Townend and Wilson fly flag for White Rose

Two Yorkshire riders are among this leading line-up – Huddersfield's Oliver Townend and Nicola Wilson, from Northallerton, who was runner-up at Bramham last year.

Townend, who is only recently back in action after a crashing fall from Ashdale Cruise Master on the cross-country course at Lexington, Kentucky, will be giving this horse an outing at Bramham but in the CIC three-star event, in which he will also ride Imperial Master. Ashdale Cruise Master was placed fifth at Bramham last year with his former rider, Emily Gilruth.

Wilson will be riding Rosemary Search's Bee Diplomatic in the CCI three-star and Ballyengland Rebel in the CIC three-star.

William Fox-Pitt, who will be aiming for his sixth Bramham title, has two rides in the CCI three-star, Neuf des Coeurs and Parklane Hawk, both of which had top five placings at Chatsworth recently.

Piggy French, who earned selection for the European Championships last year with Some Day Soon after a third placing at Bramham and then went on to win individual silver, has two horses in the CCI three-star, Jakata and Lemington Lets Dance.

Pippa Funnell, a winner here in 1992 and 2002, has Redesigned and Blue Horizon in the CCI three-star and she will also be competing in some of the show-jumping classes.

Kitty King (nee Boggis) rides Boondooggle and Olympic team bronze medallist Sharon Hunt will ride Kenny. Tina Cook has had to withdraw her horse, Carraig Dubh.

There will be plenty of competition from Australian and New Zealand riders, who are having a brilliant season.

Bramham champion Andrew Nicholson is bringing two horses who will be making their debut at this level, Parkmore Repechage and Shady Grey.

Paul Tapner won Bramham in 2000 and he had his biggest win to date at the beginning of May, taking the Badminton title with Inonothing. He has one horse in the CCI three-star and two in the CIC three-star event.

The legendary Mark Todd also has three rides and is always worth watching.

The Bishop Burton Under-25 Championship has 32 riders and competition will be fierce. Emily Llewellyn will be defending her title with Junior II and Young Rider European champion Laura Collett will ride the experienced Ginger May Killinghurst.

Other names to watch out for include Gemma Tattersall, Angus Smales, Lauren Shannon, Georgie Spence and York rider Jolyse Clancey.

The show-jumping classes have also attracted some top names. There will be eight classes over the weekend, culminating in the Wetherby Skip Services Grand Prix on Sunday which has a first prize of 1,000. Yorkshire's Whitaker family are well represented with Robert, Steven, Joe, George and Louise competing. On Sunday, event riders and show-jumpers team up for the speedy Mix and Match competition, which features a course of show-jumps and cross-country fences.

Other events include the Dodson and Horrell Hunter Show tomorrow which includes Horse of the Year Show qualifiers; Pony Club mounted games on Saturday and Sunday plus a Burghley Young Event Horse qualifier.