Horse & Hound's coverage of Ashford Farm CSI4* Bolesworth International (18-21 June) is brought to you in association with Equestrian.com
1. Top names and world-class competition
With £250,000 in prize money, it’s no wonder the Ashford Farm CSI4* Bolesworth International has attracted leading names from the world of showjumping, including John and Michael Whitaker, Nick Skelton, Edwina Tops-Alexander, Cian O’Connor, Jos Lansink and Guy Williams. It’s a rare opportunity to see all these names on home soil.
2. Dressage under floodlights — the perfect evening
For dressage aficionados, Thursday is the night for you with a dressage to music competition taking place under the floodlights. Laura Tomlinson is expected to line up in a quality field set to dazzle spectators and compete for a £2,500 top prize.
3. The setting needs to be seen to be believed
A spacious oval arena, complete with moat and castle backdrop, provides a wonderful amphitheatre and perfect viewing whether you’re in the stands or the VIP hospitality. Fingers crossed for the wall-to-wall sunshine we enjoyed in 2014.
4. Gladiators ready?
The stars of the hit 1990s ITV show will compete with some of the show’s riders in a knockout competition that promises to whip the crowds into a frenzy of excitement. Look out for all your old favourites including Hunter, Lightning, Saracen, Ace and referee John Anderson.
5. Some feet-tapping entertainment
Blue went down an absolute storm last year and music lovers can enjoy a concert by Scouting for Girls on Saturday evening for just £20.
6. No show is complete without the shopping
Bolesworth’s shopping village is a consumer’s haven with bespoke designer items, country clothing, fine dining and fashion shows for all budgets and tastes.
7. The big red wall — everybody’s favourite
Bolesworth will host the equestrian.com puissance on Friday night, making it one of the few venues around the world where you can see riders tackle the big red wall outdoors. Prepare to be wowed.
8. All the fun of the fair
This is a family-friendly event with plenty to entertain the non-horsey contingent, including camel racing, stunt bike displays, parrot shows, vintage funfairs, companion dog show, cooking demonstrations and bungee trampolining.
9. A challenge for the eventers
Top event riders head to Cheshire for the Ride-Away Express Eventing Challenge, where supermodel Jodie Kidd will join judges Anne-Marie Taylor and Ruth Edge on Friday to assess artistic performance. “I’ve always loved riding and now I get the chance to pass judgement on some of the best riders in the world,” said Jodie. The competition features a dressage to music phase followed by showjumping with a final “eraser” fence, and cross-country tracks within the arena.
10. Bid for success
If you’re in the market for a horse, a new venture at Bolesworth this year is the elite sport horse auction taking place in the international arena on Friday night. Take your pick from 12 yearlings who can be seen loose and jumping after a preview parade at 1pm. Superstars in the making?
More about Bolesworth
Ashford Farm CSI4* Bolesworth International takes place from 18-21 June at Bolesworth Castle, Tattenhall, Cheshire. You’ll be able to follow all the action via the livestream right here on www.horseandhound.co.uk plus reports, interviews and more. Visit www.bolesworthinternational.com for tickets and information about where to stay.
Don’t miss our full report from Bolesworth in the 25 June issue of Horse & Hound magazine
Picture by Honeybunn Photography