The dreaded B word and impact upon competition plans...

[RachelFerd]

Reading the update on the British Eventing website today (which was a British Equestrian update originally), it has struck me that my long term (next 1-3 years) aim of competing abroad at 2/3* level, is probably no longer something I can realistically afford to do unless the new costs of moving horses to/from the EU dramatically reduce. I even had Ballindenisk roughly pencilled in as possibility for this summer, thinking that COVID was probably the largest blocker... but I suspect it is more likely that brexit costs will stop me.

Has it impacted other people's competition plans?

Do you think that we'll see major reduction in horses coming from the continent to compete at Olympia? Badminton/Burghley? Is Event Rider Masters even feasible with the added costs?

And do we think that there will be riders (particularly from the SJ/DR side) who will ultimately decide to move to the continent?

Or, do you think that significant improvements will get made to the current position, ultimately making travel easier again?

 

[teapot]

ERM has already lost its backing so won't be running.

I'm very interested to see the Badminton entries given Brexit, reduced prize money (£32K from £100k for the winner) and lack of prep runs (assuming season doesn't start until April).

 

[RachelFerd]

ERM has already lost its backing so won't be running.

I'm very interested to see the Badminton entries given Brexit, reduced prize money (£32K from £100k for the winner) and lack of prep runs (assuming season doesn't start until April).

I knew it had for this year, but future years?

 

[teapot]

I knew it had for this year, but future years?

Anyone's guess. I think the novelty wore off quite quickly. It also took the edge off decent events IMHO.

 

[millitiger]

I think more SJ riders will base themselves in Europe- I think quite a few do already.
Not sure about dressage riders as majority of top horses don’t compete very frequently anyway and there isn’t the price money on the same level as SJ to need to compete more frequently.

Badminton... I was hoping BE might be exploring how to get some prep runs sorted for those entering Badminton and only those riders.
I’d hope if you limited it to elite riders, you could test and control number of competitors and therefore the number of volunteers needed too.
Perhaps 2 events, just for Badminton entries at OI or AI level, wouldn’t be too difficult to organise.
I’m just not sure if BE have incentive to do that, as with Badminton running behind closed doors, there will be no revenue for BE from the event.

 

[rara007]

I was hoping to go over to Holland in April and France in July and October. I can’t work out as an amateur with a 4.5 tonne box what we’ll need to do and it certainly looks out of budget There isn’t a 3* or 4* driving event in the UK for singles and the sport’s at a pretty different level. It’s all a bit pants. I know it’s a very lucky opportunity to have had the chance to do a few abroad the last few years but taking away that option is massively going to change the dynamic of what we’re working for. If I was better at languages I’d be considering moving.

 

[RachelFerd]

I think more SJ riders will base themselves in Europe- I think quite a few do already.
Not sure about dressage riders as majority of top horses don’t compete very frequently anyway and there isn’t the price money on the same level as SJ to need to compete more frequently.

Badminton... I was hoping BE might be exploring how to get some prep runs sorted for those entering Badminton and only those riders.
I’d hope if you limited it to elite riders, you could test and control number of competitors and therefore the number of volunteers needed too.
Perhaps 2 events, just for Badminton entries at OI or AI level, wouldn’t be too difficult to organise.
I’m just not sure if BE have incentive to do that, as with Badminton running behind closed doors, there will be no revenue for BE from the event.

I wasn't thinking about the COVID impact - the long term impact of Brexit. If it costs ~£4000 to get here from France, will we see French runners any more? Or will they stick to Luhmuhlen and Pau and stay away (not just 2021 - the future in general, post COVID...)

 

[RachelFerd]

I was hoping to go over to Holland in April and France in July and October. I can’t work out as an amateur with a 4.5 tonne box what we’ll need to do and it certainly looks out of budget There isn’t a 3* or 4* driving event in the UK for singles and the sport’s at a pretty different level. It’s all a bit pants. I know it’s a very lucky opportunity to have had the chance to do a few abroad the last few years but taking away that option is massively going to change the dynamic of what we’re working for. If I was better at languages I’d be considering moving.

That's so frustrating - I hadn't realised that the UK doesn't have top level driving events for singles. Some of the suggestions I've read sounds like the idea of driving your own horse to the continent is pretty much out of question now - you'll need professional transporter with the correct licenses (and associated costs )

 

[hottoddy]

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I was hoping to go over to Holland in April and France in July and October. I can’t work out as an amateur with a 4.5 tonne box what we’ll need to do and it certainly looks out of budget There isn’t a 3* or 4* driving event in the UK for singles and the sport’s at a pretty different level. It’s all a bit pants. I know it’s a very lucky opportunity to have had the chance to do a few abroad the last few years but taking away that option is massively going to change the dynamic of what we’re working for. If I was better at languages I’d be considering moving.

Have a chat with Parker's? They've taken several boxes down (with another transporter too) to the sunshine tour and commented all went smoothly throughout.
Might have info they can impart to help you?

 

[millitiger]

I wasn't thinking about the COVID impact - the long term impact of Brexit. If it costs ~£4000 to get here from France, will we see French runners any more? Or will they stick to Luhmuhlen and Pau and stay away (not just 2021 - the future in general, post COVID...)

I think eventers will still come over for the 5* events in the UK, the same way elite riders pay to travel to Kentucky which would still be more expensive.
I think if you were running a 5* horse, the additional cost compared to your yearly costs anyway, aren’t exactly huge.

dressage we don’t see many foreign riders come over anyway, maybe see less at Olympia. Same with SJ, they usually come for HOYS and Olympia so may see a few less.

 

[sportsmansB]

Several of the costs included in the £4k are annual or longer fees- so if someone was travelling back and forth regularly (or using a shipper rather than doing it themselves) it wouldn't be £4k each time.
It is still A LOT more money though

 

[LEC]

My friend is a pro transporter and said its £2k a horse roughly each way. She has been shipping horses out on the sunshine tour. Says its an absolute nightmare, not sure what people thought it was going to be like or that it wouldn't impact them when Brexit arrived. People seem genuinely shocked that its horrendous and expensive. We chose to leave the customs union.....

I think the big events will end up enticing entries from abroad with subsidies. The numbers at Kentucky of Europeans are low and those either have very rich owners or federations contribute.

I always had a dream of competing at Haras du Pin but that seems impossible now due to the additional costs. It will be a huge impact on events like Ballendenisk which top up nearly 50% of its entries via UK.

I think we will see more sjers having European bases as it doesn't make any sense to be in the UK. A fair few already have European bases.

 

[teapot]

I think eventers will still come over for the 5* events in the UK, the same way elite riders pay to travel to Kentucky which would still be more expensive.
I think if you were running a 5* horse, the additional cost compared to your yearly costs anyway, aren’t exactly huge.

dressage we don’t see many foreign riders come over anyway, maybe see less at Olympia. Same with SJ, they usually come for HOYS and Olympia so may see a few less.

Not sure you can compare flight costs to entering the UK costs even now.

My friend is a pro transporter and said its £2k a horse roughly each way. She has been shipping horses out on the sunshine tour. Says its an absolute nightmare, not sure what people thought it was going to be like or that it wouldn't impact them when Brexit arrived. People seem genuinely shocked that its horrendous and expensive. We chose to leave the customs union.....

I think the big events will end up enticing entries from abroad with subsidies. The numbers at Kentucky of Europeans are low and those either have very rich owners or federations contribute.

Numbers at Kentucky are always low because of flight costs, and the associated quarantine requirements. The BEF simply couldn't afford to send 10/15 riders out every year. I believe the EHOA still donates a LOT to flights, both human and horse.

If Covid continues to impact on flight corridors, riders trying to get back for Badminton could find it harder too. Kentucky to Gloucestershire won't be a 24hrs job anymore.

 

[rara007]

We’re in contact with pedens who we use for the euro tunnel And the BEF are putting on a zoom meeting to discuss. All academic until travel restrictions lift as a non Olympic sport we’re not elite but really crossing fingers that’ll ease soon!

Would strongly recommend Le Pin- that was the first venue we went to organising it ourselves. That’s my July planned trip (the week before the eventing).

 

[millitiger]

Not sure you can compare flight costs to entering the UK costs even now.

I know, that’s why I said Kentucky is still more expensive for European riders than coming to the UK, even with the Brexit costs taken into account