Things start to happen in May, the summer season is starting to sway. For the first weekend after the bank holiday head to Badminton, Gloucestershire for the pinnacle of three day eventing (just don’t forget to cast your vote first if you go on the Thursday) . Fingers crossed that cross country day on Saturday is not a wash out. Sate your green fingered designs with a day at the Chelsea Flower Show and follow it up with an ennervating literary fix at the Hay Festival.

DATES FOR THE DIARY

1 May

World Pheasant Association Charity Clay Shoot Acorn Shooting Grounds, Compton Manor estate, Kings Somborne, Hampshire. The cost is £600 for a team of four. To book, email khowman@ashgame.com.

6-10 May

Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials Badminton, Gloucestershire, call 01454 218375 or visit www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

8-10 May

The Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair New fair in the grounds of Petworth House, West Sussex. For details, go to www.petworthparkfair.com.

9-10 May

The Whitfield Annual Clay Shoot In aid of the CA, GWCT and local charities. Whitfield, Northumberland; entry £340 for a team of four. Call Stuart Maugham on 07501 460017 or visit www.whitfieldclays.co.uk.

12-29 May

Rodger McPhail Exhibition Rountree Tryon Gallery, 7 Bury Street, London SW1, tel 020 7839 8083; www.rountreetryon.com.

13-17 May

Royal Windsor Horse Show, Berkshire Free admission on first day and for children on 14th and 15th. Call 0844 581 4960 or visit www.rwhs.co.uk.

15-17 May

Chatsworth International Horse Trials Bakewell, Derbys; www.chatsworth.org.

15-18 May

Tweeds on the Somme Battlefield tour in aid of the Gamekeepers’ Welfare Trust. Details at www.thegamekeeperswelfaretrust.com.

19-23 May

RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Royal Hospital, London SW3. Go to www.rhs.org.uk.

21-31 May

Hay Festival, Hay-on-Wye. Go to www.hayfestival.com.

24-25 May

Highclere Country Fair, Highclere Castle, Newbury, Berkshire, tel 01889 563232; www.countrymanfairs.co.uk.

24-25 May

Yorkshire Game Fair, Hornby Castle, N Yorks. Go to www.yorkshiregamefair.co.uk.

27-28 May

Suffolk Show, Trinity Park, Ipswich, Suffolk, tel 01473 707110; www.suffolkshow.co.uk.

27-30 May

Royal Bath & West Show, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, visit www.bathandwest.com.

31 May

Best of British Polo in aid of Help for Heroes and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, Tidworth Polo Club, Wilts. For tickets, go to www.bestofbritishpolo.co.uk.