Ahead of Badminton starting next week please can I ask you to locate your membership card and enamel badges if you are planning to use the onsite EHOA hospitality marquee. If you are unable to find your membership card – I can easily issue you a new electronic version.
It will be possible to purchase a replacement enamel badge at the marquee during the week. Please see the team at the Welcome desk.
Very much looking forward to seeing many of you next week.
Two events running this weekend:
Cirencester Park:
Directions – The entrance to the park is located at Two Mile Lodge on the A419 Stroud Road. Please do not rely on your Sat Nav, you must follow the yellow AA signs to the event. Once in the park there will be directional signs leading you to the parking areas, please observe the parking attendants.
There is no limit on owners! Registered owners of horse(s) competing will be able to gain entry to the horse trials using the QR code provided with their British Eventing membership. For owners registered with an overseas federation, please email info@musketeer.co.uk
Hospitality on offer for all three days – come and say hi and if you are unsure about your membership status I will be on venue Saturday and Monday – see you there!
Bradwall Manor:
Entrance policy – BE members will be admitted free of charge. All other spectators will be charged £10 per person, children under the age of 12 years are admitted free
Just a heads up that there are still a few tickets available for the Coronation Drinks reception being held in the EHOA hospitality marquee. You can purchase your tickets here
If you are interested in following the 5* competition in America at the Kentucky Horse Park, it is possible to watch here. There are a number of EHOA owned horses competing.
Good luck if you are out and about eventing in the coming days and I hope to see some members at Badminton next week.
Events taking place this weekend and early next week are:
Kelsall Hill – Kelsall Hill Equestrian Centre, Organsdale Farm, Kelsall, Middlewich Road, Cheshire, CW6 0SR For all up to date information relating to the event this weekend please visit the website: https://kelsallhill.co.uk/about-us/horse-trials/
Forgandenny – Baxterknowe Farm, Perth, Forgandenny, Perthshire, PH2 9EY The Organisers are looking forward to welcoming all connections of competing combinations. The programme is available for downloading here:
Solihull – Solihull Riding Club, Four Ashes Road, Bentley Heath, Solihull, Bentley Heath, West Midlands, B93 8QE Volunteers are still needed for the event – please email alex@solihullridingclub.co.uk or phone 01564 770180 if you can help – thanks.
Horseheath – Horseheath Racecourse, Horseheath, Cambridgeshire, CB21 4QF The conditions at Horseheath are great and the going is perfect and the organisers are very much looking forward to welcoming everyone at the weekend. Any last minute updates can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/HorseheathHT
Calmesden – Ampney Down Farm, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 5EU Just a note from the Organisers to park in the designated parking field which is next to the show jumping arena would be much appreciated.
As always results are on www.eventingscores.co.uk and the British Eventing website.
After two challenging 4* legs at Thoresby and Burnham Market it is only the impressive syndicate-owned Valmy Biats, ridden by Emily King that has gained points in both legs completed to date and takes the lead in both the League and under-28 prize categories. Valmy Biats and Brookfield Cavalier Cruise, who belongs to Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry and is ridden by Piggy March, opened their respective scoresheets with a win apiece at Thoresby. Dacapo, owned by Gillian-Morris Adams, Diana Chappell and Carolyn Taylor, and ridden by Laura Collett, triumphed at Burnham Market and entered the League jointly in second place with Brookfield Cavalier Cruise. Ros Canter has again positioned Kate James’ Pencos Crown Jewel high in the early season placings, ranking equal fourth in the current standings alongside Alexandra Robinson and Nigella Hall’s Red Kite, piloted by Harry Meade, and the indefatigable Vanir Kamira, owned by Trevor Dicken and ridden by Piggy. With the top six placings divided by only 4 points, and with competing at Badminton the plan for several horses, it is all to play for as the 4* horses prepare for Chatsworth in early May.
Note that prizes are restricted to horses owned or ridden by EHOA members. So if you are not already a member of the EHOA join now to enjoy the League and a full year of hospitality at major UK eventing fixtures including Badminton, Chatsworth, Bramham, Bicton, Aston, Gatcombe, Burghley and more. Visit for more information: www.ehoa.org
Good luck to all those contesting the league in 2023 from The Board of the EHOA.
We are highly indebted to Jane Tuckwell and members of the Badminton organising team for their generous accommodation of the Event Horse Owners Association at Badminton 2023. We look forward to the spectacle that Badminton provides us with an enormous sense of anticipation and interest. The Association’s hospitality marquee will be located in its usual position by the Main Arena Collecting Ring and afford owners with great convenience and excellent viewing of the competitors’ preparations.
With a guarantee of the spectacle of the best eventing in the world, we look forward to seeing any of our members during the weekend and hope that they will utilise the food and refreshments provided on our behalf by the Relish catering firm. Over the course of the event the Marquee is to be well-used as, aside from members following the main competition via the screens and our dedicated Wi-Fi provision, or meeting up with friends, a number of other activities are scheduled to take place.
The EHOA and Shearwater Insurance Services Limited jointly support prizes for EHOA members competing in the Voltaire Design Grassroots Championships and we are likely to see some of these competitors collecting their awards from the marquee, as well as during the main prize-giving held on Thursday afternoon in front of Badminton House.
On Friday lunchtime, we are honoured to host the British Eventing Volunteers Awards Ceremony. Please join us to recognise the individuals who represent the thousands of people who make our sport happen, week in, week out, with only modest acknowledgement of their skills and the crucial roles they undertake.
On Friday evening, the launch of Gill Watson’s acclaimed eventing book will take place in our marquee, during a reception that is being organised with the support of the British Eventing Support Trust. EHOA members are welcome to register to attend. See the attached flyer.
Following dressage on Saturday 6th May the EHOA is planning a Drinks Reception to Celebration the Coronation of King Charles III. Please find attached an invitation to purchase tickets to attend. Members of the EHOA and their guests are invited to extend the day of national celebration and to partake in a glass of fizz, or a few, accompanied by delicious canapes. As we have to commission supplies well in advance, we urge members to book tickets by return, stating how many tickets they would like for their party. The cost is £25 per ticket per person (at cost) and an invoice will follow ticket requests. Given the hour, there is no formal dress code. Please email: theehoa@gmail.com
On behalf of all of the EHOA members, we wish everyone competing at Badminton all the best in their final preparations and success throughout the weekend. We particularly look forward to following EHOA connections’ horses and riders and to celebrating their successes with you at the end of the competition.
With very best regards,
Linda, Alex, Tor and the EHOA Board
Just an update from Burnham Market that sadly they have had to abandon the intermediate sections including the OI, that were due to run today.
So this afternoon we are waiting for decisions from the folllowing events to see if they are able to run tomorrow (Sunday).
We will update when we know more.
If you are at Burnham Market, the hospitality marque is open and we look forward to welcoming you. On offer we have lots of friendly banter, tea/coffee, delicious hot soup, sweets and if you’re quick donuts! A bonus for this year Musketeer after going to show the action from Aintree so come and watch the Grand National.
Events running this weekend are:
Burnham Market – Sussex Farm, Burnham Market, Norfolk, PE31 8JY
Special notice from the event – National classes must print numbers from Eventing Scores as these show the sponsors. International competitors must collect their numbers when they get their horses checked-in by the Vets.
EHOA have a hospitality tent onsite do pop in and say hi. If yu need to check your membership status you can do this on Sunday.
Eland Lodge – Eland Lodge, Draycott-in-the-Clay, Ashbourne, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 5HD
Should you require Disabled Parking this is available by prior arrangement please contact the secretary today: events@elandlodge.com it has a view of the cross country.
Oxstalls – Oxstalls Farm, Rodmarton Road, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL6 8HZ
If you would like your dressage sheets – Pleaseleave a SAE at the secretaries, or email oxstallsevents@gmail.com with your name, section, number and horse name within 2 weeks of the event.
Specific directions – The event will be signed from the A419 from both directions. DO NOT GO INTO FRAMPTON MANSELL. Take the turning by the Jolly Nice Farm shop towards Rodmarton, and the entrance is half a mile down there on the left.
Scores can be found on www.eventingscores.co.uk for all the events this weekend.
If you have entered the Voltaire Design Grassroots Championships at Badminton in either the BE90 or BE100 class or own a horse competing in either of these classes we would like to hear from you please.
See you at Badminton and wishing you the best of luck.
This weekend we head to the following venues for a weekend of eventing:
Larkhill – Knighten Down, Amesbury, Wilts SP4 8QT
Norton Disney – White Hall Farm, Norton Disney, Lincs LN6 9JR – please don’t forget your BE membership QR code – you could potentially be asked for it on the gate. Owners have their own car parking, please follow the directions on arrival. There is to be no Owners vehicles in the lorry park please. There will be a formal prize giving at the conclusion of every section just by the scoreboards, please listen out for it.
Breckenborough – Thirsk, Yorkshire YO7 4EL
Kirriemuir – Auchlishie Farm, Angus, DD8 4LS – hat tagging available from 7am on Sunday am and cross country course available to walk from 2pm on Saturday.
Results for all the above venues can be found on www.eventingscores.co.uk or www.britisheventing.com
Final note we are still on the look out for volunteers to help with the hospitality marque at Burnham Market – particularity on Friday. If you can help please send an email to: theehoa@gmail.com
Wishing you all a Happy Easter.
Dear EHOA members,
Those who were able to attend the meeting of owners called by Stuart Buntine in the competing owners/ EHOA guest facility at Thoresby will have recognised the challenges and threats to the support of eventing that he described. On their behalf, I would like to thank Stuart and the BEDE team for their work running up to and over the weekend to provide the competition in the beautiful Thoresby Estate setting that we have all so keenly looked forward to.
The meeting was precipitated by the unprecedented number of riders and owners deciding not to run horses in some or all of the 4* section phases on account of concerns about ground conditions, or personal reasons. For those who were not at the meeting, a synopsis of the discussions follow.
Continuous rain prior to the event had significant consequences for the lorry parking areas, the dressage and show jumping arenas and cross country tracks, despite the enormous amount of energy and investment applied by BEDE team to rectifying the problems, and the complete removal of the show jumping arena to drier ground. The organisers, whilst under substantial pressure from all angles including time, weather and rising costs, strived to provide competition for all levels of sport this weekend and the important preparation for those aiming for the spring 5 stars. Their efforts and the sacrifice of many lower order classes ensured reasonable cross country going on Sunday however, for ground concerns and other reasons, many 4* participants made the decision to withdraw. At no time is Suart pointing a finger at individual riders, but the event highlights a real challenge we have in the sport. Others agreed the ground was acceptable to them given the improving weather and on-going remediation of the issues and so they decided to participate in all phases. The 4* competition concluded with excellent wins and without any serious misadventure.
Stuart pointed out that in delivering these high visibility events on green field estate locations, there is an ever increasing cost. It is time that the sport has a long hard look at what it really wants long term and how we create a sustainable product that will continue. It is deeply concerning that there are less and less real Badminton prep events with the loss of Belton, Weston etc. The consequences of such reduced numbers completing the competition is that the organisers recognise and strongly emphasise that it is not sustainable for them to make these efforts to deliver a competition in testing circumstances and then have half the field not participate. As a result, the competitors whose classes were cancelled to ensure the best possible going for the top horses were seriously inconvenienced and dismayed, only for the sacrifice of those classes to be unnecessary given the reduced number of 4* competitors. The estate, sponsors, trade exhibitors, spectators and entertainers invest time and money and expect to have a positive outcome, and many were highly disappointed, with concerns for future participation the inevitable consequence.
Stuart invited attendees to comment on the circumstances of this particular weekend, and which leave the sport even more vulnerable than it already is, and then broadened the discussion to include the enormous issues that eventing faces and the potential for it to be changed out of all recognition if action is not taken. The ethical and societal challenges provoked by equestrian sport, the reducing availability of estate parkland venues, escalating costs and many more such major issues leave the sport at a highly critical juncture.
An active discussion ensued, and Stuart invited all those present to contribute their suggestions that will protect and enhance the sport through a collaborative forum representing all those involved with the sport. Around a dozen of the audience put their names forward as direct contacts for participation, whilst many others stated their wish to contribute or be informed of the discussions and the outcomes. There is a real need for key stakeholders including EHOA, ERA and BEOA to come together to work on solutions, as time is ticking and these issues need to be addressed as a priority to ensure we have a sport for the future.
If you wish to be informed or to participate in this forum please provide your name, principal category (owner/ rider/ parent etc etc) e-mail address and contact number by return.
Many thanks,
Linda and Alex
