Centuries-old estate hosts amateur horse race

An amateur horse race that takes place at the childhood home of King Henry V will see a 17-year-old student compete against a 65-year-old rider, along with 28 others, this Saturday.

The Courtfield Cup takes place at the Courtfield Estate in Goodrich, in the heart of the Wye Valley in Herefordshire.

At almost five miles (8km) long, it is not for the faint-hearted and features hedges, gates, walls and ditches as well as the famous "Courtfield Leap", a bold hedge with a ditch behind.

"I nearly won it last year... it didn't quite go to plan. I fell off at the second last," said William Fox-Grant, 65.

He is back for another attempt at the £1,500 prize after his narrow miss last year.

"When I fell off, I pulled the bridle off and the horse galloped off," he told me.

"I will be putting some Velcro on my jodhpurs and I need to win it soon because I haven't got long left!"

When they ride, the 30 competitors will be going around a property with royal ties and which is centuries old.

Associated with the Vaughan family since 1563, the estate was the childhood home of Henry V, who lived there from 1387 to 1394, according to local historians.

At 17, student Mea Williams is the youngest competitor and said it was a great opportunity for her and her horse for this race.

"It's wonderful to be able to go around something like this without a jockey licence," she said.

"It is the closest thing you would probably get to doing your racing under rules."

There's an added twist for Williams, after the horse she was meant to ride on Saturday suffered a minor injury last week, meaning she will now be tackling the course on a horse she has never ridden before.

"You have to have such a partnership with them," she said.

"I mean they really do put all their trust in you to get them around the course safely...a lot of these jumps they do, they can't see the other side...so they do have to listen to their rider."

The estate continues to belong to the Vaughan family, who have lived there for more than 500 years.

They raise cattle and sheep and produce organic meat, with their own butchery on site.

The estate and farm business is run by Barry Nias, who has to move all the animals off the course the day before the race.

"The sheep and lambs will be literally behind the start and finish line, just behind three strands of electric fence," he said.

"The cattle will be underneath Symonds Yat, grazing out of the way because they will like to run alongside the horses."

Nias added it was a great chance to show off the estate, with their 400 sheep and 180 pedigree Herefords.

"It is a proper old historic estate, from the open pastures, to the parkland fields with very few intermittent fences," he said.

Situated at a vantage point at the top of the village, a stone's throw from the magical ruins of the 11th Century Goodrich Castle, Nias added that it was an amazing pace to live and work.

"People say that you'll break your neck climbing up to the estate, but it will break your heart to leave it," he remarked.

The Courtfield Cup starts at 12:00 GMT on Saturday with entry free for spectators.

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