BE Fixture List 2023

[RachelFerd]

There is no money in eventing which seems odd really as there is huge money in dressage and show jumping. Large estates with long links to eventing/country pursuits did it for love but they can't do that anymore. They need to run their estates sustainably or end up losing them to the NT or to hotel chains or whatever like so many other former estates. So there need to be big name sponsors like there are for SJ who can promote and market it better. It has always seemed to be the poor relation of other equestrian disciplines. Don't really understand why as it is such an exciting sport noth to participate in and to watch.

Suspect that the large country estates are simply not the centres of unlimited wealth that they used to be. Cornbury being an exception, because the owner does have significant funds he wants to spend on eventing. On a selfish level this bothers me, as I love galloping around parkland. On an ethical point of view - probably for the best that we don't live in a feudal system any more - I don't really want a world where major land owners control vast parts of the UK's green space.

Eventing has always been the poor cousin of dressage and SJ - it costs more to put it on, putting on a top event like Badminton takes a full year of prep. Whereas the London International Horse Show has been set-up in a major exhibition centre in days, and will immediately be replaced by Ru-Paul's drag convention at the start of January.

 

[LEC]

There is no money in eventing which seems odd really as there is huge money in dressage and show jumping. Large estates with long links to eventing/country pursuits did it for love but they can't do that anymore. They need to run their estates sustainably or end up losing them to the NT or to hotel chains or whatever like so many other former estates. So there need to be big name sponsors like there are for SJ who can promote and market it better. It has always seemed to be the poor relation of other equestrian disciplines. Don't really understand why as it is such an exciting sport noth to participate in and to watch.

There isn’t really money in any horse sports. It’s a hobby game that is funded by rich people who make their money elsewhere. Dressage gets away with terrible entries on the whole because it just needs a 20x60 and a warm up arena. The equestrian centres put up with 3 or 4 in a class on certain days because the overheads are low. Sjing again just needs a 20x60 and warm up arena at the minimum and again low overheads. Eventing requires a minimum of a 30 -40 acres and a water jump let alone anything else slightly more interesting.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Big SJ shows have prize pots over £1000,000. And there are a lot more opportunities to win. Who funds those? Sure isn’t entry fees.

Badminton has a prize fund less than 400k. Strikes me as no comparison. Even the top Eventers teach for perfectly reasonable prices. I doubt the top SJers need to do that.

The big estates are already privately owned (whatever we think of that) - so the space is already there.
The costs are of constructing the course and maintaining the land which obviously is more than putting up a SJ round. But big London indoor venues must cost an absolute fortune to rent for any sport or event. Who funds that? Again not membership or entry fees.

They may get more for a wedding but an event could be just 1 or 2 weekends a year. I just don’t understand why they can’t find the big cash sponsors to make it worth the landowners while doing it.

I genuinely don’t understand how horse sport is financed. I’d love to understand more.

 

[teapot]

Big SJ shows have prize pots over £1000,000. And there are a lot more opportunities to win. Who funds those? Sure isn’t entry fees.

Badminton has a prize fund less than 400k. Strikes me as no comparison. Even the top Eventers teach for perfectly reasonable prices. I doubt the top SJers need to do that.

The big estates are already privately owned (whatever we think of that) - so the space is already there.
The costs are of constructing the course and maintaining the land which obviously is more than putting up a SJ round. But big London indoor venues must cost an absolute fortune to rent for any sport or event. Who funds that? Again not membership or entry fees.

They may get more for a wedding but an event could be just 1 or 2 weekends a year. I just don’t understand why they can’t find the big cash sponsors to make it worth the landowners while doing it.

I genuinely don’t understand how horse sport is financed. I’d love to understand more.

Sponsors of a whole other level and a lot of Middle Eastern funding is in show jumping these days

 

[Surbie]

It has always seemed to be the poor relation of other equestrian disciplines. Don't really understand why as it is such an exciting sport noth to participate in and to watch.

It really is. I don't ever entertain thoughts of competing, but I love watching and am looking forward to making the trek to Burnham Market in April. I'd like to get into supporting it by dressage writing or fence judging too.

 

[RachelFerd]

It really is. I don't ever entertain thoughts of competing, but I love watching and am looking forward to making the trek to Burnham Market in April. I'd like to get into supporting it by dressage writing or fence judging too.

I'm sure you'd be gratefully received as a volunteer ??

 

[LEC]

Sponsors of a whole other level and a lot of Middle Eastern funding is in show jumping these days

It’s also very useful for money laundering…. Best way to clean money now is through sjing.

Besides drugs and money laundering. Sjing also has very rich people funding it. Most of the teams for global champions has millionaire backers who fund the teams. It’s a bit like polo really… there is also the 2* which people spend a lot of money to jump 1.15m and 1.30m at global champions in the hope of winning some decent money.

 

[RachelFerd]

It’s also very useful for money laundering…. Best way to clean money now is through sjing.

Many ways to clean money in the world of racing too...

 

[LEC]

Many ways to clean money in the world of racing too...

True but easier in sjing - literally no regulation on spending and assets. Plus easier to conjure prices and value.

 

[RachelFerd]

True but easier in sjing - literally no regulation on spending and assets. Plus easier to conjure prices and value.

I've rehomed a couple of "oops my owner has just gone to jail" racehorses over the years...

 

[claracanter]

Wouldn't surprise me if there's no brigante cup next year as cholmondeley is running as a GoBE 3DE and Frickley won't be hosting it as they have an international. Although you'll be able I use the GoBE classes exactly as if they were unaff.

Also BE have said as part of their terms that none of the venues can run a UA event within two weeks of a BE at the same venue. Seems very unfair and will affect scheduling.This may affect Brigante and Cotswold cups. Doesn’t affect PC or RC though.

 

[RachelFerd]

Also BE have said as part of their terms that none of the venues can run a UA event within two weeks of a BE at the same venue. Seems very unfair and will affect scheduling.This may affect Brigante and Cotswold cups. Doesn’t affect PC or RC though.

It makes sense to me - see the entirety of my posts on other threads ?

 

[LEC]

Also I don’t really have an issue with it and I use Unaff probably more than BE. It just means the professional unaff units cannot run on the back of BE infrastructure so comfortably. It also allows RC/PC to carry on comfortably and supports grassroots.

 

[Bearsmum]

I've just had a letter to say Great Witchingham are not running affiliated events this year, after 32 years, but they are running their own unaffiliated programme , I think during covid some locations found they had well attended unaffiliated events and when BE resumed the number of entries didn't reapear

 

[AandK]

Have just seen Monmouth have also bowed out of BE to run their own unaff.

 

[Squeak]

Have just seen Monmouth have also bowed out of BE to run their own unaff.

I'd missed that, that's a shame. Trying to decide whether its worth affiliating or not this year with so many of the events running UA and the additional costs of BE.

I'm not planning on selling my horse but out of interest, do people think that a horse who has won BE's would be worth more/ more desirable than one who has won at the UA events such as the Cotswold Cup etc? Does BE still have the prestige of being BE basically?

 

[Ample Prosecco]

I'd missed that, that's a shame. Trying to decide whether its worth affiliating or not this year with so many of the events running UA and the additional costs of BE.

I'm not planning on selling my horse but out of interest, do people think that a horse who has won BE's would be worth more/ more desirable than one who has won at the UA events such as the Cotswold Cup etc? Does BE still have the prestige of being BE basically?

Some people want to see the full BE record for those cricket scores and E's. So maybe for some buyers, they want consistency so want to see all results not a selected few.

But if I were selling Lottie I'd post that she was DC over BE courses at Frickley, Kelsall, Eland etc. And I think that having so many Brigante cup points and placings would make her pretty valuable regardless of the fact we have not yet gone BE.

 

[Roxylola]

I think it depends on how successful the cotswold/brigante cups become. BE is sort of rubber stamping imo, it's standardised courses and you know what the format etc is going to be.







Personally if I can see a record of results and a horse that's out competing consistently that would matter more than aff or unaff but BE consistently would carry a little more weight

 

[ihatework]

I'd missed that, that's a shame. Trying to decide whether its worth affiliating or not this year with so many of the events running UA and the additional costs of BE.

I'm not planning on selling my horse but out of interest, do people think that a horse who has won BE's would be worth more/ more desirable than one who has won at the UA events such as the Cotswold Cup etc? Does BE still have the prestige of being BE basically?

I think the main thing that matters is traceability of the results at the low levels. 80/90/100 Cotswold cup stuff is comparable in standard to the smaller BE venues so I don’t think there would be a negative impact there in all honesty. TBH for the RC market it might be better (depending on what RC eligibility rules are these days for BE wins).

If you are looking to move on in BE then I wouldn’t totally rely on unaff as it’s good to try and get some bigger atmosphere exposure. But otherwise if I were doing just small stuff I’d make good use of the unaff and just payg for any BE that took my fancy.

 

[ihatework]

Okay everyone - let’s start getting a teeny bit excited.

My BE membership just renewed.

Where are people planning on running first?!

Think my boy is pencilled in for the Novice at Cirencester Park

 

[sportsmansB]

I'd missed that, that's a shame. Trying to decide whether its worth affiliating or not this year with so many of the events running UA and the additional costs of BE.

I'm not planning on selling my horse but out of interest, do people think that a horse who has won BE's would be worth more/ more desirable than one who has won at the UA events such as the Cotswold Cup etc? Does BE still have the prestige of being BE basically?

I think this depends on the horse- in some cases a BE record at a level is very valuable, it is traceable and the standard should be comparable across different countries, and the results and points carried across for qualification purposes at internationals. There is also a perception, again depending on the classes, that there are 'more to beat' at BE so good placings more valuable.

An average aged amateur horse to stay in country and not necessarily move up any levels I don't think it makes much difference as long as it is possible to see /verify the results.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

My only definite targets are Chatsworth Arena Eventing in May and the 3DE at Cholmondeley in August. Other than that I might do Kelsall in April, and both Eland and Stafford iun June.

 

[Roxylola]

Loosely planning to do some 90s with Charlie, ideally ones that run a second later in the year with the plan being for us to play round the 90s and his owners daughter to try some 80s at those venues later in the year. I'm not hugely fussed about affiliated or not. Eland I'm in 2 minds about, it's challenging terrain for him he's trained over most of there 90 fences now but one or two might trouble him - biggish blue thing, and the corner... On the other hand he's comfortably clear round the 80 there.
Kelsall probably, cholmondely, frickley maybe, Epworth, llany perhaps. Spoiled a bit as we've got good motorway access to a variety

 

[RachelFerd]

Okay everyone - let’s start getting a teeny bit excited.

My BE membership just renewed.

Where are people planning on running first?!

Think my boy is pencilled in for the Novice at Cirencester Park

6yo aiming for first event of the season as a 90 at Epworth, then a move up to 100 at Lincolnshire. Big aim is to get to the new 1* class at Warwick Hall in June. And maybe some of the other 1*s - Blair, Osberton.

Older horse is going to aim at Rockingham 2 star short in May. May have his first run at Lincolnshire Nov if I manage to crack on in the next for weeks, but may end up being Thoresby Nov instead.

 

[ihatework]

My only definite targets are Chatsworth Arena Eventing in May and the 3DE at Cholmondeley in August. Other than that I might do Kelsall in April, and both Eland and Stafford iun June.

I’ve already booked a long weekend at Chatsworth as my boy will hopefully be there for 2*

 

[TheMule]

My plans depend on what the weather does in March, but I’m half planning Portman 90 then Bovington 100. But a lot of work to be done before then if I’m serious about going 100 quite quickly so I might end up doing another 90 instead

 

[RachelFerd]

I’ve already booked a long weekend at Chatsworth as my boy will hopefully be there for 2*

I'm going to go to Chatsworth again this year, but will probably just run in the novice this time as a warm up for Rockingham. It's pretty local for me so an easy one to do there and back on the same day.