A dedicated section for riders aged under 25 is being established at Cornbury House Horse Trials.

The fresh division will appear at the Oxfordshire event scheduled for September 9 to 13, 2026, as the venue prepares to stage the FEI Under-25 World Eventing Championships the following year.

Dutch Olympic eventing rider Andrew Heffernan, who also designs courses at Bramham and Burgham, will be responsible for the advanced cross-country track.

He expressed that he was delighted to accept the invitation, noting that Cornbury has become a popular choice for owners and riders throughout the six years since its inception. He mentioned that David Evans has done outstanding work with the cross-country courses, and he looked forward to working alongside him while taking advantage of the parkland and forests to create new challenges for competitors.

Founder and president David Howden stated that the competition and its fresh direction aim to assist developing riders.

He mentioned that bringing the FEI Under-25 World Championships to Cornbury in 2027 was an exciting development for the event. He explained that from the beginning, the goal had been to develop and showcase young talent, both riders and horses. Currently, the event runs Young Rider and Junior categories for those under 21, as well as the British Eventing Young Horse Championships. The new FEI Under-25 World Championships would provide exactly what the sport needed to develop and motivate these talented young competitors. Introducing the Advanced class this year would allow the trial of the new course and layout before the inaugural CCI4*-S at the 2027 World Championships, and they were pleased to welcome Andrew Heffernan to the Cornbury team.

Other changes for the 2026 event include a redesigned cross-country start and finish area, longer routes through sections of the park and woodland not previously used, and a dedicated dressage arena for under-25 competitors on the West Terrace lawn of Cornbury House.

To improve ground conditions, organizers will combine class sections, reducing the overall number of competing horses by approximately 200.

Visitors can expect locally-sourced food and drink, an artisan food tent, premium hospitality facilities, and the popular Cornbury Shopping Village.

A new equestrian stage will also feature question-and-answer sessions about the sport.

The 2026 event marks the seventh edition of the Cornbury House Horse Trials.

Early-bird tickets for Cornbury House Horse Trials 2026 will go on pre-sale from Thursday, April 30.

More information is available at www.cornburyhousehorsetrials.co.uk.