A rider has died in an accident at a horse trial event, British Eventing said tonight.
The Somerford Park horse trials, held in Congleton, Cheshire, were abandoned after the incident.
Mike Etherington-Smith, chief executive of British Eventing, the sport's governing body, said: "We would ask that at this extremely sad time that people using social media respect the fact that the rider's family may not be aware of the accident today."
No further information on the identity of the rider is to be released from British Eventing today.
In a statement, Somerford Park said: "A rider suffered a fatal injury at Somerford Park International Horse Trials today (Sunday 18th August 2013). No further information will be released until the next of kin have been informed."
According to Somerford Park's website, Olympic riders from several countries were due to attend the trials at the River Dane valley site. The event had started on Friday and was due to finish today.
A spokeswoman from North West Ambulance Service confirmed they had been called to Somerford Park at 2.20pm.