World Clique

Blenheim would be a poorer event without foreign competition

Some months back I wrote about the unofficial cultural exchange programme we have in eventing and how wonderful it was to see so many people flourishing in pastures new. I do constantly thank my lucky stars that the UK has the best eventing circuit in the world, and a large part of it's success is the diverse nationalities we have camped in our back yards.

I'm not talking about the superficial marketing spin we're fed of how great it is to compete against the William Fox-Pitts & Andrew Hoys of this world, because after a few times it's just a nuisance knowing that as an amateur you haven't hope in hell of beating him in a pre-novice or novice that's pretty inconsequential to the professionals, but I'm not going to complain about that.