The minutes from British Eventing's Annual General Meeting held on Sunday 24th November 2019 are now online.

The minutes from BE's 2019 Annual General Meeting (AGM) are available to view online HERE. Thank you to everyone who attended the meeting. 

Following the announcement of the International and Championships Classes in April 2019, BE commissioned an independent review of the Strategic Fixtures Calendar 2020-2025 (SFC 2020), which allocated UK based international events and BE Championships classes for 2020 onwards.​

Process Overview
The first step saw organisers applying to hosting international fixtures for the period 2020-2025.  If there were multiple organisers applying for the same week, a scoring system was applied to each application.  A stakeholder panel then considered the results of the scoring for each week and made a recommendation where each fixture should be allocated.  Where there was an appeal by an organiser, this was heard by an appeals panel, which comprised different individuals to the original stakeholder panel, and after which the results of the tendering process were announced.
What followed
When the original outcomes were announced in April there was concern from many organisers and members that the outcome of the re-application process was not fully aligned with expectations in that the allocation was not well balanced. Those organisers who were not successful in re-application for their current international fixtures were understandably disappointed. As a result of the feedback received, the Chair of BE commissioned an independent review of the process undertaken by a group of individuals who could represent the stakeholders, referred to as the Review Group. BE committed to communicate the results to you, and that is the purpose of this letter. 
The Review
The Reviewing Group (“RG”) was asked to consider the following points:

1. Did the process adequately enable all the objectives to be achieved? (improve standards, geographical balance, viability)
2. Was geographical consideration sufficiently taken into account when assessing supply and demand balancing?  What differences are there between the different levels (e.g. 1 or 2 star against 3 or 4 star)
3. Does the scoring system deliver the right balance between commercial and sports considerations?
4. Does the process provide adequate protection from subjectivity in scores being applied?
5. Is there adequate check and balance on the overall outcome?
6. Is the make upon the stakeholder panel and appeal panel sufficiently balanced and neutral?
7. How could we improve communication between Regional Co-ordinators (RCs), organisers, BE and members?

The RG came back to BE with a number of findings and recommendations which have now been discussed with BE Board. These are outlined below and further development and /or implementation is underway.  Updates will be provided as we make progress on development and implementation of the findings.
Key recommendations:

• A review of the geographical distribution of CCI2 and 3* events be undertaken such that any necessary adjustments can be implemented from 2023 (the year after the break clause in the initial six year contract), or earlier if it is necessary to add events.   Geography must be actively taken into account.  With Little Downham International now only running one level of international class as a pilot, it may be viable for other locations to do the same which could provide further opportunity. 
• It should be desirable, not mandatory, to hold more than one level of international class together. 
• A suitable location should be able to run international classes on more than one date, subject to being able to meet the relevant criteria. 
• Liaison with neighbouring international federations should form part of the future process to minimise conflicts with nearby overseas events.
• A rolling three year contract with organisers should be considered to provide organisers with security of tenure, once the initial three year term has proven satisfactory.
• A list of those national events which could possibly host an international class should be maintained.
• A model for each level of event with key requirements based on a slimmed down version of the Belton replacement fixture process needs to be developed.
• International locations need to be individually and, as far as is possible, independently assessed, as should national locations aspiring to host international classes in the future.
• A combination of comprehensive and accurate reports by TA’s TD’s, Stewards and RC’s, along with rider/ owner feedback should be encouraged.  Riders and owners at all events should be encouraged to give feedback directly or indirectly via BE to organisers either through a hard copy questionnaire or an online version.  Anonymous feedback should not be permitted.   A culture of constructive feedback should be encouraged to develop.
• The RC’s are an essential component of the process, and need to be appropriately resourced, with sufficient individuals with the knowledge of the organisers and locations, and the overall requirements of the calendar.  Retaining and developing experts is critical, as is effective management.
• BE needs to be clear where responsibility for setting, monitoring and raising event standards lie.  
• Communication with all stakeholders needs improvement, so that all necessary parties are fully engaged and informed.

Key findings:

• The RG felt it was not appropriate to remove any classes from the calendar. Reversing decisions would also cause more unnecessary upset as well as likely requiring the whole process across the entire calendar to be restarted.  
• Geographic spread had not been appropriately considered. With ever rising costs it is critical that as far as is possible the geographic distribution of events should not disadvantage owners or riders.
• The RG felt it was too early to say whether or not the standard of events will improve, although the tender documents clearly set out the required standards. There was concern raised over uncontested weeks, where a location was awarded a fixture on the basis that there was no challenge from others.  The RG stressed that standards for these fixtures needed to be maintained also.
• The RG found that the criteria for assessing and judging viability was accurate and correct.  However, it noted that provided that the event does not expect to be bailed out by BE in the case of low entries, if the organiser decides knowingly to run at a loss that must be the organiser’s prerogative. 
• The position that a location needs to host more than one international class should be reviewed, and it was suggested that it should be desirable to hold more than one level, but not essential.
• The RG suggested that Championships should require higher standards. Currently the standards produced for International events are a “minimum standard”, and there was a recommendation that enhanced standards should be produced for venues wishing to host prestigious BE Championships.
• The Scoring system was found not to be sufficiently effective, and its continued use in its current form was not recommended.
• The RG found that the process would always be partly subjective, on the basis that even if the same team make the judgements for all locations, there will inevitably be subjectivity.  The RG recommended that all locations wanting to hold international classes should be inspected, however, noted that the scheduling of these inspections was important so as to not overload the BE team. The RG felt a rolling programme of inspections was required, such that in the three year period leading to a break clause in the contracts all locations are visited.  This would also provide the opportunity to ensure that any commitments made in the bidding process have been met. 
• The RG found that the very fact the stakeholder panel was comprised of stakeholders meant it could not be neutral.  It also felt the original panel was too large, and that the panel used for determining the Belton replacement fixture was more appropriate.  It was noted that the time requirement for the panel to assess every international date would be significant, and that perhaps this would be unviable in its current form below CCI4*.
• The RG found that, by the very fact a review had been necessary, there had been inadequate check and balance on the overall outcome.  They raised the suggestion that the Fixtures process may require more active oversight, which would help ensure that the desired outcome is correct and possible to deliver.
• Communication was considered to be the overarching factor causing difficulties. Whilst the process distanced RCs, there should have been more in depth consultations between the RCs and their organisers, as well as greater assistance in preparing their submissions in the correct way and to an appropriate standard.  It was felt that greater expectation management could have been carried out – including recommendations about a level for which a given organiser could reasonably have expected to have been successful.   Rather than strengthen the relationship between an organiser and RC, the process has created a divide.   The RG have recommended that RCs should be actively involved with their organisers, and managing organiser expectations should be a key part of their role.   The RG found that some organisers did not properly understand the standards required to deliver an international event, and have recommended that a video of locations that well demonstrate the standards to which organisers should aspire should be produced.  
• The RG supported the suggestion for the CCI3*-S to be relocated from Little Downham to Bicton (week 35), and noted the proposal was supported by the Fixtures Team, the World Class programme, and both organisers.
• There appears to be some geographical gaps in the calendar at the lower levels, which the RG hoped the national calendar would address.
• The RG supported the recommendation of the introduction of ‘pilot’ CCI1* classes at different locations to assess popularity and viability, which aligned with membership feedback that this would be a good addition to the calendar.
• The RG recommend that it reconvene next year to review progress.

New venue awarded 2020 international fixture
British Eventing is delighted to announce that Thoresby Park in Nottinghamshire has been awarded the week five international fixture from 2020, following the loss of Belton International.
The final part of the fixtures process saw four selected venues present to a Stakeholder Panel yesterday (Wednesday 26 June) and the organising team of BEDE Events allocated the fixture.
The Stakeholder Panel was made up of the following:
 

• Malcolm Wharton – Independent Chairman
• Paul Tapner – representing ERA
• Jan Cottam – representing BEOA
• Mark Corbett – representing EHOA
• Sarah Bullen – representing Senior Performance Team

Jude Matthews, CEO, commented; “There were four incredibly good presentations on Wednesday from four very different venues, and the Stakeholder Panel had a very hard decision to make.
“The key focus has been to ensure the sport selected the best possible venue to deliver such an important early season International.  All of the final four applicants could have delivered this, but we are delighted to award this fixture to Thoresby Park and the BEDE team.
 
“It was a very difficult decision and we fully appreciate that Bicton, Weston Park and Frickley Park will be disappointed.  As a sport we, and our members, are incredibly lucky to have such fabulous venues that host affiliated competition and I’d like to thank all the organisers who applied for this fixture.”
 
Helen Eshelby, Outdoor Events Manager at Thoresby Park, commented; “Thoresby Park are thrilled to have been chosen as the new home for the spring two, three and  four star event. We look forward to welcoming the international riders in April 2020 and working with Stuart, Anna and the BEDE Events team on the horse trials for many years to come.”
 
Stuart Buntine, Director of BEDE, commented; “We are thrilled to have ‘Belton’ back and look forward to taking it to further heights at Thoresby. We thank British Eventing for their confidence in the BEDE team and are well into planning mode for this great new venue.”
 
About the process
Following the announcement in April that the National Trust at Belton Park would no longer be hosting a horse trial, all organisers were invited to express their interest in hosting the replacement fixture. Seven venues applied for the fixture and from those, four venues were selected for a site visit by a Venue Assessment Panel, made up of Yogi Breisner, Paul Graham and Bruce Haskell.  The four organisers were then invited to present to the Stakeholder Panel, who made the final decision.
 
Some of the key considerations which led to Thoresby Park being awarded the fixture were:

• An iconic and historic new venue
• A fixture that will be delivered by BEDE - the same team that successfully delivered Belton for many years
• Similar location to Belton; -Thoresby Park is five miles south of Worksop
• The park is a greenfield site which will enable the BEDE team to create a purpose built venue layout to suit the specific requirements of the sport
• The ground at Thoresby is free draining sandy soil, which is ideal for running a fixture at this time in the calendar.

About the Stakeholder Panel
Malcolm Wharton – Independent Chairman
Malcolm has spent 39 years in the Land Based and Sports Education industry, and 22 years as principal at Hartpury College.  He was instrumental in the development of the equestrian academy and facilities at Hartpury, including the introduction of the successful International event that runs annually in August. Malcolm has been a Director of the RFU since 2013.
 
Paul Tapner 
Paul represents the Event Riders Association. An Australian International Event Rider, Paul has been based in the UK since 1999 and competed at every level of the sport all across Great Britain and Europe. He won Badminton Horse Trials in 2010 on Inonothing and went on to represent Australia at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, USA.
 
Jan Cottam 
Jan is the Chairman of the British Event Organisers Association, Organiser of Goring Heath Horse Trials in Oxfordshire, a BE Steward, FEI Steward and FEI Ground Jury Level 2.
 
Mark Corbett 
Mark is on the Board of the Event Horse Owners Association. Along with competing up to 3* level, Mark is a BE Accredited Coach and Under 18 Coach for the South East and currently sits on the BE Sport Committee. 
 
Sarah Bullen 
Senior Eventing Selector, former 5* competitor and coach, Sarah represents the Senior Performance Team.
 
Update on the Strategic Fixtures Process Review
The review of the Strategic Fixtures Process is ongoing and the next meeting of the Review panel is 1st July.  More information will be released about the Review, and any outcomes in due course.

The following is the response from the British Eventing Board of Directors to specific concerns that were raised in relation to the Strategic Fixtures Calendar 2020 and British Eventing (BE) communications.
 
This process, and the invitation to attend the board meeting, was seen as a very positive initiative by the BE board to address publicly raised issues by key sections of the BE membership that feel they are currently being overlooked. The session allowed a frank and open discussion and was an opportunity for the BE board to hear the views presented to ERA of GB, by BE members.
 
The intention of the meeting was to seek an indication from the BE board as to what their overall future policy may look like in reaction to member dissatisfaction, as well as highlighting obvious deficiencies at all levels in the BE sanctioned FEI calendar beyond 2019. 
 
The response from the BE board as outlined below shows an acceptance that change is required and that BE is taking the views of the wider membership very seriously. Recent online engagement activity and open availability of BE board members at regional events also shows that a much-needed cultural change to “listen to members” is being undertaken. 
 
While more detail is required as to how the issues surrounding the Strategic Fixtures Calendar 2020 and BE communications will be resolved, we must accept that open acknowledgment of the problem by BE is a huge step in the right direction.
 
It is very clear from all involved in BE that there is a willingness to change across many areas and as members we must continue to be involved in the process.
 
Bruce Haskell
Chairman of the Eventing Riders Association of Great Britain.

​British Eventing Board of Directors response:
Strategic Fixtures Calendar 2020
 

• The calendar is not fixed but will remain under review and we anticipate changes being made due to supply and demand adjustments/ conflicts/ organiser lead changes
• BE Chair has asked for a review on both the process and the outcome. BE will adopt recommendations. More news on this will follow.
• Social media is not the forum that BE encourage as this leads to accusations that BE changes are a result on social media campaigns- this is not the case

 
British Eventing Website
 

• We will start to publish more updates on fixes and timings
• Work continues daily to fix bugs and make improvements

 
Communications
 

• There will be more, shorter and more frequent
• There will be more transparency
• We will listen

 

After a valued partnership of 15 years with Bede Events, we can confirm that the International Horse Trials will no longer be hosted at Belton House.    
The growth in scale of the event is unfortunately now at odds with the conservation management of the Grade 1 listed parkland we care for; preventing risks to the historic earthworks and buried archaeology through compaction and erosion, to the parkland wildlife, and to veteran trees and their root systems.
 
“We recognise the significance of the Horse Trials and their place in Belton’s recent history, and have therefore not come to this decision lightly” said Ian Cooper, General Manager for the National Trust Belton House. “The core purpose of the National Trust is to protect this historic place for future generations, and we must honour that commitment.”
 
Additional Frequently Asked Questions can be found at 
20190429 Internal FAQs Horse Trials - FINAL.pdf

Statement from The Eventing Riders Association of Great Britain (ERA of GB)

For many years’ riders have been requesting a review of the UK based FEI calendar to better suit the needs of the members. We have identified 3 main groups of British Eventing (BE) FEI competitors and have had the balance of each present or future group in mind when approached by BE to participate in decision making.

Those 3 groups are: 

1. Aspirational FEI eventers who want to compete at lower level FEI events as “something special” to aim for but not entering the qualification matrix.  

2. Lower level FEI competitors. Those including pony riders, under 18, under 21 young riders and non-categorised seniors who wish to use the FEI MER matrix to progress 

3. Senior riders with an FEI category.

ERA of GB was approached in 2018 by BE to provide an experienced candidate to participate in the selection of future FEI events in GB based on a set of criteria. ERA of GB was not given access to those specific criteria or asked to participate in the creation of the criteria, however we 100% backed the intention and direction that BE was taking to create a more balanced calendar. The ERA of GB representative chosen is an extremely well rounded and experienced individual who actively competes at multiple levels in BE and FEI competitions. 

We understand that there has been a tremendous amount of work undertaken by BE staff and numerous volunteers to create the final list. We also understand that change creates un-rest and un-certainty for all stakeholders but back BE that some changes are necessary.

This is the first time the FEI International Fixtures review process has taken place in this method and we acknowledge that not everything in either method, process or outcome will be perfect. It is however, extremely positive to see new venues events listed throughout Great Britain on the BE FEI fixtures list and specifically events in the North given FEI status.

Following the release of the British Eventing 2020-2025 International calendar ERA of GB feels there are many favourable changes but would actively encourage the BE board to review the outcome specifically in relation to our riders in group 1 & 2.

As the FEI (and BE) MER matrix forces competitors to enter a qualification network to progress up the FEI grades and allows senior BE FEI riders to bypass lower levels it creates an uneven balance whereby riders will either be forced to travel to FEI events further than they used to or simply not enter.

Groups 1 & 2 BE riders need events that are locally accessible to them. To all riders and owners extra days off work, additional travel, accommodation, finding home care or stable cover, extra on site stabling as well as entries and start fees all add up to extra cost and may influence the decision to enter a UK based FEI event. Group 3 riders may simple not enter an event at distance due to cost to themselves or owners or number of horses they can physically compete. 

Compressing two different levels of FEI stared events at one location i.e. 2&3*short will increase the number of competitors which is great for the organisers, but it will split dressage over 2 days and most likely put SJ and XC on different days. The knock on for all owners and riders could easily be 3 days extra stabling, 3 days leave from work, 3 days stable or home cover plus diesel, food and accommodation. 

ERA of GB appreciates the process of review undertaken by British Eventing but as highlighted by direct contact from effected BE members, there are significant gaps in the South West and South East of England as well obvious FEI calendar clashes which fail to meet the needs of these members.

Therefore, ERA of GB would ask the BE board to reconsider some of the decisions that have been made and view that the re-instatement of Nunney onto the calendar indicates they have an open mind to the views of owners and riding members.
​
Bruce Haskell
Chairman of the Eventing Riders Association of Great Britain.

British Eventing announces International and BE Championship calendar for 2020-2025

As a result of the Strategic Fixtures Calendar Review, British Eventing (BE) is pleased to announce the 2020-2025 fixtures list for International and BE Championship classes.

Why did we undertake the review?

The overriding objective was to provide a balanced fixtures calendar, giving the greatest opportunities for members to compete and reflecting the changing needs of the sport. In addition, key considerations included sustainability, financial viability and geographical spread.

What did we do?

A robust process was carried out during 2018/2019 to which all organisers were invited to participate, the key stages were:

· Invited tenders and received 60 applications
· Scored and evaluated the applications
· A stakeholder panel allocated the fixtures
· Conducted an appeal process

Please find full details of the process can be found on the British Eventing website
In order to respect the organisers and the sensitivity of the information provided, BE have kept the details of this process confidential.

Fiona O’Hara, Chair of the British Eventing Board commented; “I would like to thank all the organisers and their teams for taking the time to apply to host international and BE Championships fixtures. We were delighted to have received so many high-quality submissions.
“As a result of a final review, we identified a geographical gap in the South West, and have therefore taken the decision to rectify this for the benefit of our members by an adding one additional fixture in this region.

“The fixtures calendar will remain under constant review in order to ensure that we continue to maximise the opportunities for our members to compete.

“We are really excited by the calendar and the introduction of new international and championships venues. This gives our members the unique opportunity to compete at a choice of familiar and much-loved venues along with some exciting new additions.”
​
The setting of the National Fixtures is an integral part of the Strategic Planning Process; with the International and Championship classes now set, work now continues on the National fixtures which will be announced later in the year.