National Trust axes Belton Horse Trials

The National Trust said it was forced to act due to the threat of "irreparable damage" at Belton House

A major equestrian event will no longer be held at a stately home due to the risk of "irreparable damage" to parkland, the National Trust has said.

Belton Horse Trials, held at Belton House near Grantham in Lincolnshire, is a key fixture on the sporting calendar.

But the "size and scale" of the event was "now at odds" with conservation at the site, the National Trust said.

Organiser of the trials, Bede Events said it was "devastated and shocked" by the news.

Ian Cooper, general manager at Belton House, said: "Unfortunately, it has come to a point where we can't carry on."

He said horse hooves and large vehicles had caused significant soil compaction across parts of the Grade I listed parkland, impacting wildlife and historic trees.

Mr Cooper said while he recognised the significance of the event, which was first staged in the late 1970s, he had "to do what's right for Belton".

"Our overriding priority is protecting what we have," he said.

The event has been held in the grounds of Belton House for nearly 40 years

Stuart Buntine, events director for Bede Events, said the news came as a complete shock.

"It's a mammoth spectator event and attracts thousands of people to Lincolnshire every year," he said.

"It is also critical for the sport.

"What Queen's is to Wimbledon, Belton is to Badminton."

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Next year would have been the 40th anniversary of the trials at Belton.

"We were getting quite excited and making plans for a big event," Mr Buntine said.

He said finding a new venue, hopefully in the region, was a priority.

The final event at Belton, held in March, attracted a top field, including Pippa Funnell, Laura Collett and Piggy French.