Dozens of equine students from the Level 3 Extended Diploma Horse Management (Business) course got stuck in to organise and run their own event this week.

The show, which took place in Hartpury’s International Arena, included classes in combined training and showjumping. There was also a sweets stall onsite and a raffle with a range of prizes from horsey treats to vouchers for Nando’s and a personal photo shoot with Up Close Photography. 

The students were tasked to organise an event as part of their module on managing equine events and covered all aspects of running the show, from course building to marketing.

Zoë Nicholls, who is studying Level 3 Extended Diploma Horse Management (Business), said: "Running the show has given us a great insight into everything that goes on backstage, we’ve really had to work as a team and have learned a lot which I’m sure will help in any future event planning.”

Competitors and spectators were treated to a thrilling finale as the final class was the ‘Six Bar Challenge’, a unique class where the fences increase in height each round. The class was fiercely contested but the eventual winner was equine diploma student Isabel Benbow riding her pony Bryn – the smallest horse in the competition!