What level do you start off at BE?

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Since the introduction of smaller classes? I've done quite a bit of BE100 (or PN as it was called then!) but not for a few years. There are now these smaller classes so I now find myself wondering if I will do BE80 or BE90 but wouldn't have had the option with my old horses so had to get on with it!

What do people do generally and with young horses in particular? Do folks tend to work up from BE80 or just do a couple of 90s and aim straight for PN?

Also, have the bigger classes actually got bigger / more technical or an I just being a wimp? If so, are there particular areas in which they have got more difficult?

Thanks
 
When I first started eventing the entry point was pre-novice. Yes, I do think the courses are more difficult now. The courses for XC were upto height but definitely did not require such accurate riding or ask as many technical questions as they do now. My entry point would now would be BE90 for a young horse.
 
When I produced my youngster I did a couple of 80s then up to 90. She's a nice horse and plenty of scope but I wanted to give her a super easy confidence building run.

We quickly moved to 90 and finished the season at 100.

A really nasty fall the start of this season and we're now back at 80 because I lost my nerve and that transferred to her and she started stopping. It's a bit depressing!
 
I've not evented before so really just playing it by ear, obviously it depends alot on the horse but this is what i've done;

I did a few runs at UA 80 last year, then did a couple of UA 90'S at the beginning of this year and then registered her with BE and just went out at 90. Have done two BE90's and a few of the Aston/ Tweseldown UA series and have 3 BE's left; Hoping to get our last MER at Bricky in a fortnight and then do the 100 at Tweseldown and then 90 at Bovington to finish.

My reasoning was, I didn't want to register BE until she was consistent/ confident enough to make it worth it which then co-incided with being ready for 90. Doing a few of the UA ATClassic series just worked better for us date/ prep wise this year but it does mean shes had 7 runs at 90 this year, clear XC at 6 of them, but only has 1 MER - She's almost ready for 100 but I obviously can't enter any yet!
 
You may well find you can't go straight to BE100 (PN) now because of the minimum eligibility requirements. It does depend on what your previous experience is but probably best to check the rule book and see what you are eligible for.
 
I tend to do a few unaffiliated XC events first then once no issues I would start at BE80 but only intend to do a couple probably before moving up to 90 and beyond. I find BE very expensive so would rather have a confident giving couple of runs first to ensure horse is happy with no issues at all (any stops XC or anything then I would do more unaffiliated before returning to BE). Im unsure if higher level courses have got harder, last time I did a CIC* was 5 years ago so cant really compare. I think they're pretty technical from novice onwards, whereas BE80 is very straight forward so there is a pretty clear increase in technical level as you go up.
 
As people have mentioned, BE have introduced MERs for 100 level now. You can still start at 90, there's no need to do 80 - and if you have previous MERs for higher levels you don't need to go back and requalify (I think, I'd double check with BE if yours are from a while ago).

Some courses are introducing more and more technicality at lower levels, due to the increasing number of people who only want to do grassroots. In general, there are more skinny fences than previously and more 'showjumping' style lines - big table to corner on a curving line wouldn't be out of place. However, I've not seen a proper coffin on course anywhere recently!

I would start at 90 with a young horse.
 
One level lower than I was schooling at.
So if schooling over BE100 fences then BE90 would be sensible for first run. If BE90 then 80. If schooling over BE80 then I would do some more training. Reason behind this is horse likely to go green with all the sights and sounds so best to have some jump in reserve.
That said I started at Novice in 2000. Knew nothing about eventing then and had a bit of a shock when I got to first comp.
 
I was always told to have them jumping a lot bigger at home and in training than you will find in the competition, so to the horse the fences will look small, and so will be able to cope with the height easily and it will be fun. I think I would start at 80, just to ease yourself back in, have a couple of good runs and then move up hopefully.

I was eventing when it was Novice, Intermediate and Advanced and I turned up to a Novice ODE and had never seen show jumps as huge, they were all maximum height - well looked it anyway.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Apologies for slight thread hi jack, but what are the MERs for BE100?

My homebred's young rider has been advised by her trainer to aim her for BE100s and Young Rider classes next season, based on how she is schooling, but she has only competed at BE80 up to now.
Click to expand...

2 MERs at BE90 - fewer than 50 pens dressage, 16 pens SJ, no XCJ pens, up to 30 XC time pens.

Look at page 12 and 15 of the BE rule book. If young rider has those MERs from previous horses/has competed at a higher level prevously and is older than 12/13, she doesn't need to redo MERs with your horse.
 
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