Former racehorses set to compete at RoR National Championships

The Jockey Club RoR National Championships, Great Britain’s largest equestrian competition dedicated solely to former racehorses, will take place at Aintree International Equestrian Centre from Tuesday, 19 August. Across six days, competitors will showcase their talents in dressage, arena eventing, showjumping, and showing — culminating in the prestigious crowning of The RoR Elite Performance Award for Dressage on Thursday 21 August and The Tattersalls RoR Ridden Showing Supreme Champion during Saturday’s evening finale.

This year’s Championships have attracted an impressive 341 former racehorses, with entries across all disciplines reaching record levels — including 517 entries in dressage alone. Among the notable competitors are celebrated names such as Desert Encounter, Scarlet Dragon, Al Boum Photo, Kimberlite Candy, Manobo, Robinsfirth, and Guitar Pete. These horses now compete alongside others with more modest racing backgrounds, many of whom have flourished in their second careers thanks to the support and opportunities offered by Retraining of Racehorses (RoR).

David Catlow, Managing Director of RoR, commented: “This event continues to grow year on year, drawing an outstanding number of former racehorses from across the country to Aintree. The Championships truly highlight the versatility and the many different second career options available to these horses post racing. We are grateful to all our sponsors, especially The Jockey Club for their generous headline support, Tattersalls for backing our entire showing series, and all the individual sponsors who make this event possible.”

Sulekha Varma, Clerk of the Course at Aintree Racecourse and North West Head of Racing for Jockey Club Racecourses, said: “We are delighted to host the RoR Championships at Aintree once again this summer, marking The Jockey Club’s fifth year as headline sponsor. It’s inspiring to see so many former racehorses competing at all levels, demonstrating the versatility and adaptability of the Thoroughbred. This event underlines the essential role Retraining of Racehorses plays in giving these horses fulfilling and successful second careers.”

Throughout the Championships, the Welfare Stewarding Team (WST) – now in formal partnership with RoR through the support of Agria – will be on hand in co-branded tabards to offer friendly, expert advice on all aspects of horse welfare and horsemanship. This knowledgeable team will recognise and reward exceptional care, share practical tips, and help RoR build a clearer picture of horse welfare across its events. Their role is purely supportive and educational, so competitors are encouraged to stop for a chat, ask questions, and make the most of their expertise to ensure both horse and rider enjoy the best possible experience.

All indoor arena classes at the International Equestrian Centre over the six days will be live streamed on Clipmyhorse.tv, enabling supporters unable to attend in person to experience the excitement of this unique event.

To see the full list of horses competing, follow the entry list.