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We've an exceptionally busy equestrian weekend ahead in the Scottish Borders with The Scottish Endurance Riding Club's annual Championships taking place at Yetholm. It's a real coup for the Borders to host this prestigious event which incorporates the 'Home International and Celtic Challenge.' Meanwhile at Kelso's Springwood park , also on Saturday it's The Scottish Horse Show while in Peebles Haylodge Park you can enjoy Peebles Agricultural Show.
The Haugh at Yetholm will be transformed from a calm grazing area into a hive of activity over the week leading up to 12 and 13 August. For the second year running it will be the venue for the Scottish Endurance Riding Club's annual Championships - but this year with an extra dimension. Every four years Scotland plays host to the four-nation Home International, and 2006 is our turn once again.
Teams of up to 14 strong will be arriving from England, Ireland and Wales for the event, which also includes the three-nation Celtic Challenge. The Scottish team is drawn from all over the country, and the accompanying support squad is legendary for its camaraderie and acreage of blue-and-white flags.
Horses and riders will start arriving midweek, and the event kicks off with a colourful parade through the town at 2pm on Friday 11 August: the teams dress in national colours and are judged on the smartness of their turnout, the winners being announced at the awards ceremony on the Sunday evening.
The real challenge for the teams and all other competitors lies in tackling a true Championship route in the Lower Cheviots - the scenery is quite spectacular and the going wonderful, offering a mixture of farmland, grass and farm tracks, moorland, woodland and very little roadwork. The distances range from the 16km Pleasure class to the very demanding 160kms (100 miles) over two days, and the routes take in Bowmont Forest, Pennymuir, Swindon, Caverton Hillhead and many points in between.
For full details and to find out more about endurance riding go to www.scottishendurance.com
 The annual Scottish Horse Show attracts over 1100 entries from about 400 exhibitors all over the UK. Around 20 of the country's top judges including HOYS M&M Mrs. M. Taylor from Yorkshire and HOYS Hacks Miss Sarah Payne from Ludlow will be on duty to determine whom the winners our of around 110 classes will be. The Scottish Horse Show offers the most Horse of the Year Show qualifiers at one show. For more information go to www.scottishhorseshow.com
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