British Eventing (BE) is the national governing body for the sport of eventing – a three-phase competition in which a competitor rides the same horse in the dressage, cross-country and showjumping phases – in Britain.
The responsibilities of BE include co-ordinating the calendar of affiliated events which take place each year and setting and maintaining the standards which fixtures must meet to be affiliated to BE. Some of these events will also be affiliated to the FEI, the international governing body for horse sport, if they run international classes.
British Eventing is a membership organisation with around 15,000 members, who pay an annual fee to join, with different categories of membership available such as full, owner, supporter and corporate memberships. Horses must be registered with BE to compete in affiliated events. Day ticket schemes allow riders and horses to try BE competitions without paying the full membership and registration costs.
BE is run by a non-executive board, whose members serve on a voluntary basis, and a team of full- and part-time paid staff who work either out of the headquarters near Kenilworth, Warwickshire, or regionally in the field. The chief executive is Jude Matthews. Hundreds of volunteers are also needed to run events, in roles such as dressage writers, cross-country fence judges and showjumping arena party.
Affiliated eventing in Britain was run by the British Horse Society until 1997, when the British Horse Trials Association (BHTA) was set up as an independent body. The organisation changed its name to British Eventing in 2001. Eventing is still sometimes known as horse trials.
BE is a member body of British Equestrian (previously known as the British Equestrian Federation and still shortened to BEF), which brings together sport organisations such as BE and its equivalents in the other Olympic disciplines (British Dressage (BD) and British Showjumping (BS)) as well as non-Olympic sport federations, industry bodies such as the British Grooms Association and the British Equestrian Trade Association and charities such as World Horse Welfare, the Riding for the Disabled Association and the British Horse Society.
The interim chief executive of British Eventing has responded to complaints that Chatsworth was not allowed to run an extra day of cross-country to accommodate its novice entries
‘We are as desperate as you are for problems to be sorted out because we love this sport as much as you do’
There are a number of notable additions and losses to the 2020 to 2025 calendar, which was released by British Eventing following much anticipation
British Eventing’s chief executive David Holmes has resigned after close to four years in the post
‘We did 135 BS classes and won 60% of them, and were in the top three in over 92% of them’
All horses arriving at affiliated events from 1 March must have had a flu booster vaccination within six months or they will be turned away
The event is to offer a £500 first prize in its novice class, £250 in each of two BE100 sections and £250 in the Onu18 class
British Eventing is also tightening up on sanctions for fallers who go home before visiting the on-duty doctor at events
Event riders planning to compete in BE80(T) classes next season need to read this...
Adults will have the chance to compete as part of a team in British Eventing’s new competition, which will be held at Weston Park in the autumn
The 2019 fixtures list brings new venues and classes to the calendar
The increase in British Eventing entry fees for 2019 has caused widespread outrage, but H&H's eventing editor asks if this is really justified
While opinions varied, there was an undisputable passion from all sides that they were there and raising their voices for the good of the “amazing sport”
Lucas was found still feeding from his emaciated mother who was in foal again
The organisation made the announcement today that entry fees and prize money are set to rise in 2019
Qualified combinations will ride for glory over the same pristine turf as eventing’s elite stars
The organisation has published its winter series calendar, featuring arena eventing and jump training, but has also announced there will be no JAS
The doctor misled British Eventing and ‘failed to provide an appropriate standard of care to patients with potentially life-threatening injuries’
‘With the long spell of dry weather it has been an unusually challenging time for both competitors and organisers’
British Eventing’s fixtures team is seeking replacement venues for the spring and autumn events
