Austin O’Connor with COLORADO BLUE at the Eventing Spring Carnival, Thoresby Park
World class eventing returns to Nottinghamshire’s Thoresby Park this Easter weekend, as the Eventing Spring Carnival marks the first eventing international of the 2026 season on British soil.
A key fixture in the British eventing calendar and one that consistently produced one of the very best 4* HPRs (High Performance Rating) over the last five years, makes for an exciting weekend of competition.
With the entry list reading like that who’s who of eventing, who are the stand out “ones to watch”?
Ros Canter has a substantial roll call of accolades and paired with Lordships Graffalo is simply sensational. Making their return to international competition, following a short maternity leave, they firmly rank as the ones to beat in the Lycetts Grantham Cup. With a 34% win chance from the EquiRatings team, and a 54% chance of a podium – the key question remains will they be targeting a competitive run or are they simply setting themselves up for Badminton?
Emily King and Valmy Biats are two-time winners at Thoresby, and they started the season with a strong showing at Oasby, winning the OI with a 22.7 dressage. They’ve excelled across the Thoresby parkland for the past three years, giving them a badge of Thoresby specialists. Can they take the Cup for a record breaking third time?
When it comes to the Lycetts Grantham Cup it might be the British riders who have dominated, but for 2026 there’s some notable international challengers. New Zealand’s Clarke Johnstone and Rocket Man finished eighth at Thoresby last season, and since then have only finished outside of the top ten of a CCI4*-S on one occasion – that was their early season run at Kronenberg two weeks ago. They’re incredibly consistent in the jumping phases and excel in the dressage, making them a key combination to watch.
When it comes to the Rathbones CCI3*-S, world number one Harry Meade tops the list of one to watch, and with five of his most well-known stable stars entered you’ll be hard pressed to miss him. With Grafennacht, Et Hop Du Matz and Cavalier Crystal all double-entered at Badminton and Kentucky CCI5*, Thoresby will be a key preparation milestone for these standout five-star performers.
Friday’s Arena Saddles CCI2*-S is awash with up-and-coming stars such as world number one Young Rider Elizabeth Barratt, and world number one Junior Ella Howard. In addition to Olympic medallists Tina Cook and Japan’s Yoshiaki Oiwa, with their younger stable stars.
Advanced tickets are still available to buy online, with the Easter Sunday Bundle – two adult tickets, a car pass, and two Easter Egg Hunt tickets, for £35, offering a bargain price for a fun day out for all the family. Children under 14 go free on all days.
For those unable to attend in person, Horse & Country TV will be showing all of the cross-country action live via H&C+. Plus Eventing Manager is back for another season, offering a new and exciting way to engage with the sport via manager.equiratings.com
Further information can be found via www.thoresby-horse.co.uk
Irish Entries at Thoresby Park International Eventing Spring Carnival
