So what has British Eventing done wrong?
- Thread starter Orangehorse
- Start date
Spotherisk
Well-Known Member
Port Eliot is off - event has moved to Bicton, first weekend in August.
ihatework
Well-Known Member
I surprised / sad there doesn’t seem to be a replacement for the championship classes from cancelled Gatcombe. You would have thought that would have been announced by now.
Zebedee
Well-Known Member
So Bicton get an RF, plus their direct route to GR champs 3 day in October. Fabulous venue but shame someone else wasn't given the chance to run the replacement. It would have been nice if the date could have been moved away from the RC champs weekend as well.
Mimsyborogrove
Active Member
I understand these are now at Hartpury in August
ihatework
Well-Known Member
Oh fab, and would make sense.
Wondering how this completely bypassed me!
Wondering how this completely bypassed me!
TheMule
Well-Known Member
No mention of them running normal classes as well as the regional classes…. Lets hope that’s an oversight because there’s nowhere else to run in the SW for the next 6 weeks!
I think the SW regionals are too early anyway and should be nearer the end of the season, especially given how many days of eventing we've lost through cancelled events. You then have this odd situation where you can gain a qualification in August for a RF nearly a year later for a championship virtually 2 years later.
LEC
Opinions are like bum holes, everyone has one.
Hartpury
LEC
Opinions are like bum holes, everyone has one.
Who could have run it?!? I know west wilts and Launceston put their hat in but neither are right for that. West wilts is a 4 min 30 xc and hardly the xc you want for prepping people. The sjing warm is horrible. Launceston had a serious health and safety violation when I was there 2 weeks ago and is for sale so you wouldn’t give it 2 years + of a regional final.
We have lost events in SW at a rapid speed. Pontispool would have been a good location but they have got pissed off with BE and won’t go back.
The clash with BE regionals is now 2 years on in SW and I don’t get it. It does have a knock on effect as I know 6 people (me included) who didn’t bother with RC due to clash. Sure I could go to a later BE RF but would be extra travel and things I want to do in later part of season like a 1* and move up to Novice. Tbh BE doesn’t miss out, RC qualifiers do.
iknowmyvalue
Well-Known Member
Selfishly, Bicton is my local venue so very happy about RFs moving there! I agree about it being very early considering that we had so many early events cancelled (and that the SW calendar is lacking in general…)
I don’t know if anyone else here went, but we went to the new event at Kingston Maurward at the weekend and think it is a FANTASTIC addition to the SW calendar, really hope it stays. Really well organised and they’d clearly tried very hard to make it feel special. SJ in front of the house and lots of trade stands/spectators. XC was a lovely galloping course (and reasonably hilly) and looked pretty fair at all heights. Was surprised there were a number of issues, but looking at the stats they were spread throughout the course rather than one “bogey” fence.
(Not biased by the fact we led our section from start to finish for our first ever BE win, and at 90cm to boot!)
I don’t know if anyone else here went, but we went to the new event at Kingston Maurward at the weekend and think it is a FANTASTIC addition to the SW calendar, really hope it stays. Really well organised and they’d clearly tried very hard to make it feel special. SJ in front of the house and lots of trade stands/spectators. XC was a lovely galloping course (and reasonably hilly) and looked pretty fair at all heights. Was surprised there were a number of issues, but looking at the stats they were spread throughout the course rather than one “bogey” fence.
(Not biased by the fact we led our section from start to finish for our first ever BE win, and at 90cm to boot!)
VRIN
Well-Known Member
Did anyone attend the online event with BE on Monday - looking for views from people not currently competing at BE?? Unfortunately I was otherwise committed
LEC
Opinions are like bum holes, everyone has one.
It was an amazing event. I stopped and told as many people as possible I thought it was. Well done on the win - great result. I think it’s too soon they would have put £50k into that event and to run a regional would need another £10k minimum with extra xc fences to run 6 tracks.
sassandbells
Well-Known Member
it really is a great addition. I was fence judging on the Sunday (90 & 100) was expecting a few complications after walking the course that morning in the rain but it ran really well and most went clear. I can’t recall any eliminations on course, and I think only around 4 retired! There’s been fabulous feedback and hopefully some exciting changes for next year
iknowmyvalue
Well-Known Member
Yes totally agree about it not being ready for a RF, it was just so nice to see a new event for the SW and for it to be such a success! I’ll definitely try and make it again next year
iknowmyvalue
Well-Known Member
Apparently the step up at 3 caused a lot of issues on Saturday but didn’t see any issues there on the Sunday. Wonder if most of the issues were in the 80cm as was in the 80 and 90…it really is a great addition. I was fence judging on the Sunday (90 & 100) was expecting a few complications after walking the course that morning in the rain but it ran really well and most went clear. I can’t recall any eliminations on course, and I think only around 4 retired! There’s been fabulous feedback and hopefully some exciting changes for next year
Orangehorse
Well-Known Member
Aren't they going to be at Hartpury?
ihatework
Well-Known Member
Yes, so others have informed me. I must have been asleep when it was announced.
LEC
Opinions are like bum holes, everyone has one.
10 points deducted from eventing geek rating…..
Upthecreek
Well-Known Member
We were there supporting friends competing on Saturday and to check out the new venue and there were stops at 3 in both the 80 and 90. It was very bright and I wonder if some were dazzled by the sun at the top of the hill. A fair few struggled at the water, but no stops that I saw. It looked really well organised and it’s great to see a new venue with so many not running. Congratulations on the win!
Wishfilly
Well-Known Member
I'm not really sure where else could have done it in the SW, as others have said I think there are reasons Launceston isn't suitable, and I would argue any other BE venue is getting a bit inaccessible from Cornwall, which isn't really fair if you are replacing a venue in Cornwall.
To be fair to BE, I don't think the loss of Port Elliot is exactly their fault- I think the current owner/manager wants to move away from equestrian events on site, which is obviously their prerogative, but a real shame for the region. I'm not sure if they've fallen out with the local hunt who used to organise a lot of these, or if it's just a co-incidence, but I guess music festivals etc are more money for less hassle?
LEC
Opinions are like bum holes, everyone has one.
It’s a mix of both - getting a lot of hassle from Antis and they were leaving negative reviews about it and festivals make more £££
RachelFerd
Well-Known Member
BE have changed qualification for Bramham BE80 champs with immediate effect - https://news.britisheventing.com/exciting-changes-to-be80-championship-qualification/
TLDR; achieve 5 MER results at BE80 between 1 June and close of entries for next year's Bramham is a direct qualification to champs ... pre-existing pathway through regional champs will also continue to exist (so could be done in 3 runs)
Hopefully that feels like something that will help support events in getting more entries...
TLDR; achieve 5 MER results at BE80 between 1 June and close of entries for next year's Bramham is a direct qualification to champs ... pre-existing pathway through regional champs will also continue to exist (so could be done in 3 runs)
Hopefully that feels like something that will help support events in getting more entries...
LEC
Opinions are like bum holes, everyone has one.
I think this is a good idea - firstly 80cm numbers are rubbish this year due to unaffiliated being more affordable and better in the calendar. Secondly it kind of matches with Cotswold cup qualifying pathway for its champs, though CC is at end of year. It also encourages some consistency of entries with 5 being required and props up Bramham with more entries as they have lost a fair few from 4*. If you don’t want to run as often then you can technically qualify on 3 runs with a regional.
ihatework
Well-Known Member
Well that’s definitely an achievable pathway for BE80 competitors
LEC
Opinions are like bum holes, everyone has one.
Apparently Bramham needed 100 entries to make the champs viable.
shortstuff99
Well-Known Member
LEC
Opinions are like bum holes, everyone has one.
It’s good they are going through the whole gamut of participants. It needs a massive review and each group has slightly different needs. Will be interesting what conclusions they do manage to draw as the one I went on it was very hard to draw any!
TPO
Well-Known Member
I don't know if it's already been mentioned, but last weekend was the end of BE at Hopetoun.
Only 2 weeks until the final Blair.
I do wonder what Scottish eventers are paying a full BE membership for...
Oatridge, Forgandenny(x2) and Kirriemuir going forward, unless there are new events not yet listed on BE website and/or I'm missing something major.
Only 2 weeks until the final Blair.
I do wonder what Scottish eventers are paying a full BE membership for...
Oatridge, Forgandenny(x2) and Kirriemuir going forward, unless there are new events not yet listed on BE website and/or I'm missing something major.
teapot
Well-Known Member
Another observation which makes me wonder for the future of the sport - sponsorship.
I noticed Cornbury announced one of their new sponsors recently as a private jet firm. Is the sport at a stage where it can only attract sponsors who have been the spare cash, aren’t bothered about returns (and probably know Howden personally in this case?)
Your average spends all their money on the horse and entry fees BE member is unlikely to be flying privately I feel?
I noticed Cornbury announced one of their new sponsors recently as a private jet firm. Is the sport at a stage where it can only attract sponsors who have been the spare cash, aren’t bothered about returns (and probably know Howden personally in this case?)
Your average spends all their money on the horse and entry fees BE member is unlikely to be flying privately I feel?
SaddlePsych'D
Well-Known Member
Cornbury seem to be going exceptionally upmarket, or at least trying to appeal to very, very wealthy clientele. I know that's not new or exclusive to their event it's just really strongly coming through on their FB ads. Everything seems to be luxury this or that.