So what has British Eventing done wrong?

[AandK]

I have nothing constructive to add other than to say it's sad to see BE the way it is now. I am (in a way) almost glad I'm not eventing these days, although jealous of those who are out and about . Have very fond memories (rose tinted glasses maybe?!) of my days out with my now retired horse, it seemed a lot simpler back then!

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

That’s another event been cancelled due to low numbers. Just saw on twitter eventing Facebook.

 

[ester]

Skipton cancelled after a food festival trashed the ground this weekend

 

[Ambers Echo]

That is really not what this highly disrupted season needed. How unbelievably frustrating, There will be almost no recoverable costs at this late stage, and they are refunding everyone.

 

[honetpot]

Can you actually “train” a horse to run on hard ground though. I’m not sure I buy the whole idea of working them (at more than a walk) on hard ground to strengthen them to run them on hard ground, just sounds like more wear and tear. It makes sense to me to do lots of work over varied surfaces but I can’t see how cantering a horse on hard ground at home is going to strengthen it to be able to do so comfortably at an event. Surely you are just adding to the concussion.

Do pro event riders do this?

I used to help get hunters fit and we did a lot of trotting on tarmac, bone stress increases bone density, you also get mirco tears that butress ligaments at their insertion, so its giving them enough stress but not too much. I also had a horse which was LOU for navicular, and managed to hunt him with getting fit with road work on no treatment.
Road work and controlled exercise takes time, and unless you live somewhere and can ride and lead one you are talking three hours basic work for two horses, sticking them on a horse walker, and the odd canter on grass is no replacement for contolled exercise.

 

[HuggyBear]

So…I’ve just finished reading back through 46 pages of this thread, having rejoined the forum this week.

Woah boy, that was a bit of a ride!

As an “outsider looking in”, having been out of the horse world for the last decade and just rejoining again, this is what I see and feel…

Losing the big stately home events is NOT the fault of introducing lower levels. You were going to lose them eventually as, with all societal classes, the owners of those estates have long been having to cost cut for years. Holding either an affiliated or UA event is expensive, it will never get any cheaper to set up, and there is better ways to earn a profit for the estate instead of trashing it for one event.

Eventing has always been reliant on the pyramid scheme, even before the introduction of the lower levels, and from the generosity of wealthier benefactors (those estate owners and comfortably-well-off folk), who didn’t do the event for a profit nor had to worry about costs.

No one has spare cash anymore. No one.

We’re in a cost of living crisis and prices have been spiralling upwards for years. Of course entries are down. Have you seen the prices of horses lately? Jesus!

There are truly very few people who can afford to compete at the higher levels. It has always been the case but, up until recent times, the eventing grass roots level was still manageable financially for the middle classes.

90% of the sport here in the UK is wholly propped up by the grass roots riders.

The sport either has to pay for itself or it folds.

If running it like it is now means that those grass roots riders can’t afford it…then the sport has it either fundamentally change or it goes.
And for those who keep harping on about the lower levels being the harbinger of death…the sport of eventing would have died out years ago without the grass root riders.

And for the love of god, can someone please reinstate the abandonment insurance into the entry fee. It’s like the Brexit vote all over again.

Nose to spite face, comes to mind.

Horses are expensive. Eventing is one of the most expensive events to run. Even with the COL crises, the sheer tenacity of how much GR riders love the sport is evident that they’re finding ways to still compete UA.

 

[HuggyBear]

I do just want to add something to above though…a little controversial to some reading this, maybe, but I think I need to say it to ensure evenness of my arguments.

£140 isn’t actually that bad. For dressage, SJ and XC in one day, at a recognised event with run under safety first rules and allowing you to potentially rise up as far you wish (and can afford)…I think that’s very reasonable considering how much things costs in general life.

BE needs to help with reducing unnecessary cost where it can, but I do also think we as riders must appreciate that things will never be as cheap as they once were and perhaps we just have to get used to the idea that eventing will cost you £250 a pop all in for one competition.

And I say this from the perspective of someone who isn’t rich. I am middle management, sole mortgage payer, and have acknowledged that children are not likely unless I win the lottery.

However, if the price feels horrendous, just take a moment to familiarise yourself with the USEF’s “A” circuit and the cost of show barns and competing on that circuit in the US. {Smelling salts needed}

Our costs are an absolute steal in comparison. It truly is the preserve for the rich there.

 

[LEC]

Launceston will no longer be running BE after this year as making too much of a loss and can’t fill 2 days. Will be just running their own unaff.

Pontispool will no longer be doing cotswold cup either so it’s not all amazing in that area either!

 

[Zebedee]

Launceston will no longer be running BE after this year as making too much of a loss and can’t fill 2 days. Will be just running their own unaff.

That's not set in stone as yet !

 

[Michen]

I do just want to add something to above though…a little controversial to some reading this, maybe, but I think I need to say it to ensure evenness of my arguments.

£140 isn’t actually that bad. For dressage, SJ and XC in one day, at a recognised event with run under safety first rules and allowing you to potentially rise up as far you wish (and can afford)…I think that’s very reasonable considering how much things costs in general life.

BE needs to help with reducing unnecessary cost where it can, but I do also think we as riders must appreciate that things will never be as cheap as they once were and perhaps we just have to get used to the idea that eventing will cost you £250 a pop all in for one competition.

And I say this from the perspective of someone who isn’t rich. I am middle management, sole mortgage payer, and have acknowledged that children are not likely unless I win the lottery.

However, if the price feels horrendous, just take a moment to familiarise yourself with the USEF’s “A” circuit and the cost of show barns and competing on that circuit in the US. {Smelling salts needed}

Our costs are an absolute steal in comparison. It truly is the preserve for the rich there.

Yep and a huge number of events even af 80cm level are three days. So you have 250$ stabling on top of that.

 

[spacefaer]

Sign of the future that I think I mentioned as a possibility a load of pages back
Letter in the magazine today where a girl had been on a training course at Aston Le Walls
And then her first 1* at Aston
And then her first Novixe at Aston

The author was praising the fabulous facilties etc etc (which I'm not denying) but really? Training over the facilties then running at competitions over the same fences....
As I said earlier, is this the way it's going??

 

[Patterdale]

Just seen that Barbury has been stripped of their 3* and 4*, and it’s been given to Aston le Walls instead.
I’m just at this decision.

Do BE actually WANT the sport to wither away? It is genuinely starting to look like that.

 

[Squeak]

Just seen that Barbury has been stripped of their 3* and 4*, and it’s been given to Aston le Walls instead.
I’m just at this decision.

Do BE actually WANT the sport to wither away? It is genuinely starting to look like that.

That's such a shame. It would be very interesting to know what the reasons were for it. I was really hopeful about the new CEO, hopefully this was a decision that was already made before she got there rather than a sign of things to come.

 

[teapot]

Just seen that Barbury has been stripped of their 3* and 4*, and it’s been given to Aston le Walls instead.
I’m just at this decision.

Do BE actually WANT the sport to wither away? It is genuinely starting to look like that.

I love the fact they called Aston generic too - boot in etc.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Presumably same reasons as before - they run unaff (Cotswold Cup) so can’t run internationals. I disagreed with it before and I still do, but they must have expected it?

 

[ihatework]

Presumably same reasons as before - they run unaff (Cotswold Cup) so can’t run internationals. I disagreed with it before and I still do, but they must have expected it?

I suspect there is quite a bit behind the scenes on middle aged men doing some Willy waving. All pretty political

 

[Squeak]

Presumably same reasons as before - they run unaff (Cotswold Cup) so can’t run internationals. I disagreed with it before and I still do, but they must have expected it?

I think they said something in their post about being compliant with the 2023 rules but I was a bit confused with how it read, was it that the rule was changed re the unaff part way through the season? I can't remember.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Yes I seem to remember that restriction came in during 2023 but I’m sure people who know more about it will refresh our memory! Frickley ran unaff and intl in 2022 but had to find a workaround to keep the Brigante Cup in 2023

 

[teapot]

Yes I seem to remember that restriction came in during 2023 but I’m sure people who know more about it will refresh our memory! Frickley ran unaff and intl in 2022 but had to find a workaround to keep the Brigante Cup in 2023

Wasn’t the Brigante Cup run by the PC? Which is allowed under BE’s rules

 

[Ambers Echo]

Wasn’t the Brigante Cup run by the PC? Which is allowed under BE’s rules

It wasn’t originally ! But then they found a way to run it that BE accepted - I think it could have been by affiliating with PC but not 100% sure

 

[LEC]

Alec has every right to be pissed off and I understand it’s gone legal with Houghton. BE put in a process a few years ago about allocation of internationals and Bicton didn’t even tender. I doubt Aston did either. It’s all gone behind closed doors again and doesn’t look good for anyone. You don’t see these issues in sjing or dressage with the allocation of internationals.

 

[claracanter]

Wasn’t the Brigante Cup run by the PC? Which is allowed under BE’s rules

It was organised by Penistone and District Riding Club who had non championship classes along side so was able to run. Unfortunately it was supposed to run over a weekend but didn’t have enough entries so just ran on the Sunday.

 

[RachelFerd]

Barbury is a divisive venue and lots of people don't want to run there... But the lack of transparency is all still rather odd.

 

[LEC]

Barbury is a divisive venue and lots of people don't want to run there... But the lack of transparency is all still rather odd.

The 4* had prize money of £600 I think last time which is rubbish and a long way from its halcyon days of £5k. A lot don’t like it because of the camber and going. Though I have to say I went there for Cotswold cup and the going was unbelievable but it’s a chalk area so does drain well. Always surprised they never ran an earlier event with that ground as takes the rain. Plus it has mostly permanent tracks in for lorries but I would guess it needs to run when racing is over due to being in middle of Alan Kings gallops.

The first timers who all went well this weekend had all done Bramham and Blair. We need these events for the future and to prepare horses.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

The 4* had prize money of £600 I think last time which is rubbish and a long way from its halcyon days of £5k. A lot don’t like it because of the camber and going. Though I have to say I went there for Cotswold cup and the going was unbelievable but it’s a chalk area so does drain well. Always surprised they never ran an earlier event with that ground as takes the rain. Plus it has mostly permanent tracks in for lorries but I would guess it needs to run when racing is over due to being in middle of Alan Kings gallops.

The first timers who all went well this weekend had all done Bramham and Blair. We need these events for the future and to prepare horses.

Alan King has flat and National hunt racehorses so his gallops would be in use all year round regardless.

 

[LEC]

Oh revoir Rockingham - you looked fabulous. I am sure Aston will step up to take on the 2/3*

 

[claracanter]

Oh revoir Rockingham - you looked fabulous. I am sure Aston will step up to take on the 2/3*

That’s such a shame. Such a beautiful venue.BE must be directly or indirectly responsible for the number of venues pulling out. No one wants to run at Aston every time. Nothing against Aston but these big galloping parkland tracks are what it’s all about and great training for the big B’s.

 

[DressageCob]

They seem to be moving away from the lovely events on parkland in front of nice old buildings. Such a shame.

 

[RachelFerd]

They seem to be moving away from the lovely events on parkland in front of nice old buildings. Such a shame.

This is nothing new though - the sport has been haemorrhaging country estate venues for the last 30 years - just look at any old eventing calendar will be a list of old country estates that no longer have a strong interest in running the sport and have either sold up altogether or have diversified in other, more financially lucrative ways. As someone who goes to plenty of music festivals it does amuse me that they're all mainly sites that also have a horse trials - they've got to keep making more £££ all year, and the horse trials can interfere with other plans when we've had wet weather and trashed the site...

 

[Patterdale]

It is new though, because we’ve never lost them at this rate before…