William Fox-Pitt will be aiming for a record-breaking sixth Bramham title.

His team-mates Sharon Hunt and Daisy Dick should also be in the running but missing from the action will be Yorkshire's Oliver Townend.

Following his win at Badminton, he is leading the British contingent who are competing at Luhmulen in Germany, a four-star event which runs at the same time as Bramham.

Three classes are being run at Bramham this year. The main CCI three-star features some of the world's leading up-and-coming horses while the Bishop Burton College Under-25 Championship is a showcase of the best young talent in the country.

A new addition this year is a CIC three-star competition which is being run at Bramham due to the cancellation of Chatsworth last month because of bad weather.

Last year's winner, Fox-Pitt, has a ride in each of the two senior competitions – his CCI three-star contender is Cool Mountain, the 2007 British Novice champion and a horse whom he rates highly.

His new ride, Sonate V, will be his partner in the CIC three-star.

Sharon Hunt also has a ride in each class and her Olympic horse Tankers Town will be one of the best each-way bets in the CIC three-star as they are keen to impress the selectors in their bid for a place at the European Championships in France.

Ultimate Opposition will be her ride in the CCI three-star and will be making his debut at this level.

Berkshire rider Daisy Dick rides Springbok IV, who is in good form so far this season and will be one to watch.

Pippa Funnell, who has won Bramham twice, is always a crowd favourite and in Ensign and Blue Horizon has two good horses for the CCI three-star class.

Last year's third-placed combination of Matthew Wright and the talented youngster L'Aristo Du Lado return to try for an even better position.

Piggy French, a previous Under-25 champion at Bramham, has two horses in the CCI three-star. She rides Lemington Lets Dance, a winner twice so far this year and Some Day Soon, who has never been out of the top nine this year.

Bramham regular Andrew Nicholson, a winner in 2007, will be one of the busiest riders over the four days of competition with four rides – two in each section. In the CCI three-star, the New Zealander brings two nine-year-old horses, Nereo and a new ride, The Light Fandango. His two CIC three-star horses are Epic and Oplitas.

Two horses to watch in the CCI three-star are the stallions Chilli Morning, ridden by Nick Gauntlett and Jigilo II, partnered by Lucy Weigersma. They will also take part in the Revolution Stallion Parade on Friday.

Yorkshire's Nicola Wilson and Penny Lawn have the advantage of competing on home ground. Nicola has two rides, Pricewise, in the CIC three-star and in the CCI three-star Master Banks. Penny rides her regular partner Southway.

There is also a local connection in the CIC three-star with Dunauger, who went into the lead last year after the dressage section ridden by Tracy Garside from Spofforth. He is now ridden by Harry Meade from Wiltshire.

Mark Todd returned to competitive riding last year after an eight-year gap. He is now based in this country ahead of the London 2012 Olympics and will be competing on his Olympic ride, NZB Gandalf, in the CIC along with ODT Mouse. Another Olympic combination taking part will be Ireland's Louise Lyons and Watership Down.

In the Bishop Burton College Under-25 Championships leading contenders are Young Rider European champions Emily Llewellyn and Pardon Me II along with her team-mates Ben Hobday (Uptons Who) and Georgie Spence (Skylight and Song for Gull). Other names to watch include Gemma Tattersall, Olivia Haddow and Angus Smales.

The BSJA classes have also attracted some top names for the eight classes on Saturday and Sunday culminating in the £1,000 first prize Wetherby Skips Grand Prix.

Yorkshire's "home team", the Whitakers, will be out in force with Ellen, Louise, William, Steven, Joe, George and Thomas competing. One of Sunday's highlights will be the Mix and Match where event riders are partnered with a leading show-jumper for a fast and furious competition.

In a packed programme, Bramham will also host a number of classes from the showing world tomorrow, including Horse of the Year Show qualifiers for light, middle and heavyweight and working Hunters while Pony Club Mounted Games will feature on both Saturday and Sunday plus Pony Club team jumping on Saturday.