An Eventful Life is filming all competitors at Hartpury International - order or view cross country videos here
Emily King and Valmy Biats have taken the early lead in the NAF CCI4*S/British Open at the NAF Hartpury International Celebration of Eventing and British Eventing National Championships, as the competition got fully underway on Thursday.
The CCI4*S incorporates the prestigious British Open Championship this year, meaning there is a national title on the line alongside the international class. With Olympic and championship-level combinations among the entries, the battle for the British Open is already shaping up to be a fascinating one.
Emily and Valmy Biats produced a polished test to score 26.4, putting them at the top of a strong field after the first day of dressage. The partnership arrives at Hartpury with an impressive record at the highest level, having finished second at Luhmühlen 2026 and fifth at Badminton 2025.
New Zealand’s Jesse Campbell and Speedwell are hot on their heels in second on 27.9, while Yasmin Ingham and Kinda Corvette sit third on 29.7. The reigning British Open Champion Katie Magee and Treworra scored 33.5, putting them in equal 10th position at this stage.
The leaderboard is already tightly packed, with just 5.9 penalties separating the top six. With another full day of dressage still to come, however, there is plenty of scope for the standings to change before the competition moves on to showjumping and cross country on Saturday.
India Wishart holds the advantage in the NAF CCI3*L
India Wishart and BP Quinnton have made the ideal start in the NAF CCI3*L, finishing the opening day of dressage at the top of the leaderboard on 32.2.
India is currently just 0.8 penalties ahead of Tim Cheffings and CFH Dakar Hill, who are second on 33.0, while Alicia Hawker and Chocotoffretto Z are another 0.8 penalties behind in third on 33.8.
Simon Grieve and Best Escapade are also firmly in touch on 34.1, just 1.9 penalties from the lead, while Sophie Van Der Merwe and Thornhill OB Lux sit fifth on 35.8.
The current top seven are separated by just 7.9 penalties, meaning even small gains tomorrow could have a significant impact on the order.
The CCI3*L combinations will return to the dressage arena tomorrow, while today’s competitors can turn their attention to the cross-country challenge that awaits on Saturday.
Tom Rowland leads the way in the NAF CCI2*L
The NAF CCI2*L could hardly be closer at the top, with Tom Rowland and Darkley Against The Oddz holding a slender overnight advantage on 28.1.
Just 0.1 of a penalty separates Tom from Tarka Abraham and Ace Figaro, who are second on 28.2. Emma Carmichael and Quality’s Snap are third on 29.3, giving the top three a spread of just 1.2 penalties.
There is little breathing room further down the leaderboard either. Alexander Whewall and Billy Nutella are fourth on 31.6, with Ibble Watson and GFS Moonlight Echo fifth on 31.8 and Melissa Joannides and Graf Leopold sixth on 32.0.
Just 3.9 penalties cover the top six, leaving the class wide open ahead of tomorrow’s second day of dressage.
The international flavour of the CCI2*L is also clear, with combinations representing Great Britain, the Netherlands, Australia, Italy and Hong Kong competing for honours.
Hartpury’s international competition is now fully underway
Today’s action marks the start of the main international competition following Tuesday’s Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse (BYEH) qualifiers – the final chance to qualify ahead of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials BYEH finals next month. Oliver Townend dominated the day, taking both the four- and five-year-old classes.
With the British Open title at stake, international and championship-level combinations competing across the classes, and the leaderboards already separated by remarkably small margins, there is everything to play for looking ahead to another day of dressage tomorrow.
Despite the heat and the challenges presented by a particularly demanding summer, preparations for the weekend’s competition have continued apace at Hartpury. The dedicated team on the ground has been working hard to ensure the footing is in the best possible condition ahead of Saturday’s cross country, where competitors will take on Eric Winter’s renowned course. The course can now be viewed on the CrossCountry App, giving spectators and competitors the chance to get a closer look at the challenges that await when the action gets underway on Saturday.
Full results and start lists here
