British Eventing is delighted to announce a new Championship for amateur grassroots riders competing at Novice level, to be held during the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park in August 2015.
Whilst the existing British Novice Championship runs at Intermediate level, this new Restricted Championship will be a true Novice test, with a brand new cross country course to be designed by Captain Mark Phillips and built by the Willis Brothers.
British Eventing had received feedback from Members about the lack of a Novice level Championship and is pleased that amateur riders’ aspirations will now include the opportunity to compete at a prestigious Championship venue.
“I am very much looking forward to welcoming this new group of riders to the Festival of British Eventing next year. It is always a pleasure to design a new cross country course and I am already mulling over ideas, building stone walls and moving dirt” said Captain Mark Phillips.
The qualifying period for the 2015 National Restricted Novice Championships runs from 1st July 2014 – 30th June 2015. Horse and rider combinations must finish in the top 10% at any Novice, Open Novice, Intermediate Novice, CIC1* or CCI1* during this period, excluding u18 Novice classes and Pony Trials. Horses can be Grades II, III or IV and riders will need to be in the year of their 19th birthday in 2015, or older.
In keeping with the amateur, grassroots nature of the Championship, riders must not have completed an Intermediate class in the current or preceding five years, and not completed an Advanced class in the current or preceding 10 years.
Mike Etherington-Smith, BE Chief Executive, said of the new initiative: “British Eventing is very grateful to Captain Mark Phillips and the team at the Festival of British Eventing for supporting this new Championship, which will provide an exciting new opportunity for our less experienced riders.”
Full qualifying criteria will be available on the British Eventing website in due course.
