After the huge success of the brand new Veteran Horse and Rider Championships last year, British Dressage and the Veteran Horse Society are excited to be running this popular series for a second year.
Kindly supported by Norfolk-based equestrian feed manufacturer, Allen & Page, this is an exciting opportunity for riders and horses who are still fighting fit and active as they get a little older.
For horses foaled in 2001 or earlier, the Veteran Horse Championships has two sections – one for horses aged 15-19 and one for those aged 20 and over, and the Veteran Rider Championship is for competitors aged 55 and over.
The Championships will take place at Vale View in Leicestershire, 14-16 October 2016.
What levels do they run at?
- Intro
- Prelim
- Novice
- Elementary
- Medium
- Advanced Medium
- Prix St Georges (15-19 years only)
Who can compete?
- Both the Veteran Horse and Veteran Rider Championships are open to existing BD/Quest Club members or anyone who has never competed BD before who wants to give it a go.
- They are run under BD/Quest rules and combinations must be eligible for the level at which they wish to compete.
- The Veteran Horse Championship is open to all horses age 15 or over. Age is taken from 1 January in the year in which they were born.
- The Veteran Rider championship is open to all riders aged 55 or over at the time of obtaining qualifying scores on horses four years old or over.
- The Veteran Championships will be open to combinations competing in the Gold section that do not achieve Gold Regional qualification at the relevant level or higher in the current or preceding calendar year, regardless of whether or not the combination take up their Regional qualification.
- PSG Section at the Veteran Championships for 15 – 19 year old horses only. Combinations may qualify from Silver or Gold Sections; however, they become ineligible once they qualify for a PSG Regional Championship. The same qualification principle as above will apply.
What do I need to be a member of to be able to qualify?
- To qualify for the Veteran Horse Championships, riders need to be a minimum of a paid BD Quest Club member (£25) on an Associate (free) horse with BD. All horses must also be associate registered with the Veteran Horse Society (VHS). This allows the combination to compete at Intro and Prelim levels. Novice or higher will require class tickets to compete.
- To qualify for the Veteran Rider Championships, riders need to be a minimum of a paid BD Quest Club member (£25) on an Associate (free) horse with BD. This allows the combination to compete at Intro and Prelim levels. Novice or higher will require class tickets to compete.
- BD will provide two free class tickets to anyone who is not a full member with BD who would like to try and qualify at Novice and above.
How do I qualify?
- Qualification period is between 1 December 2015 and 30 September 2016.
- A horse and rider combination need to achieve two scores at 60% or above in regular BD or Quest competitions at the level they wish to compete at.
- By achieving the two scores this gives direct qualification to the championships.
What shows can I get my scores at?
- Scores can be gained in any regular BD affiliated or Quest competitions. To see a list of competitions, please visit the competition area.
- Score sheets from Area Festivals, Regionals, Championships, Quest Regionals or National finals may not be used towards qualification.
Can I compete at different levels?
- Combinations may compete and qualify at different levels but can only compete in two levels/classes at the final.
- Combinations can compete and qualify for both the Veteran Horse and Veteran Rider Championships however they will need to gain two different sets of scores for each championship i.e. two scores for the Veteran Horse and two different scores for the Veteran Rider
What do I do once I have qualified?
- Once you have achieved your two qualifying scores for either the Veteran Horse/Rider, you need to email Karen Beaumont in order to log that you are qualified.
- You will then receive an invitation to the final after the qualifying period has ended.
What happens at the final?
- The final will take place at Vale View Equestrian Centre (Leics) 14-16 October 2016
- At the final, each level (i.e. Intro, Prelim etc.) will be split into three sections:
- Horses aged 15 -19 years old
- Horses 20 years or over
- Riders 55 or over
Prizes will be awarded in each of the three section at all levels
Do I have to upgrade my memberships to compete at the final?
- All riders in either the Veteran Horse or Veteran Rider Championships must be a Full BD member with a minimum of an Associate horse registered with BD.
- Horses qualifying for the Veteran Horse Championships must be fully registered with the Veteran Horse Society; this will include needing to provide the passport for over-stamping.
I still have questions, who should I contact?
- Karen Beaumont at British Dressage - email or 02476 698909
- Julianne Aston at the Veteran Horse Society - email or 01239 623594
Photo courtesy of Trish Wright