxfordshire
Why it’s important and worth attending: it’s not every year that you get the chance to attend a senior championship on home soil and this is the first time the eventing Europeans has been in Britain since 2015, when it was hosted at Blair Castle. It’s 20 years since the Europeans were last at Blenheim – who could forget Zara Phillips (now Tindall) and Toytown storming through the lashing rain to take gold? – and we’re excited to watch the Brits defend the double gold medals they won at the 2023 championships in France. The usual eight- and nine-year-old class will run alongside the Europeans, so you can pick out the horses you expect to see at championships in a few years’ time.
Something you must do while you’re there: have a look at Blenheim Palace itself, the birthplace and ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill. It’s over 300 years old, is the only non-royal country house in England to hold the title of palace and in 1987 was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can get 20% off tickets to the palace and gardens during the horse trials (17-21 September) using the code HTBP20. Book tickets here.
More information: bpiht.co.uk

If you want to find more 2025 horse trials to visit, have a look at the full eventing calendar on the British Eventing website.

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