The Tourmaline Rose, Pippa Funnell's regular partner in the Ford Ranger Eventing Grand Prix at the Longines Royal International Horse Show, will not be among the starters this year.

The mare, on whom Pippa has won the event three times, is in foal to the stallion Mayhill. Instead, Pippa - making her last appearance before Athens - will be riding the stallion, Viceroy II, owned by Hickstead Show Secretary Lizzie Bunn and her mother, Sue.

Olympic eventing team member Sarah Cutteridge is among the starters, together with previous winners Gary Parsonage and Andrew Nicholson as well as Blyth Tait, Bumble Thomas,Tina Cook and husband and wife Lucinda and Clayton Fredericks.

Michael Whitaker, who last year became the first showjumper to take the title since it began in 1998, will be absent, but his nephew, Robert, will be providing the family's interest - and riding Sir Dino, the horse Michael rode to victory in 2003. Other showjumpers determined to make a battle of it include Guy Williams, Jenny Cassan, Nicky Boulter, New Zealander Grant Cashmore and Belgian Bruno Goyens de Heusch.

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