This weekend we’re at Chilham Castle in Kent, England and it is a beautiful spot for eventing. As you drive into the scenic village of Chilham the large house, which has been the home of Tessa and Stuart Wheeler since 2002, puts its stamp on the main square while just around the corner is the entrance to the Chilham Park Equestrian Centre, offering livery and training facilities on the Castle’s cross country course
The Park’s premier annual event is the Chilham Castle International Horse Trials in August but in 2013 a second event was added to be run earlier in the year. This year the classes which run on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd May are run at BE80, BE90, BE100 and Novice level and there are a few well names among the riders such as Francis Whittington and Gemma Tattersall
The course is very attractive, well laid out and with impressive fences; they certainly seem challenging enough at the lower levels too. Some lovely wood sculptures adorn certain fences and the going feels very good underfoot, having been aerated recently
This fox is keeping an eye on the Foxwood McLean Water Complex (below)
This is a beautiful property and we’re looking forward to bringing you more from Chilham Castle over the next two days with a full report on Monday
If you fancy a break from the event, the village tea rooms are just a minute away - very tempting!
