Press Releases

Morpeth’s Emma Carmichael won the Womble Bond Dickinson CCI* on the final day of Belsay Horse Trials (15-17 May) with a young horse she thinks “has the potential to go all the way”.

Six-year-old Cooley Climate, owned by Judith and Steve Humble, added just 0.4 of a showjumping time-fault to his dressage score of 33.3 to top the class.

“He’s a lovely, big, very talented horse, who came to me when he was a four-year-old and was very leggy and very green,” said Emma. “But he’s turned into a quality, top-class horse and I think he’s got the potential to go all the way. It’s just a case of strength and maturing, but he really wants to do the job, and he can gallop for days.”

Emma also finished sixth in this class on Piavona, owned by Belsay’s organiser Laura de Wesselow.

Tom McEwen, Olympic team gold and individual silver medallist for Britain, took the NIS Ltd CCI2*-S on Brookfield In The Spotlight, owned by Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry. The pair completed on their leading dressage score of 27 in this competitive class.

Tom said: “‘George’ is new to me this year, and he’s absolutely awesome. He’s flown round everything I’ve asked of him so far and found it very easy. He jumped really well round a technical showjumping track, and it’s the first time with me that he’s gone cross-country on undulating ground, so it was nice to see him tackle that well and learn a bit more about him.

“I’ve really enjoyed Belsay – there’s a lovely atmosphere throughout the whole event, and it’s the perfect place for young horses to learn about big events and mature. It’s a fantastic event to have in the calendar to replace Chatsworth.

A highly successful Belsay Horse Trials 2026 concluded with victories in national classes for Eloise Briggs (Touch Too Much) and Katie Magee (Penelope SH) in the BE105 sections sponsored by Baileys, Zurie Dempster (Carraiganard Obie) in the Equine Products UK Ltd under-18 Open Novice, Lacee Rolls (Woodfield Buddy) in the Project Pony Pony Trial and Scotland’s Wills Oakden (Cooley One More Time) in the Novice.

Belsay Horse Trials is a true festival of equestrian sport and the very best of Northumberland, and large crowds of visitors enjoyed themselves in the May sunshine.

Laura de Wesselow summed up the event, saying: “There are no words, really. When you have three CCI5* winners as the top three in your CCI4* [Laura Collett, Caroline Harris and Ros Canter], it’s just sensational. The horses and riders which came to Belsay this year were top, top-notch, and the fact that they have all been so complimentary about our venue, the event we provided for them, the site layout, the atmosphere, the cross-country courses and the ground conditions is wonderful.

“A huge number of people come together to make the event happen, but I have a very small team in the build-up – my indispensable site-manager Craig Anderson and a lovely girl called Tara Peggram who works in the office, and I can’t thank them enough. I also have to express my gratitude to our incredible sponsors, our volunteers and officials, all of whom have worked so hard. It’s been a brilliant event, and I am so grateful that so many people have been here to enjoy it with us.”

All of the cross-country from Belsay can be watched on Horse & Country TV’s live-streaming platform, H&C+.

For more information about Belsay Horse Trials, visit www.belsayhorsetrials.co.uk.

ENDS

The attached picture of Emma Carmichael and Cooley Climate is free to use editorially, but please credit Athalens.

For PR enquiries, please contact Catherine Austen: cfausten123@gmail.com or 07711362832. For all other enquiries related to Belsay Horse Trials, please contact Laura de Wesselow: laura@belsayestate.com or 07889 437237.