The prestigious Red Dragon horse riding event has been given the green light at Builth Wells despite Covid-19 restrictions.

Organisers have announced the traditional end-of-season ride will go ahead from October 3-4 at the Royal Welsh Showground, with strict changes in format to comply with Covid-19 regulations

Sponsors British Horse Feeds and The Golden Paste Company have announced their continued support and Endurance GB and the organising team have stressed their gratitude.

The festival ois traditionally the last big event of the endurance riding season, with competitors travelling from across the UK to the Royal Welsh Showground for the unique atmosphere and challenging riding through the Cambrian mountains.

To enable the 2020 event to go ahead, classes for this year’s 'Lite' version have been revised to ensure that groups of people do not meet.

The classes will run over two days instead of the usual three, with distances of 25km, 36km, 42km and 48km and various combinations of these for riders wishing to take part over two days. The 22 classes will include graded endurance rides and pleasure rides but no competitive endurance rides this year.

John Hudson, ride organiser, said: “We do not yet know what Covid 19 measures will be in place in Wales in October and still need to stress that the event can only go ahead if the virus continues to remain under control and also if all riders, crews, officials and volunteers adhere to the guidelines that will be issued to all as part of the joining instructions for the event.”