Interview With Captain Mark Phillips, Course Designer of The Agria Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials 2025

We had the privilege of grabbing a few minutes to talk with Captain Mark Phillips, the course designer for The Agria Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials (BPIHT) this year. Born on September 22, 1948, in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England, Captain Mark Phillips is a renowned equestrian, course designer, and former British Army officer whose life has been defined by his exceptional horsemanship. Best known for his Olympic success and influential role in equestrian sport—not to mention his marriage to royalty—Phillips has left an indelible mark on the equestrian world.

This year’s Blenheim course will be his last however. “I’m retiring from designing,” he told us. “Though I’ll stick around to offer my services as an advisor to anyone else who is designing a course.”

He’ll certainly have a wealth of experience to pass on. His expertise in designing cross-country courses has been sought worldwide, with his creations celebrated for their technical difficulty, creativity, and emphasis on safety. His work has shaped events like the Kentucky Three-Day Event and the Burghley Horse Trials, earning him acclaim for his contributions to the sport’s evolution.

Philosophy

He explained his design philosophy to us: “I focus on six key elements: I make sure there’s a beginning, middle and an end to the course, that it flows well, and that no matter what the level of difficulty it always offers options for the less experienced combos.”

“Then I think about creating some slower sections—not at the expense of the course’s flow, but designed to make the time factor more significant.”

“I also like to create questions so that the riders really have to ride, not just ‘point and kick’.”

“And lastly I always try to make my courses as kind as possible to the horses, while keeping them challenging for the riders.”

Safety

This immense regard for horse welfare and safety is something that over his career has defined his approach to course building. How does he make sure of safety when designing?”

“I look at it from the horse’s perspective and the riders. For the horse I am focussed on fence profiles, their siting, and the materials used to construct them. Then decoration is a key way to help the horse understand the question [that the fence is posing them], and lastly I use contrast to make sure the horse can see what is being asked of it.”

“As far as the rider is concerned I try to get them to respect the fences so that they go out there thinking they must ride well and it’s not just a walk in the park, even if they are on a five star horse.”

Despite the announcement of his retirement from course design, Captain Mark Phillips remains a towering figure in equestrian sport, celebrated for his competitive achievements, innovative course designs, and lasting contributions to the equestrian community. His lifelong dedication to horses and the sport of eventing continues to inspire generations of riders and horse enthusiasts worldwide.

Blenheim 2025: The Key Fences

Captain Phillips agreed to share an exclusive insight into the course he has designed, by highlighting what he considers to be the key fences the best riders will need to focus on to be successful at this year’s BPIHT. These are the fences that will need to be negotiated well for a rider to have a realistic chance of winning. “Note that there is a let up fence between each of them”, he points out.