EVENT riders switch their attentions to Pontispool Equine Sports Centre near Taunton on Sunday and Monday when many of the sports elite will be in action.

The event follows close on the heels of both the World Equestrian Games and Land Rover Burghley.

William Fox-Pitt, team silver and individual bronze medalist at WEG in Normandy and fourth at Burghley, has five rides and fellow team members Zara Phillips and Harry Meade both ride two horses each.

Australian Sam Griffiths, who finished 17th at WEG with Paulank Brockagh and third at Burghley, rides three horses and fellow countryman Bill Levett, sixth at Burghley, will also be on board three.

New Zealand’s Jonelle Price, fifth in Normandy, has one ride, Look Now, in the open intermediate while her husband Tim, rides two.

Aoife Clark and Jonty Evans, who ride for Ireland and China’s Alex Hua Tin, are also at Pontispool among many other of the sport’s elite riders.

Organiser Richard Mitford-Slade said: “We have always attracted some of the world’s very best riders but I think this weekend we have more than ever.

“Running the trials on the Sunday and Monday allows international riders come to Pontispool on the Monday without interfering with their international programme as Blenheim also runs this weekend.

“We invested in an all-weather water and bank complex last winter to enable our business to continue to run if a lengthy period of wet weather prevailed and it has really paid off.

“This autumn we are making further improvements in the arena, including a ditch and Trakehner compex which will be finished by Christmas.”

Entry to the event, which takes place on Sunday, September 14 and Monday, September 15, is £10 per car (£5 single occupant) with gates opening for spectators at 9am.

A donation will be made to charity.