A selection day for four-, five- and six-year-old event horses, as well as a limited number of older horses, is planned for Ireland in late July.

Selection days in Belgium, Germany and Holland are scheduled for June, while British event horse owners will have several selection days to choose from over the summer.

Brightwells already stage elite auctions of dressage and show jumping horses at Addington, England and Richard Botterill said the auctioneers saw an opportunity for an elite event horse sale.

“We’ve seen elite event horse sales work at Boekelo and the Go for Gold sale in Ireland,” he told The Irish Field. “We have been quietly talking to a number of Irish agents in recent months about a selection day there.”

“Many of the overseas three day events such as Pau and Boekelo have event horse sales and with the UK being the home of eventing, we should have one too,” added Blenheim event director Mandy Hervieu.

Horses accepted for the auction will have to pass stringent veterinary and x-ray assessments, which will be available for prospective purchasers to view while at Blenheim.

A catalogue and video footage of the auction horses will also be available three weeks prior to the auction.

Competitors and owners will also be able to view and try the auction horses on the days leading up to the auction, which will be held on Friday, September 12th.