So what has British Eventing done wrong?

[ester]

Grand Slam of Eventing seeks new sponsor as Rolex bows out after +20 years

Rolex has ended its long-running support of the Grand Slam of Eventing after more than 20 years, with organisers seeking a new title sponsor

www.horseandhound.co.uk

 

[Honey08]

I wonder if it’s got something to do with Rolex? They didn’t call it the Rolex Grand Slam and mentioned something about sponsors.

Cross post with Ester.

Strange. It’s not as though it got won very often!

 

[ester]

I think it's because they pulled from being main sponsor of kentucky too

 

[Traks]

Oh, that’s a shame but like you say, it wasn’t won very often

 

[LEC]

I think it's because they pulled from being main sponsor of kentucky too

They pulled Kentucky a few years ago but kept the Grand Slam. Now they have pulled it all as dumped a load more sponsorship in showjumping with a new Rolex series. I think they also have retained the showjumping grand slam which has only been done once by Scott Brash.

 

[ester]

Horseheath have had to reduce to one day, I think they've put a lot of work in

NOW SUNDAY ONLY

Due to lower than expected entries Horseheath will now only run on Sunday 23rd March. A quick decision has been made to enable competitors to reroute to other events, with as minimal inconvenience as possible.

Unfortunately Saturday’s Advanced and Intermediate classes are cancelled due to insufficient entries. All cancelled entries will be refunded immediately. Any entries wishing to move from Saturday to Sunday please email Wendy – wendy@wendyevans.uk

The organising team are understandably disappointed to have to make this decision, however it is important to try and keen the fixture as financially viable as possible. We are very grateful to those who have supported the event and are only sorry not to be able to run the new Advanced and Intermediate classes as planned, and as requested by the sport.

There has been a significant request for a BE90 to be added to the timetable, and unfortunately this is something that is not possible at this time. As many will be aware the original fences were sold and the incoming organisers were only able to acquire the 100 and Novice fences. Due to the nature of the fences needing to be moved it was not as easy to transport an additional 90 course, as it was going to be to add the Intermediate/Advanced.

Log in to Facebook

Log in to Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family and people you know.

www.facebook.com

 

[ihatework]

That’s sad for them. Probably suffering from the Barbury fixture who seem to have over 300 I/OI entries

 

[LEC]

I just think people are unwilling to risk a new event early on especially at A and I plus it’s rammed between very popular events.

 

[humblepie]

Is there a Barbury BE in March?

 

[ihatework]

Is there a Barbury BE in March?

Yes they have taken over the Ciren 1 slot

 

[humblepie]

Yes they have taken over the Ciren 1 slot

Might mooch and watch. Thanks.

 

[teapot]

*Opinion* Andrew Nicholson: ‘Where’s the spirit of aspiration in eventing?’

New Zealand's eventing legend Andrew Nicholson asks ‘Where’s the progression and aspiration that was once central to eventing?’

www.horseandhound.co.uk

 

[LEC]

*Opinion* Andrew Nicholson: ‘Where’s the spirit of aspiration in eventing?’

New Zealand's eventing legend Andrew Nicholson asks ‘Where’s the progression and aspiration that was once central to eventing?’

www.horseandhound.co.uk

It’s called money and you need lots and lots of it to progress. Either your own money or someone else’s. You need decent horsepower, you need decent backing in coaches, facilities, time and to be a decent rider.

Fundamentally you need to be able to keep your horse on the road and we all know that many horses simply don’t manage to stay through the levels. The Pony Club horse going to Badminton is getting rare now because of the increased MERS you need to do at each level which then takes longer and risks wear and tear.

If you look at the U25 class at Bramham they have just moved it to 4*s to get more entries.

 

[ycbm]

*Opinion* Andrew Nicholson: ‘Where’s the spirit of aspiration in eventing?’

New Zealand's eventing legend Andrew Nicholson asks ‘Where’s the progression and aspiration that was once central to eventing?’

www.horseandhound.co.uk

"This won’t be a popular opinion, but I personally believe that British Eventing has put far too many of its eggs in the grassroots market and has neglected the upper levels. As far as I can tell, there are fewer advanced and intermediate horses, while the BE100 and below classes are chock-a-block."


Who's paying the bills Andrew?
.

 

[Squeak]

It's interesting that the non GR riders think the GR riders are the focus and the GR riders think it's the pro's/ non GR riders - is BE making all members feel like they aren't the focus or important?!

 

[ihatework]

It's interesting that the non GR riders think the GR riders are the focus and the GR riders think it's the pro's/ non GR riders - is BE making all members feel like they aren't the focus or important?!

Devils advocate here … what has happened to just taking some individual accountability to understanding others positions / viewpoints? There is a growing societal trend towards entitlement. Does BE have to make everyone feel super special, I don’t know it’s complex I suppose and ultimately we need to do what is best for the sport overall.
No right answer here, just musing.

I suppose I’m in a more unique position that I have pretty good insight into both GR and elite, having done GR myself but being involved in the elite side as more of a close observer. We definitely have to support and keep the GR side happy as they essentially fund the pyramid. So if that means a walk and trot test and 60cm jumping and a rosette to all brushed tails, personally I don’t really care! FWIW I think BE are massively trying in the GR department, the only GR whingers I dislike are the ones moaning about the cost of it.

And I don’t think the upper level have it bad either. There are the events there for them. If it’s their job then they have to travel. Tough titties. They get priority runs if oversubscribed as the smaller classes get cancelled. As they should.

The tough place to be is the competent amateur competing Int+. The one who has to work to fund it. Their events are often on weekdays at great distance. They don’t have a great deal of championship type stuff and have to prove themselves on a level playing field with the pros. And yet IME they are the ones that whine the least!

 

[JenJ]

The tough place to be is the competent amateur competing Int+. The one who has to work to fund it. Their events are often on weekdays at great distance. They don’t have a great deal of championship type stuff and have to prove themselves on a level playing field with the pros. And yet IME they are the ones that whine the least!

Because they don't have time to whine!

 

[LEC]

Devils advocate here … what has happened to just taking some individual accountability to understanding others positions / viewpoints? There is a growing societal trend towards entitlement. Does BE have to make everyone feel super special, I don’t know it’s complex I suppose and ultimately we need to do what is best for the sport overall.
No right answer here, just musing.

I suppose I’m in a more unique position that I have pretty good insight into both GR and elite, having done GR myself but being involved in the elite side as more of a close observer. We definitely have to support and keep the GR side happy as they essentially fund the pyramid. So if that means a walk and trot test and 60cm jumping and a rosette to all brushed tails, personally I don’t really care! FWIW I think BE are massively trying in the GR department, the only GR whingers I dislike are the ones moaning about the cost of it.

And I don’t think the upper level have it bad either. There are the events there for them. If it’s their job then they have to travel. Tough titties. They get priority runs if oversubscribed as the smaller classes get cancelled. As they should.

The tough place to be is the competent amateur competing Int+. The one who has to work to fund it. Their events are often on weekdays at great distance. They don’t have a great deal of championship type stuff and have to prove themselves on a level playing field with the pros. And yet IME they are the ones that whine the least!

I think it’s because they are pretty accepting and the challenge is competing at that level competently , itself rather than the result. they also know the sport and have made the choice that they will be travelling and giving up leave.

 

[ihatework]

I think it’s because they are pretty accepting and the challenge is competing at that level competently , itself rather than the result. they also know the sport and have made the choice that they will be travelling and giving up leave.

Completely. It's a huge privilege (and very fun) to be competing at those levels amongst the pro's

 

[Ossy2]

Devils advocate here … what has happened to just taking some individual accountability to understanding others positions / viewpoints? There is a growing societal trend towards entitlement. Does BE have to make everyone feel super special, I don’t know it’s complex I suppose and ultimately we need to do what is best for the sport overall.
No right answer here, just musing.

I suppose I’m in a more unique position that I have pretty good insight into both GR and elite, having done GR myself but being involved in the elite side as more of a close observer. We definitely have to support and keep the GR side happy as they essentially fund the pyramid. So if that means a walk and trot test and 60cm jumping and a rosette to all brushed tails, personally I don’t really care! FWIW I think BE are massively trying in the GR department, the only GR whingers I dislike are the ones moaning about the cost of it.

And I don’t think the upper level have it bad either. There are the events there for them. If it’s their job then they have to travel. Tough titties. They get priority runs if oversubscribed as the smaller classes get cancelled. As they should.

The tough place to be is the competent amateur competing Int+. The one who has to work to fund it. Their events are often on weekdays at great distance. They don’t have a great deal of championship type stuff and have to prove themselves on a level playing field with the pros. And yet IME they are the ones that whine the least!

I agree, I see it in dressage too, BD has gone to lengths of creating championships for championship sake and still people whine they don’t have something to aim for. How about aiming to improve your training and move up the levels.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

I agree, I see it in dressage too, BD has gone to lengths of creating championships for championship sake and still people whine they don’t have something to aim for. How about aiming to improve your training and move up the levels.

Nope I'm still massively offended I never got a crazy carriage horse dressage class

 

[Squeak]

Devils advocate here … what has happened to just taking some individual accountability to understanding others positions / viewpoints? There is a growing societal trend towards entitlement. Does BE have to make everyone feel super special, I don’t know it’s complex I suppose and ultimately we need to do what is best for the sport overall.
No right answer here, just musing.

I suppose I’m in a more unique position that I have pretty good insight into both GR and elite, having done GR myself but being involved in the elite side as more of a close observer. We definitely have to support and keep the GR side happy as they essentially fund the pyramid. So if that means a walk and trot test and 60cm jumping and a rosette to all brushed tails, personally I don’t really care! FWIW I think BE are massively trying in the GR department, the only GR whingers I dislike are the ones moaning about the cost of it.

And I don’t think the upper level have it bad either. There are the events there for them. If it’s their job then they have to travel. Tough titties. They get priority runs if oversubscribed as the smaller classes get cancelled. As they should.

The tough place to be is the competent amateur competing Int+. The one who has to work to fund it. Their events are often on weekdays at great distance. They don’t have a great deal of championship type stuff and have to prove themselves on a level playing field with the pros. And yet IME they are the ones that whine the least!

That wasn't actually what I was meaning but it was my fault for wording it badly!

I think more what I was trying to get at was (and I can't remember the exact details from last year) there was something implied (not sure if it was actually said) along the lines of GR riders should just accept that they are there to fund the elite and so do BE's instead of UA's and there was some upset with the GOBE's where it hadn't been made clear that the classes could be dropped if there were enough entries and so when people had responded to BE's we need more UA riders come and try GOBE they had then been stuck because they then found out too late to reroute. Also the recent move from Bramham of the BE80 champs to Chillington was a bit of a blow for those riders and debatably not handled well by BE.

Sometimes though I wonder if BE just don't help themselves - The manner of the announcement of the BE80 champs being a good example - and I wonder if they're just making mistakes like that all round so that all levels of riders end up feeling a bit put out.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

In my experience of running camps one thing is very clear: every decision you make to try and satisfy some people, annoys some other people!

But clear and non defensive communication helps a lot.

I am not sure how things could improve - I am out of the loop having not evented since 2023 - but back then it worried me how vocally venues were criticising BE. Without venues there just isn’t a sport and we have lost so, so many.

If BE’s public communications - which I do think are often tone deaf - are an indicator of how they talk to venues, then that won’t help. The strategy might be good but they need to keep venues onside somehow.

 

[Michen]

I feel for the 80s riders.
I was lucky enough to get the chance to go to the Badminton grassroots and the entire reason I pursued the qualification was because of the venue.

It was, and still is, one of the best days of my life. Drinking Pimms at the pre-event party at the lakeside terrace, the thrill of driving a horsebox past signs saying ‘Badminton horse trials’, riding past the house. I still vividly remember saying to myself, on a gallop stretch across country, remember this, this is what you worked for for so many years. I can’t describe what it meant to me.

If it had been rerouted somewhere else, frankly anywhere else, I would have been devastated. All of it was about the venue for me.

Er, and because of the company.

 

[humblepie]

Completely. It's a huge privilege (and very fun) to be competing at those levels amongst the pro's

Absolutely and the most amazing thing about horse sports that as someone with a horse at DIY you can compete and sometimes beat top professionals and Olympians. I’ve beaten a world champion on their world championship horse on my ex racehorse. Admittedly they’re three day event champion and we were show jumping but still exciting.

 

[ihatework]

That wasn't actually what I was meaning but it was my fault for wording it badly!

I think more what I was trying to get at was (and I can't remember the exact details from last year) there was something implied (not sure if it was actually said) along the lines of GR riders should just accept that they are there to fund the elite and so do BE's instead of UA's and there was some upset with the GOBE's where it hadn't been made clear that the classes could be dropped if there were enough entries and so when people had responded to BE's we need more UA riders come and try GOBE they had then been stuck because they then found out too late to reroute. Also the recent move from Bramham of the BE80 champs to Chillington was a bit of a blow for those riders and debatably not handled well by BE.

Sometimes though I wonder if BE just don't help themselves - The manner of the announcement of the BE80 champs being a good example - and I wonder if they're just making mistakes like that all round so that all levels of riders end up feeling a bit put out.

I think we are just circling back to arguments already discussed earlier in this thread.

BE80 champs no doubt in my mind this was an unforgivable shambles. BE should have done whatever necessary subsidy wise to keep it at Bramham 2025x

But the GoBE. Nope, sorry. Self entitled whining. It impacted a very few people in a very few classes at the beginning of the season when events were over subscribed. There is loads of opportunity throughout the year to do GoBE and in my opinion it’s a great initiative. Anyone who thinks a paying member should be balloted over a non paying member in the event oversubscription needs to give their head a wobble.

 

[canteron]

BE need to take a leaf out of racing book and make owning a bit of a horse available to more people - their racing clubs are well thought through.

This would give more people a real interest, get lots more money in the sport (owners who pay you to compete their horse are like gold dust) and therefore bring in the sponsors.

I am a part owner and BE give you nothing (well 4 issues of a magazine for £130pa) in any other sport you would be given some privileges/invitation opportunities

 

[LEC]

BE need to take a leaf out of racing book and make owning a bit of a horse available to more people - their racing clubs are well thought through.

This would give more people a real interest, get lots more money in the sport (owners who pay you to compete their horse are like gold dust) and therefore bring in the sponsors.

I am a part owner and BE give you nothing (well 4 issues of a magazine for £130pa) in any other sport you would be given some privileges/invitation opportunities

There are a few mass syndicate horses but it’s never quite worked. I suspect because there is no money in it while Owners Group has 3500 participants on a horse a year. I just think it’s hard to get those numbers eventing. Then OG spend serious money on their comms and videos. It’s just a different level and seriously slick, but they have what 50 horses in training? So mass syndication stacks the numbers up when some of the horses are not that good. Sjing interestingly doesn’t do it at all and would be a better model for it IMO.