THE unsurprising cancellation of the 2020 Tattersalls International Horse Trials was announced in late March but worse news was to come in August.

A press release was issued by the bloodstock sales company which stated: “It is with great regret that Tattersalls have announced that they are to withdraw from hosting and sponsoring the Tattersalls International Horse Trials. First established by the late George Mernagh in 2006, the annual event had become a popular feature in the international horse trials calendar.”

As the only international in the top half of the country, Tatts definitely needs to be replaced. The fact that two one-day events are due to be held at Castle Irvine, or Necarne Castle as better-known, next year gives some hope that international action will return there in the near future.

At time of writing, there was an unconfirmed date of Sunday, August 22nd for a one-day event at Tattersalls in 2021 but there was no news as yet re the staging of the popular two-day Tattersalls July Show.

If agricultural shows and the like were to be cancelled again next year, wouldn’t Tatts be an ideal venue for a week of in-hand and ridden show horse championships. Those who had three-year-old to exhibit in 2020 have suffered badly because of Covid-19 restrictions so let’s hope that showing gets back on-stream next year.