Olympic medal-winning equestrians were among those that took to the saddle to welcome back a popular Suffolk eventing weekend.

The Poplar Horse Trials has been absent for two years due to Covid and saw a successful return at the weekend at Poplar Park, near Hollesley.

Multiple medal-winning Olympians took part in the event, including team gold-medallist Oliver Townend, who claimed first, third and fourth in his event.

Event organiser, James Hardwick, said: "We haven't had any complaints, we've had nothing but good reports from riders who've been round the course, who have said how good it was and that the ground was fantastic.

%image(15106904, type="article-full", alt="The event was hailed as a "success" by organiser James Hardwick.")

%image(15106905, type="article-full", alt="Multiple medal-winning Olympians took part in the event.")

"This year we had some very good entries, including five or six of the top event riders in the country.

"What is so nice about the sport is that you get top international riders competing against people who have one horse that they look after lovingly themselves.

"There aren't many sports that still do that."

Mr Hardwick also paid tribute to around 200 unpaid volunteers who helped run the weekend. "It's down to them that the event was such a success," he added.

%image(15106906, type="article-full", alt="Oliver Townend, Piggy March and Ros Canter were amongst the big names in attendance during the weekend.")

%image(15106907, type="article-full", alt="Poplar Park is near to Hollesley.")