So what has British Eventing done wrong?

[ihatework]

The way I see it is people who are affiliated are voting with their wallets and entering the events they know the standards are maintained.

It’s competitive between events to attract entries, and those that are sub standard are feeling the pinch.

This month my horse has run at Upton (country house, no permanent equine facilities) and Aston (equine centre). Both produced very good courses that the big names were happy to run their good horses on competitively. Neither struggled for entries.

 

[lannerch]

The way I see it is people who are affiliated are voting with their wallets and entering the events they know the standards are maintained.

It’s competitive between events to attract entries, and those that are sub standard are feeling the pinch.

This month my horse has run at Upton (country house, no permanent equine facilities) and Aston (equine centre). Both produced very good courses that the big names were happy to run their good horses on competitively. Neither struggled for entries.

Not sure that’s totally true eg Somerford 1 in the spring usually heavily over subscribed in previous years this year cancelled due to lack of entry’s . Always good ground well presented, and very well positioned by the motorway.

Another example skipton 1 , a great event ground always good , well prepared lovely course , had to cancel due to lack of entries has struggled skipton 2 but taking the risk and running although currently not quite enough entries to break even.

I think it’s the events with just lower level classes that are really struggling, for entries .

 

[ihatework]

Not sure that’s totally true eg Somerford 1 in the spring usually heavily over subscribed in previous years this year cancelled due to lack of entry’s . Always good ground well presented, and very well positioned by the motorway.

Another example skipton 1 , a great event ground always good , well prepared lovely course , had to cancel due to lack of entries has struggled skipton 2 but taking the risk and running although currently not quite enough entries to break even.

I think it’s the events with just lower level classes that are really struggling, for entries .

I agree that the events running low level stuff are suffering with the unaff competition. Somerford 1 was only running little classes. Plus it clashed with Rockingham which would have been preference for the bigger names.

But for the people that generally just run affiliated, and are jumping bigger tracks, I do think my comment applies.

 

[teapot]

I’m not sure now, given the event I was thinking of in my previous post has everything from 100 to 3*…

 

[ihatework]

7 days away from ballot is quite a long time teapot. Most entries will come in the final 48h

 

[teapot]

7 days away from ballot is quite a long time teapot. Most entries will come in the final 48h

That’s true, but will they appear in enough numbers? Event I’m thinking of was so overrun this time last year they were trying to sort an extra day before the ballot date passed!

Just an observation ?

 

[ycbm]

I don't think we can judge anything from BE entries right now, I'm seeing voluntary spending crashing all around me. Fewer cars on the road, fewer people in the cafes, spaces in liveries that had waiting lists, holidays that should be sold out advertising availability. It's an expensive sport and people haven't got the money after getting the electricity bill.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

There is yet another Fb post this morning saying ‘why can’t I enter I’ve been trying for a week’ and multiple replies saying me too/ I can’t either/ I tried for 3 days then gave up/ etc etc.’ The website is SO bad and the entry process for first timers is SO complicated that people who want to event literally can’t actually enter. It’s the most ludicrous own goal. The replies include people wanting a PC class and GOBE classes. What on earth is the point of expanding the offer to attract kids/first time eventers then putting a ruddy great brick wall in front of them thereby losing their entry and thoroughly pissing them off in the process.

 

[ihatework]

Yeah, I don’t think Wellington will be turning many people away. But they should get enough to run. Entries are definitely down so I think you will see some of the international entries going to Burgham or Cornbury in preference

 

[RachelFerd]

Yeah, I don’t think Wellington will be turning many people away. But they should get enough to run. Entries are definitely down so I think you will see some of the international entries going to Burgham or Cornbury in preference

I'm ready and waiting to use a super ballot to get into Cornbury....

 

[ihatework]

I'm ready and waiting to use a super ballot to get into Cornbury....

Us too.
We had pencilled in 2* at Wellington but going to now just put in a novice entry without a sticker and if we get a run great and if not, won’t loose any sleep.

That’s the hard reality for events at the moment

 

[RachelFerd]

Us too.
We had pencilled in 2* at Wellington but going to now just put in a novice entry without a sticker and if we get a run great and if not, won’t loose any sleep.

That’s the hard reality for events at the moment

I think there's almost now one mainstream professional pathway through the eventing calendar for Novice + - and by their nature, *most* of these are fairly centrally located (but with a few exceptions eg. Burnham Market and Burgham)

However, this isn't a healthy situation for the wider eventing competitor family, who would like to be able to run a whole season with events within a 2/2.5hr radius. And most of those main calendar events don't tend to go below 100 anyway, so aren't really catering for the grassroots audience most of the time.

 

[ihatework]

Yes it does seem to be splitting out that way.

 

[SteveGG]

At the moment in the South East I'm struggling to get a run at 90 either affiliated or unaffiliated. I don't want to travel more than 2hrs each way and with so many events no longer in the calendar this is difficult. Chilham BE & Rackham Unaff both cancelled Blindley Heath (taking over from Borde Hill) down to 1 day and organisers desperately wanting to run but need more entries. It does seem to be the lower level events struggling due to cost of living and now possibly the ground as well.
In my view BE is trying and I don't feel that the unaffiliated offer better value. Rackham didn't give a full refund via an admin fee.
AE the problems entering may need looking at but I've never had any problems. It took me less than 5 minutes to enter the other day. I do think it may be linked to getting horses registered. Horse registration is free, so worthwhile doing well in advance

 

[Tiddlypom]

Kelsall got a very good entry for their inaugural unaffiliated ODE over the two days.

The event inc the XC was held at and near the main equestrian buildings, whereas the BE event is site nearly a mile away across the fields. The tenants of the business units there were looking forward to the extra footfall and public awareness that they exist.

The XC looked to be as well built as ever, but being based on the XC schooling field it was a rather convoluted course on a more limited area than the BE course. Dressage was outside on a surface, SJ indoors.

5 sections @ 70cm
6 sections @ 80cm
5 sections @ 90cm
3 sections @ 100cm

A lot of bang for your buck for a £70 entrance fee and no faff about registering the horse and/or rider.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

And I can add that the XC was well built, undulating and challenging with a meaty downhill brush. Kelsall was my first event with Amber and the SJ was on grass up at the top near dresssage and XC and parking. It was fab.

Returning there with Katie and realising you had to trek down to the EC for the SJ was an unwelcome surprise.

The unaff was very well organised.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

SteveGG re entry: yes once both horse and rider are all set up in the system it’s fine. The whole point is the BE is struggling for entries and needs to attract new people. And indeed are trying to do that with PAYG and GOBE. New people are NOT already set up on the system.

The ‘just register well in advance’ solution is no solution at all to that. It reminds me of a comedy sketch about a 25 page application process starting with the words.. ‘simply….’

We live in an era when people can’t be bothered to click to carry on watching a video they are in the middle of. Last minute pleas for entries are utterly pointless when it takes 3 days to get set up. And many people just give up, never to try again.

Frankly I think they should scrap horse validation completely for grassroots. What’s the point of it?

 

[ycbm]

Frankly I think they should scrap horse validation completely for grassroots. What’s the point of it?

It started because of people who would buy a more advanced horse and send it out novice with a new name to beat people who should have rightly won the class. When I first evented you could register the horse in whatever name you liked. It was changed to passport name only to stop the pothunters.
.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

A strategy that has outlived its usefulness? They could just ban that practice without the validation bit. Passport name only. Spot checks.

 

[ycbm]

A strategy that has outlived its usefulness? They could just ban that practice without the validation bit. Passport name only. Spot checks.

Same as flu jabs, good idea.
.

 

[lannerch]

Although I must confess I do like being able to look up a horses details and breeding on the website .

 

[RachelFerd]

Kelsall got a very good entry for their inaugural unaffiliated ODE over the two days.

The event inc the XC was held at and near the main equestrian buildings, whereas the BE event is site nearly a mile away across the fields. The tenants of the business units there were looking forward to the extra footfall and public awareness that they exist.

The XC looked to be as well built as ever, but being based on the XC schooling field it was a rather convoluted course on a more limited area than the BE course. Dressage was outside on a surface, SJ indoors.

5 sections @ 70cm
6 sections @ 80cm
5 sections @ 90cm
3 sections @ 100cm

A lot of bang for your buck for a £70 entrance fee and no faff about registering the horse and/or rider.

I understand the layout for BE/FEI in the future is also intended to be this way around with the hub of the event by the arenas. They just hadn't managed to make the required course changes in time to be able to do it this spring - hence the insane trip across to the arenas for SJ.

What I saw of the course looked pretty 'portables in a field' in style, but I haven't seen full course pics. Courses were also on the short end with sub 4 minute optimum times...

 

[teapot]

Do we think the media has some role in supporting/promoting BE and wider successes etc too?

I only ask because it’s almost 24hrs on and H&H still haven’t published anything on the fact Team GB won Junior Team Eventing gold, and individual silver, and Young Rider Team Eventing gold, and individual bronze this weekend.

 

[LEC]

My newsfeed has been crammed non stop via Facebook with Euros for eventing.

 

[teapot]

My newsfeed has been crammed non stop via Facebook with Euros for eventing.

But absolutely nothing from the UK’s leading publication on equine sport ?

 

[LEC]

But absolutely nothing from the UK’s leading publication on equine sport ?

I have seen something but mainly about Tina cooks daughter….

 

[hock]

I remember a letter to Horse and Hound years ago that said that it is the Also Rans that make the competition possible for the winners, and not to forget the grass roots.

This all day long.

Competitor numbers are down for all affiliated competition and showing. People now have far more options and are more aware of the options from social media. I grew up desperate to affiliate as soon as possible but now I see people competing unaffiliated and doing well thinking they’ll affiliate soon but it hasn’t got the kudos it once had so they continue at unaffiliated jumping the same courses. BE and to a slightly lesser extent BS and BD are loosing the monopoly they once had to lo a unaffiliated competitions.

 

[teapot]

I’m pleased to see entries have appeared in droves for Blair and Wellington! Both lovely events.

Though the Blair 4*L isn’t exactly bursting, is that par for the course?

 

[TPO]

I’m pleased to see entries have appeared in droves for Blair and Wellington! Both lovely events.

Though the Blair 4*L isn’t exactly bursting, is that par for the course?

Yeah, it's usually one of the smaller sections

Blair started doing Scottish Champs and now have 90 & 100 sections open to all so everyone in Scotland & beyond wants to go. They've announced that "the hill" is in all the sections so I am wondering if all the horses will be fit enough in the lower classes based on last year.

 

[DressageCob]

I understand the layout for BE/FEI in the future is also intended to be this way around with the hub of the event by the arenas. They just hadn't managed to make the required course changes in time to be able to do it this spring - hence the insane trip across to the arenas for SJ.

What I saw of the course looked pretty 'portables in a field' in style, but I haven't seen full course pics. Courses were also on the short end with sub 4 minute optimum times...

The course definitely wasn't a full course, but they did well with the space they used. There was good use of the hills, sections for a small gallop etc. It was good for spectating, in that you could stand on one mound in the middle and see most of the course. It wasn't as good a course as their BE one, but I wouldn't say it was any worse than some of the local BE events (Bold springs to mind) in terms of feeling like jumps in a field.

It was interesting to see the volunteer issue coming up, as predicted by some in here. Even partway through day 2 there were still calls for helpers. It goes to show just how many people are needed to make an event run, and probably how unreliable some people can be. I expect they did have people lined up who backed out, because it would take a lot of balls to run an event without having the right number of people lined up to help.