So what has British Eventing done wrong?

[LittleOwl]

That’s great to hear @LittleOwl - just to clarify I didn’t assume they wouldn’t be like at all, just highlighted the fact that some events are fabulous in part but not all aspects (which then reduces the fabulous element somewhat I feel). I just worded it badly

Absolutely- I should have also mentioned I’ve volunteered at some very fancy events where we were treated awfully.

The worst one (I think there was a thread dedicated to them a few weeks ago) had triple booked fence judges so we ended up hanging around waiting to see who had been chosen after arriving for an 8am briefing. There was then a very awkward selection process and people were either sent home or asked to stay until the afternoon to relieve the morning fence judges. They don’t run events anymore but I never offered my time to them again and recommended others didn’t either

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I think I am missing something as I was not picking up that Teapot was saying that Cornbury don't treat their volunteers well, just that it's important for events to remember provision for volunteers as well as for owners, competitors and spectators.

It's great to hear @LittleOwl experience that this does seem to be the case at Cornbury - I haven't come across mileage being covered so that is good as there are events I won't do as they are just that bit further out and the cost/reward balance shifts.

I have only volunteered at a few small events so far, Dauntsey was the biggest one I think, and so far so good. I don't need much other than a decent lunch and a friendly/welcoming vibe. The venue that came out on top so far definitely had those, and gave me a bottle of wine so I will absolutely go back to that one Course hire vouchers aren't much use to me as I have no horse to take and I'm not at a level to do that yet.

Dauntsey's main sponsor provided branded reusable water bottles which I thought was quite good. I wonder what a luxury brand goody bag for volunteers could look like?

ETA - as this is the BE thread, unsure how BE vs. non-BE compare as I only have one non-BE event to compare with but so far BE probably a bit better from a volunteer PoV.

 

[I'm Dun]

Anyone wanting to volunteer should try driving events. They treat you incredibly well and you usually get a goodie bag of treats to take home as well. The ones I've competed in expected each team to bring a small goody bag to give to a volunteer, which seemed a good way to do it. I think some of the BE events could take note of the way they treat volunteers and see if there's anything they could take away from that.

 

[LEC]

I just want to add that the British Open wasn’t sponsored this year and the prize fund for these top horses at the top level of the sport was £600. Last year it would have been £10k through Magic Millions sponsorship. I had to look up who Magic Millions were as Aussie but had a relationship with Zara and thus willing to sponsor Gatcombe. This prize money is huge in the sport for the owners and all the connections. £600 barely covers the entry and stabling.

 

[teapot]

I just want to add that the British Open wasn’t sponsored this year and the prize fund for these top horses at the top level of the sport was £600. Last year it would have been £10k through Magic Millions sponsorship. I had to look up who Magic Millions were as Aussie but had a relationship with Zara and thus willing to sponsor Gatcombe. This prize money is huge in the sport for the owners and all the connections. £600 barely covers the entry and stabling.

It's an interesting point re the Open and the Magic Millions sponsorship as despite the prize pot, entries were dropping year on year, so what were the pros basing their decision to run on - ground vs venue vs course vs prize money? (31 entries in 2018, 20 in 2019, 19 in 2022 for reference, yet 36 at Hartpury last weekend).

Zara's been an ambassador for Magic Millions for over ten years now (and Mike Tindall is one too tbf) - they've done some really good youtube videos with them. Racing sponsor predominately, wonder if they do any Oz events?

 

[horsimous]

I was wondering why Wilton Horse Trials wasn’t on: https://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/18656201.wilton-horse-trials-comes-end-44-years/

 

[RachelFerd]

I was wondering why Wilton Horse Trials wasn’t on: https://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/18656201.wilton-horse-trials-comes-end-44-years/

That was 4 years ago (sadly)

 

[LEC]

It's an interesting point re the Open and the Magic Millions sponsorship as despite the prize pot, entries were dropping year on year, so what were the pros basing their decision to run on - ground vs venue vs course vs prize money? (31 entries in 2018, 20 in 2019, 19 in 2022 for reference, yet 36 at Hartpury last weekend).

Zara's been an ambassador for Magic Millions for over ten years now (and Mike Tindall is one too tbf) - they've done some really good youtube videos with them. Racing sponsor predominately, wonder if they do any Oz events?

Hartpury was getting less entries so 4 years ago spent money on putting a huge irrigation system in so the ground is amazing all year round. Gatcombe did what they could but a lot of people didn’t like the ground as normally too hard. The 4* was designed for horses going off to Autumn 4* at Hartpury and open champs was designed for 5* hence the entries were good.

 

[Muddy unicorn]

Oooh! https://www.facebook.com/share/p/76vw7LjVXCrws7MA/?mibextid=WC7FNe

 

[khalswitz]

Oooh! https://www.facebook.com/share/p/76vw7LjVXCrws7MA/?mibextid=WC7FNe

So glad to see that as losing Blair was otherwise the death of Scottish eventing and a massive loss to SJ and showing as well.

 

[EventingMum]

Oooh! https://www.facebook.com/share/p/76vw7LjVXCrws7MA/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Great news, Scone was a nice event when it ran one day competition - like many I was convinced the rumour was a hoax, I'm glad to be proved wrong

 

[ihatework]

Oooh! https://www.facebook.com/share/p/76vw7LjVXCrws7MA/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Fantastic news

 

[LEC]

So I am going to moan as BD does this a lot better!

Bicton Regional - £144 entry. No plaque.

Wellington 1* - £200 entry. No plaque.

A plaque is what £2 and they both are a little bit different and a milestone and it would be nice to match BD which always gives you a plaque for every regional and championship.

 

[Mrs Pink]

Agree, niece had a top 6 placing in the novice as Aston le Walls at the beginning of the month, 7 hour round trip, didn't even get a rosette, I know I'm out of touch but I think that's bit harsh! There should be something with those entry fees

 

[Red-1]

Agree, niece had a top 6 placing in the novice as Aston le Walls at the beginning of the month, 7 hour round trip, didn't even get a rosette, I know I'm out of touch but I think that's bit harsh! There should be something with those entry fees

No rosettes at Novice BE? Gosh, I'm out of touch too! That does seem rather penny pinching.

 

[LEC]

Agree, niece had a top 6 placing in the novice as Aston le Walls at the beginning of the month, 7 hour round trip, didn't even get a rosette, I know I'm out of touch but I think that's bit harsh! There should be something with those entry fees

Will depend how many were in section but normally goes to 10th place unless a small section.

 

[Mrs Pink]

Over 30 starters so would have thought they'd go to 6th at least, who knows

 

[TPO]

There's a new (very) South of Scotland event for 2025.

 

[Chiffy]

Yes TPO, very exciting, within an hour of us, fantastic. Farming/ Eventing friends of ours. We go there regularly for lessons. So brave of them to take this on as we have lost the Cumbrian Events down the M6 except Frenchfield is being restarted too.

 

[Muddy unicorn]

There's a new (very) South of Scotland event for 2025.

Where’s that going to be? Very south of Scotland would be almost local!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Yes TPO, very exciting, within an hour of us, fantastic. Farming/ Eventing friends of ours. We go there regularly for lessons. So brave of them to take this on as we have lost the Cumbrian Events down the M6 except Frenchfield is being restarted too.

I feel an hho holiday trip coming on for next year....

 

[TPO]

Where’s that going to be? Very south of Scotland would be almost local!

South West

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[myheartinahoofbeat]

STATEMENT ISSUED ON BEHALF OF NORTON DISNEY HORSE TRIALS - British Eventing - News

Due to a change in circumstances Norton Disney Horse Trials is moving location to Speetley Equestrian Centre. A statement from the organisers reads as follows:

news.britisheventing.com

Anyone know whats going on here?

 

[Gamebird]

I have a green horse who is going quite well at the moment and thought I might enter an upcoming local BE80 as an end of season treat, while we're on a roll.

Have just added it up - have previously been a BE member, and competed extensively at Nov and above, but have not been registered for a few years now so would have to enter via PAYG.

The entry fees come to £120.18. Add the PAYG membership/fees and the event will cost £190.18 to attend.

There is no chance I am prepared to pay this! Unfortunately I suspect the event will struggle to run due to low entries, but they will have to do without mine. I don't doubt that it's an expensive sport to run and usually worth paying for the benefits of affiliated competition, but that argument only holds if people actually have the money to pay in the first place.

 

[Darcey69]

I have a green horse who is going quite well at the moment and thought I might enter an upcoming local BE80 as an end of season treat, while we're on a roll.

Have just added it up - have previously been a BE member, and competed extensively at Nov and above, but have not been registered for a few years now so would have to enter via PAYG.

The entry fees come to £120.18. Add the PAYG membership/fees and the event will cost £190.18 to attend.

There is no chance I am prepared to pay this! Unfortunately I suspect the event will struggle to run due to low entries, but they will have to do without mine. I don't doubt that it's an expensive sport to run and usually worth paying for the benefits of affiliated competition, but that argument only holds if people actually have the money to pay in the first place.

We went Hickstead as a one off in the summer - it's well out of our usual area - it cost £220 for four classes once we'd paid show membership. And as it happened we didn't jump in two as the rain was appalling and we couldn't get the lorry in. Luckily the horse jumped super in the other two - but horse sport can be hugely expensive.

 

[HelenBack]

I have a green horse who is going quite well at the moment and thought I might enter an upcoming local BE80 as an end of season treat, while we're on a roll.

Have just added it up - have previously been a BE member, and competed extensively at Nov and above, but have not been registered for a few years now so would have to enter via PAYG.

The entry fees come to £120.18. Add the PAYG membership/fees and the event will cost £190.18 to attend.

There is no chance I am prepared to pay this! Unfortunately I suspect the event will struggle to run due to low entries, but they will have to do without mine. I don't doubt that it's an expensive sport to run and usually worth paying for the benefits of affiliated competition, but that argument only holds if people actually have the money to pay in the first place.

Could you do the GO80 class instead? That would make it a lot cheaper (about £100 I think) and the only difference is your results aren't published on BE's website and you can't qualify for anything, which doesn't sound like a huge concern for you at the moment.

 

[Gamebird]

We went Hickstead as a one off in the summer - it's well out of our usual area - it cost £220 for four classes once we'd paid show membership. And as it happened we didn't jump in two as the rain was appalling and we couldn't get the lorry in. Luckily the horse jumped super in the other two - but horse sport can be hugely expensive.

Oh, listen. I am usually the first person to beat that particular drum! You only need to see some of my previous thoughts on the matter. Horses are an elite sport for privileged people! We've all got our financial sob stories. I once paid the best part of £1000 for entries and stabling for an FEI 3DE and did precisely one dressage test and 5 XC fences for that money! Other people pay the same money, don't get through a trot-up and don't ride a single step of competition. Yesterday I was with a friend who was feeling bad about charging the Pony Club a fee for hiring their facilities. I pointed out that we were talking about an organisation enabling extremely privileged kids to ride ponies, not exactly a charity providing inclusive sporting opportunities for disadvantaged youth (obviously I know the PC does some work in this area, but I think it's safe to generalise here). Yes, horse sport is expensive, of course it is!

However this is a thread entitled 'So What Has British Eventing Done Wrong', and I think my experience helps to answer that question. Last week I competed in an unaffiliated event run to BE standards over BE tracks. The entry fee was £75. Compare this to £120.18 for BE entry, and the total of £190.18 including registration and you can see why one event is affordable, but the other isn't. I fully expect to pay a bit more to compete BE - and I understand that there is an infrastructure to support, but to answer the question in the title of the thread, the competitors have been priced out, particularly those at the bottom of the pyramid who have the choice to compete elsewhere. Previously you could buy a day ticket for one event. Now you can't. I do think that is a mistake.

 

[Gamebird]

Could you do the GO80 class instead? That would make it a lot cheaper (about £100 I think) and the only difference is your results aren't published on BE's website and you can't qualify for anything, which doesn't sound like a huge concern for you at the moment.

I could do if they were running one! I would be happy with that option. I'd prefer to be able to count it as a QR in case I fancied trying to get to Bramham next year, but it's not the be-all or end-all and I would be happy enough to run at GO80. If there were a GO80 class!

 

[HelenBack]

I could do if they were running one! I would be happy with that option. I'd prefer to be able to count it as a QR in case I fancied trying to get to Bramham next year, but it's not the be-all or end-all and I would be happy enough to run at GO80. If there were a GO80 class!

Oh yes that is annoying. I've just started doing 80s again this year after a five year (ish) break, and I never competed beyond the giddy heights of 90 anyway. I started doing the GO classes but then joined fully as I was also interested in the idea of trying to get to Bramham. At that point it was cheaper for me to join properly than do it through the PAYG option as I got a riding club discount on my membership. Appreciate at this time of year neither is a cheap option though and I can't see why they wouldn't run GO classes alongside the regular ones. Everywhere I've been this year has done both I think and in most cases both have had roughly the same number of entries.

It is expensive though and I don't know what my plans will be for the future. I like the idea of qualifying for regionals and/or Bramham and I've always been happy to pay a bit of a premium for safety etc. A couple of friends have decided to do Cotswold Cup instead and seem to be enjoying that but I've not tried that option and the course photos for the venue don't look as good I don't think. If there are places running unaffiliated over BE courses though (there are very few near me) then the reduced costs do make that a much more attractive option don't they? The season is over for me now and I think my bank balance is going to be quite relieved!

 

[LEC]

I think it was foolish to drop the day tickets as unaff finishes in Sept so BE could attract a few people and help them get some MERs towards fun targets next year. Plus bolster some events along the way. Selling membership towards the end of the season is never going to happen as offers zero value. It’s interesting that BRC has countered this issue by doing rolling yearly membership instead. I appreciate there is no ‘season’ with BRC but it was an issue with people not bothering to join for 2-3 months.
BS and BD do not have this issue due to the fact it’s a 365 day sport but BE isn’t and the winter series are not attractive to the majority.