 Top tips for a successful first FEI event, courtesy of our Rider Working Groups.
Before event: Top Tips for a CCI-L
On Arrival:
Cross country:
Showjumping:
Good luck ☺  A fabulous weekend of competition was had at the Bicton Arena Horse Trials (1) this weekend (22-24 April) set in the stunning grade one listed parkland at Bicton Park, Devon, owned by Lord and Lady Clinton.
Selina Milnes and Iron IV took the honours in the Rathbones Advanced Intermediate following an influential showjumping phase, finishing on a score of 37.6, “We could really see that the Bicton team had put in a lot of effort with the ground and the fences were dressed well. Bentley (Iron IV) was full of it, he ate up the cross country course and was really open and forward. It was a great final prep run before Badminton next week,” said Selina about the 13-year-old gelding owned by Mr William Rucker. It was a successful weekend for the Bristol based event rider who also came second in the Symonds & Sampson Open Intermediate Section G on Cooley Snapchat followed by another second in the NAF BE100 Section N on six-year-old Cooley Capri. Former British and European U21 Champion Phoebe Locke had a double of wins at the weekend firstly with MGH Oat Cake owned by Thomas Vicary, a 28.5 double clear put them in the top spot of the PKF Novice Section B. “I’m so happy with this horse, he really showed the class I know he has, it’s only our third event together and it was fantastic to have his owners there to watch him,” said the Royal Wootton Bassett based young event rider. Her second win of the weekend was with her own 19-year-old Pica D’Or winning the Symonds & Sampson Open Intermediate, leading from the start with a dressage score of 27.3. Phoebe commented, “Pic really is the most incredible horse ever, he is out of this world and still keeping me on my toes all day, I’m so proud of him.” Event Director and Bicton Arena Manager Andrew Fell, added “What a weekend of competition we have had at Bicton, the team did an amazing job and worked so hard to make sure the ground was perfect - we put a quarter of a million litres of water down on Thursday. We were pleased to see our hard work had paid off as we watched some fantastic cross country rounds including the likes of Olympics gold medalists Laura Collett and Tom McEwen on their Badminton hopefuls, London 52 and Toledo De Kerser. We look forward to seeing you all again at our next British Eventing competition 30 - 31st July.” Lucy McCarthy (nee Wiegersma) will be lending fresh eyes to Pontispool this season having taken over as course designer, with the first event, sponsored by Wychanger.com, taking place on Friday, May 27 until Sunday May 29.
The former international event rider, who is the only British rider to have won all three national eventing titles – junior in 1995, young rider in 1998 and senior in 2006 – has ridden many times at Pontispool, and says her knowledge as a competitor will influence how she designs the courses. She said: “I’m very excited and pleased to have been asked to design the courses at Pontispool this year, although stepping into Eric Winter’s shoes will be a very tough act to follow.” She added: “It’s a place I know very well as a rider and I feel it has a great to deal to offer for the education and development of horses and riders. From my riding experience at Pontispool, I know how it feels, and instinctively, which parts are difficult to ride and which parts ride well.” Lucy’s focus will be on developing tracks that are encouraging for greener horses and riders, educational for more established combinations and above all fun to ride. She said: “We will make full use of Pontispool’s wonderful parkland setting, and there will be purpose and flow and my aim is to make it a positive experience, educational and enjoyable for the horses and the riders so that, hopefully, the majority come back with a smile on their faces. At the same time, the basic elements of crossing the country will be there. Every level will have a ditch, and they will all go through at least one water complex. Also, where fences might be a bit challenging, we’ll provide easier alternatives as we very much want competitors to think Pontispool is okay for the first timer, with the education of both the horse and rider mind.” Pontispool’s owner, Richard Mitford-Slade said: “Huge thanks to Eric Winter who was instrumental in putting Pontispool on the map, designing brilliant courses over the past two decades, and making them challenging when required, depending on our slot in the BE calendar. We’re delighted to welcome Lucy on board. Her vast experience will be a valuable addition to Pontispool, as we take the venue in a slightly new direction, to cater for the changing demands of those who event. It’s an exciting time!”  The winner of this year's Badminton Horse Trials, presented by Mars Equestrian, will take home a magnificent new trophy, created by the award-winning animal sculptor Judy Boyt and using materials from the Duke of Beaufort's Badminton estate.
The winner of this year's Badminton Horse Trials, presented by Mars Equestrian, will take home a magnificent new trophy, created by the award-winning animal sculptor Judy Boyt and using materials from the Duke of Beaufort's Badminton estate. Judy, who has the distinction of sculpting both present-day Badminton trophies, three decades apart (she created the three-discipline Mitsubishi Motors trophy for 1992), has had a long wait to unveil this new work. She was commissioned in September 2019 and had been racing to finish it, working one-handed as the result of a bout of shingles, when the pandemic hit. "It's been a huge honour and I'm very lucky, I know I am," she said, "but it has been hard keeping it a secret for two years and I am so pleased that everyone can see it now. "We very much wanted to keep a link to the previous trophy, so you will see that it is again three horses, performing the three eventing disciplines [of dressage, cross-country and show jumping], but with up-to-date tack and equipment. For instance, the dressage and show jumping horses are wearing ear muffs and I have re-created the modern stirrups and boots. I've had to do a lot of research!" In keeping with the Horse Trials' sustainability aims, the silver used for the trophy includes pieces from Badminton House, which were added to the mix, and the plinth, which allows plenty of space for future winners, was made by Marc Stevenson of Stevenson Brothers Rocking Horses, using timber from an old oak tree in the Badminton park. Another important touch, which preserves the link with the past and evokes the history of Badminton, is that all the winners' names — from John Sheddon in 1949 to Piggy French (now March) 70 years later in 2019 — are archived in a secret drawer within the plinth. ‘We didn't want the past winners to be forgotten," explained Judy. "It was very important to preserve the link with the past and with Badminton Estate." The trophy was brought to Badminton for the draw, which took place today. Around 80 combinations are expected to start, with Britain’s Harry Meade riding either Tenareze or Cavalier Crystal first into the dressage arena on Thursday, May 5. British Eventing is delighted to announce that the Event Horse Owners Association (EHOA) have aligned with British Eventing by becoming an official strategic partner.
Helen West, Chief Executive for British Eventing said of the partnership “Our relationship with the EHOA has always been a strong one and coming together in the way that we now are will strengthen this even further. The EHOA already play a pivotal role in the sport and with them now aligning formally with us we will be able to work to shared objectives in a much more impactful way. During a recent conversation with the EHOA we mentioned that we would very much like to focus on delivering some Continuing Personal Development (CPD) training for our Coaches and Officials. The EHOA also recognised the value that this would have for the sport as a whole and generously offered the financial support necessary to deliver the two training programmes. We will be meeting with the EHOA regularly to discuss the developments and needs of the sport and we look forward to working alongside them as a key stakeholder group”. The EHOA is an association for owners of event horses and was created to encourage and increase the enjoyment of their participation in the sport. It is an association that is run by owners for owners. Whether it is multiple horses that are owned or just a minority share in a single horse the EHOA is there to welcome you with membership starting at just £42 per annum. The support that the EHOA are giving British Eventing for Coaches and Officials CPD training will allow for a programme to be created over couple of months with a planned delivery during the autumn. More information in respect of the training programme will be shared with the EHOA, our coaches and officials once it is available. Maria Haig, Head of Communications for British Eventing said “We are extremely grateful to the EHOA and are unable to thank them enough for agreeing to work alongside us in the way that they are. As owners they are already critical to the ongoing success of the sport and to have them align with us to assist us meet our objectives absolutely sets the standard for other sports to follow.” Linda Allen, Chair of the EHOA said “It goes without saying owners are extremely passionate about the sport and we are looking forward to working alongside Helen and her team to assist wherever we can. We are pleased to have been able to help with developing the coaching and officials’ network and we look forward to seeing the training roll out later in the year. This is very much the beginning of our support and we are already in discussions of where we can assist further.” The EHOA welcomes enquiries form individuals who would like to join or would like to learn about the Association’s activities. Membership and contact details can be found here. Three British Eventing Venues in Northumberland have teamed up to launch an exciting Accumulator Prize Fund for 2022 worth up to £22,000. Generously sponsored by A.W. Jenkinson Forest Products, the Northumberland CCI2* Challenge will run across Belsay International Horse Trials (2nd-5thJune 2022), Alnwick Ford International Horse Trials (24th-26th June 2022) and Hambro Sport Horses Burgham International Horse Trials (29th-31st July 2022).
The Northumberland CCI2* Challenge offers horse and rider combinations entering the CCI2*-S at all three venues the opportunity to win cash bonuses as follows:
Event Organisers Laura de Wesselow (Belsay) and Craig Anderson (Alnwick Ford and Burgham) put together the prize fund deal alongside Richard Jenkinson of A.W. Jenkinson with the help of creative insurance broker McClarrons Sport Ltd. “A.W. Jenkinson Forest Products are absolutely delighted to sponsor the Northumberland CCI2* Challenge,” commented Richard Jenkinson. “We are looking forward to seeing some fabulous horse and rider combinations competing at all three events. It is really going to be an exciting series to follow.” “Eventing is an expensive sport and with diesel prices as high as they are currently, we wanted to create something that would really encourage competitors to make the journey north to our fabulous venues in Northumberland. We approached A.W. Jenkinson to come in as the sponsor as they are already involved at both Belsay and Burgham, where they generously provide bedding for our residential stabling.” said Belsay’s Laura de Wesselow. Craig Anderson commented: “We think that the Northumberland CCI2* Challenge will be a great spur for owners as well as both professional and amateur riders. It is a great series for both professionals up and coming young horses and more established CCI2* campaigners ridden by amateurs.” McClarrons Sport Ltd’s Nathan Gregson said: “We are thrilled to have worked with Belsay, Alnwick Ford and Burgham to create this special prize fund, which gives owners and competitors a tangible bonus to target and an achievable prize money boost. We hope that the Northumberland CC12* Challenge will be a trailblazer and that we can work with other organisers to create similar deals.” British Eventing’s Chief Executive Helen West said: “We are hugely grateful to A.W. Jenkinson for their support of this great initiative. It is just the sort of collaboration we need to encourage as it benefits so many stakeholders in the sport.” Entries for Belsay International Horse Trials, which also features the British National Pony Championships and the CCI2*-L for Juniors as well as a new Intermediate Masters national class open on Tuesday 26th April 2022. The event coincides with the double bank holiday Jubilee Weekend and take place against the beautiful backdrop of Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens. Entries for Alnwick Ford International open on 16th May 2022 and the event also features a CCI3*-S as well as national classes. Burgham International Horse Trials which also features a CCI3*-S and a CCI4*-S has entries opening on 20th June 2022. Nunney International Horse Trials, which take place on June 17, 18 and 19, has announced Adrian Ditcham is returning as course designer.
He will replace Helen West whose commitments as CEO of British Eventing mean she is unable to continue with course designing. Adrian designed at Nunney’s inaugural event held at Southfield House in 2012 and remained in situ until 2017. He said: “Nunney is a fantastic venue, both from the competitors point of view, and for spectators. It’s always had such a good following and is a very popular event with a lovely feel. For spectators you can see so much of the course too, which is quite unusual.” This year, Nunney will be hosting one of three Intermediate Masters classes, a new competition to the BE calendar with other classes being held at Rockingham International and Belsay International. The course will be built, as usual, by the Willis Brothers and classes include a CCI-S3* and a CCI-2*. Entries open on May 9, with the ballot date May 24. Organiser Bridget Parker said: “We’re very pleased to have Adrian back on the team as it is always useful to have fresh eyes on a course. He designed for us at Nunney from 2012 to 2017 and so is very familiar with the track. With Helen stepping down due to her BE commitments it was a great opportunity to invite Adrian back as we’ve had such a good association with him over the years.” Riders taking part in this year’s Novice and Intermediate Masters will be competing for some fantastic prizes, including a coveted ticket for our Big Prize Draw.
Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors each of our overall winners will be taking home a whole array of prizes, including:
BETTALIFE will provide 1kg of PharmaPRO Total Equine Support for the winners of best dressage, highest climber, highest placed veteran, and the combination closest to the optimum time on the cross country. Our placed riders will also have plenty to take home, with all of the top 10 receiving rosettes and prizes. Plus, every competitor that takes part will receive a stable plaque and a passport cover from HorseQuest. For a full list of prizes see the Masters page on our website. The Big Prize DrawIn addition to the prizes that they take home on the day, our top six riders in each Masters competition will earn themselves a ticket for our Big Prize Draw! The draw will take place at the end of all legs, with the overall winner receiving:
You will earn one ticket for each top six placing you achieve in a Masters competition. There is no limit to the number of tickets that you are entitled to hold – the more tickets you win, the better your chance of receiving the top prize! Once the legs get underway, keep an eye on the Masters pages on the website to follow who currently holds tickets and how many they have. How do I get involved? Novice Masters - The 2022 Series kicks off at Floors Castle International Horse Trials from 13-15 May. For more information on the Novice Masters qualification criteria, venues and dates click here. Intermediate Masters - New for 2022, this pilot gets underway at Rockingham International Horse Trials from 20-22 May. For more information on the Intermediate Masters qualification criteria, venues and dates click here. The Masters are supported by the British Eventing partnership with funding from sponsors and partners including Baileys Horse Feeds, Bates Saddles, Bettalife, the EHOA and HorseQuest providing the prize money and prizes for the Novice Masters and Intermediate Masters Series, with further generous support from Jump 4 Joy in respect of the prize draw. WESTON PARK
Weston Park is one of the premier early season events at the most wonderful of venues. In order to provide the greatest opportunity for riders to manage their season programme BE have agreed to Weston Park adding an Intermediate class on Sunday 10th April. This additional class is intended for new entries, enabling riders and owners to maximise their opportunity to run at Intermediate level and enjoy the beautiful challenge that is Weston Park. ASTON LE WALLS Following an expression of interest offered to Event Organisers to run across the dates that were being released by Cirencester Park we are delighted to inform members that the fixture has now been offered and accepted by Aston Le Walls. Aston Le Walls in Northants will now be running the same classes of BE90, BE100 and Novice across the dates of 27 – 28 April. British Eventing would like to extend their thanks to Nigel Taylor of Aston le Walls for offering to take the event at short notice and to let members know that the schedule, entries and stabling will be available online shortly for those wishing to enter. EPWORTH - NEW SEPTEMBER
EPWORTH HORSE TRIALS will run on 3rd & 4th September in aid of BREAST CANCER RESEARCH. Following a successful application through the fixtures protocol a move from week 1 to week 27 has been granted by BE. Organisers Cheryl & John Gibbons are delighted to be able to offer the very best of their facilities in the second half of the season with Epworth’s new date this will be a great asset to the Northern Region as this date will give the BE calendar the replacements for Richmond 2 & Frickley 2. Being on well drained sandy soil the XC course will be in perfect condition even if the summer turns out to be a nice one and with SJ taking place on a surface the horses welfare is paramount. CIRENCESTER PARK - NEW SPRING DATE Following the Organisers of Withington difficult decision to not run in 2022, British Eventing are delighted to announce that Cirencester Park will now be running on Withington’s date with Withington’s classes. Cirencester Park will now run across 30 April – 1 May and will mirror the classes which had been scheduled at Withington. For clarity the classes that will be run are Novice, Intermediate, Advanced 2*S and 2*S Reserved for Ponies. Earlier in the week Cirencester Park were due to run BE90, BE90 Open, BE100, BE100 Open, Novice and Open Novices classes between the 26 – 27 April. These dates were the result of them running as a replacement fixture for Whitfield and it has been agreed that this fixture will be moved to an alternative venue within a nearby location. British Eventing will be circulating an expression of interest to event organisers with a view to seeking an alternative venue. TWESELDOWN - NEW JUNE DATE The team at Tweseldown will run an additional fixture over the weekend of 18-19 June this season, providing BE80, BE90 and BE100 classes for members in the South East. Following the unfortunate loss of the popular BE Fixture at Rackham due to run over this weekend (18-19 June), an Expression of Interest was sought for a replacement. There was interest from a number of new venues, which is great news for the future, but to get up and running for the 2022 season proved to be just too challenging. Therefore, the expressions of interest will roll over into next year and a permanent replacement will be chosen from 2023 onwards. To fill the gap for 2022, the team at Tweseldown have kindly offered to step in to run classes at BE80, BE90 and BE100 level to serve our membership in the South East region. |
RSS Feed
JOIN THE EVENTING RIDERS COMMUNITY TODAY: |
SUPPORTING BRANDS:
Images courtesy of Equuis Photography/Jason Bax, Eventing Images/Tim Wilkinson & Tilly Berendt
Website by EquiConsulting
|
