2024 EVENTING INFORMATION
Eventing is made up of three disciplines, Dressage, Show Jumping and Cross Country; at a One Day Event the disciplines are ridden in this order. The penalty points incurred by a competitor in each of the three phases are added together to give a final score for the whole competition, the competitor with the least points being the winner. A competitor disqualified or eliminated in one phase is eliminated from the whole competition. It is normally the rule that if a rider is eliminated in the show jumping phase they are not allowed to participate in the cross country.
It is highly recommended that you visit www.pcuk.org to download a copy of the current Pony Club Eventing Rules. The Rule Book contains the rules for all Pony Club run Eventing and Arena Evening competitions, plus eligibility criteria for the various levels at Area competitions.
PLEASE NOTE – When agreeing to be part of an AREA TEAM, members must ensure that they are available to participate at the National or Regional Championships, should their Team secure a qualification. 20 January, Area Arena Eventing Spring Qualifier, Easton College 16 June, Area 70cm Eventing Qualifier (plus Gosling Cup) Ickworth Park 7 July, Area Eventing Qualifier, 80, 90, 100cm & Chairman’s Cup, Isleham
PC Chairman’s Cup – now in its second year, this is a team and individual competition for 2024. At the Championships there will be a trot up prior to the Dressage phase. The show jumping will take place on the final day, in reverse order of placings. Lots of prizes including one for the Best Dressed Rider in the trot-up and Best Turned-out Horse. Area qualifier on 7 July at Isleham.
Area 8 BIBEAZ LEAGUE – Points to be gained in ODE competitions 70, 80, 90 & 100 for top ten placings throughout the year, with rosettes and prizes for the overall winners. Points to be awarded as follows: 1st place 10 points; 2nd place 9 points; and so on to 10th place 1 point. If a place is taken by a rider who is not an Area 8 PC member, the points will pass down. Riders must state their Branch on entering the event. Riders must complete the XC with 20 penalties or less to earn points. Events included (so far) are indicated by Area 8 BL on the competition dates given below. (Area/Grassroots Eventing, Gosling Cup and Championships are not included in the Bibeaz Area 8 PC Eventing League)
ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL AREA COMPETITIONS AND THE CHAMPIONSHIPS
To be able to represent your Pony Club at ‘Area Competitions’ all Competitors must be members of the N&T Pony Club.
The combination of horse/pony and the PC member need to have been instructed by the relevant ‘Discipline/Sport Trainer’ at least once to be considered for that team.
Both the horse/pony and the PC member need to have attained at least 3 rally points since 1st July 2023, with the minimum of 1 being in current year, 2024.
N.B. At least 1 of these points has to be attained by both the horse/pony and the PC member attending either PC Camp or an activity advertised as a ‘Rally.’
RALLY POINTS EXPLAINED
Camp counts as 1 Rally point.
Any number of points can be gained by –
Attending any activity which is advertised as a ‘Rally’ – 1 point each Rally.
Which includes the following –
Gymkhana Rallies – 1 point each Rally.
Katie Barrett Technical Training Rally – 1 point for each TT Rally.
Attending any Area 8 Training – I Rally Point
The other 2 remaining points that are needed can be attained by a combination of the following –
Up to 2 Rally points can be gained by –
Katie Barrett’s ‘GROUP’ XC instruction Rally – 1 point for each XC Rally.
Up to 2 Rally points can be gained by –
John Adams ‘GROUP’ or individual Show Jumping Rally – 1 point for each SJ Instruction.
Up to 2 Rally points can be gained by –
Fiona Van Tuyll individual Dressage instruction – 1 point for each Dressage Instruction.
It is vital that you have all complied with these qualifications otherwise you will not be able to compete and that would be terribly sad for all of us.
N.B. Your DC has discretion in the case of those who are working or in further education.
Calendar of Events – the below list will be regularly updated as competition and training dates become advertised; also check Area 8 website for updates https://branches.pcuk.org/area8/
XC TRAINING WITH KATIE BARRETT
Dates will be shown here as they become known, with booking via the ‘Booking Events’ tag on the N&TPC website. Monday 19 February – Technical Training and Pole Work at Palace House for Juniors and Seniors Saturday 2 March – XC/Arena Eventing schooling at Horseheath CANCELLED Sunday 14 April – XC Training at Isleham XC Course, in small groups – essential for those hoping to compete in the Areas. Sunday 19 May – XC Training at Ickworth Park, in small groups Tuesday 28th May – Rally, Horseheath – including Team Ride practice for Gosling Cup. Friday 14 June – Rally, Horseheath – including Team Ride practice for Gosling Cup.
XC Competition Dates- including EVENTING, ARENA EVENTING and HUNTER TRIALS – also look at horse-events.co.uk for dates:
JANUARY 2024
20th – Barrier Animal Health Spring Qualifier, Area 8, Arena Eventing
Venue: Easton College, Easton, Norwich NR9 5GA. Organisers: Waveney Harriers PC
FEBRUARY
24th – 25th – Barrier Animal Health Spring Festival Championships, Arena Eventing (being held alongside the Dressage and Show Jumping Finals, for full details of qualification please see www.pcuk.org)
Saturday 24th – PC70 & PC80 Arena Eventing
Sunday 25th – PC90 & PC100 Arena Eventing
Venue: Arena UK, Lincolnshire. Organisers: The Pony Club
MARCH
10th – One Day Event Area 8 BL
Venue: Poplar Park. Organisers: Easton Harriers
24 March – Hunter Trial, 60cm, 80cm, 90cm – Area 8 BL80 & 90 only
Venue: Isleham Organiser: Soham & District PC
APRIL
7th – N&TPC Easter Tetrathlon/Triathlon & Hunter Trial
Venue: Horseheath. Organisers: N&TPC
28th – Suffolk Hunt PC ODE Area 8 BL
Venue: Ickworth Park Organisers: Suffolk Hunt PC
MAY
12th – Soham & District PC ODE , 80cm, 90cm, 100cm Area 8 BL
Venue: Isleham. Organisers: Soham & District PC
JUNE
2nd – Essex North PC ODE Area 8 BL
Venue: Berwick Farm Organisers: Essex North PC
16th – The Gosling Cup & 70cm Eventing Qualifier
Venue: Ickworth Park. Organisers: Suffolk Hunt Pony Club
N.B. If you are chosen to represent the N&TPC in a 70cm Team at the Area 8 Eventing Qualifier, you must be available to compete at the Regional Championships (24-25 August at Aston-le-Walls, Oxfordshire) if your Team qualifies.
The Gosling Cup began in 1945 and was the brainchild of Mrs. Gosling, the then DC of the East Essex Hunt Pony Club, for her own branch and for teams from four adjacent branches. It now involves up to 24 teams of invited Pony Club Branches in Essex, Suffolk, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire. The competition is hosted by a different Branch each year.
In 2024 there will be four (rather than the original five phases) to this unique competition: The Team Ride; Dressage Test; Show Jumping; Cross Country (height 85cm and including a timed gate to negotiate and possibly a slip rail).
JULY
7th – Area 8 Eventing Qualifier 80/90/100cm & Chairman’s Cup
Venue: Isleham. Organisers: Soham & District PC
N.B. If you are chosen to represent the N&TPC in a Team at the Area 8 Eventing, you must be available to compete at the National Championships (9-18 August, Offchurch, Bury, Warwickshire) if your Team qualifies.
AUGUST
9th – 18th – The National Pony Club Championships (Dressage, Show Jumping, Eventing, Mounted Games, Polo)
Venue: Offchurch Bury, Royal Leamington Spa. Organisers: The Pony Club Office.
11th North Norfolk PC ODE Area 8 BL and Bloom Cup
Venue: Geldeston Hall Organisers: North Norfolk PC
21st – Essex and Suffolk PC ODE, 70cm only Area 8 BL
Venue: Waterhouse Farm Organisers: Essex and Suffolk
24th – 25th PC Regional Championships Eventing 70cm & 80cm
Venue: Aston-le-Walls, Banbury, Oxfordshire. Organisers:
SEPTEMBER
1st – Suffolk Hunt PC ODE, 70cm only Area 8 BL
Venue: Ickworth Park Organisers: Suffolk Hunt PC
15th – Mini ODE, 50cm, 60cm, 80cm, 90cm. Area 8 BL 80cm & 90cm only
Venue: Isleham Organiser: Soham & District PC
22nd Easton Harriers PC, ODE Area 8 BL
Venue: Poplar Park Organisers: Easton Harriers PC
OCTOBER
13 October – Wilkinson Sword, Hunter Trial, 80cm, 90cm, 100cm
Venue: Isleham Organiser: Soham & District PC
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Levels of Competition – IMPORTANT see full Pony Club Eventing Rules at www.pcuk.org
The Dressage tests, height of Show Jumps and X-Country jumps used in Pony Club Eventing is show in detail in the 2024 Pony Club Eventing Rules – please read these for full details and any updates or amendments which may be introduced – below is purely to give you a brief outline of the heights of the courses you will be jumping.
DRESSAGE TESTS:
Remember – Gloves MUST BE WORN in Dressage
(dressage tests being used in 2024 can be found at www.pcuk.org)
SHOW JUMPING:
Note: Only one upright and one ascending spread obstacle may be included up to the maximum height. All other obstacles must be 0.05m below maximum height.
CROSS COUNTRY:
*At the Eventing Championships, the length of the course may be increased to 2,500-3,500m and the number of jumping efforts may be increased to 25-30.
**If building a new spread fence, it is recommended that the overall maximum spread does not exceed 1.25m
Below PC90, Organisers may reduce distances, speeds, heights and number of obstacles.
At PC70 there will be no penalties for going too slowly, but reverse time penalties will be applied for going too fast).
STOPWATCHES may be worn at PC90, PC100, PC Chairman’s Cup and PC110 levels.
No recording devices (e.g. head cameras) are permitted.
WHIP RULE – see www.pcuk.org for full details of use of the whip.
Dressage only – a whip of any length may be carried at PC70, PC80 –
NO WHIPS are allowed at PC90, PC100, PC Chairman’s Cup and PC110.
Show Jumping and Cross Country only – a whip, if carried, must be held in the hand by the handle with the handle at the top. The whip must be ‘padded.’ The maximum length of the whip is 70cm and must be no less than 45cm.
Should you have any queries with regards to Eventing please contact Eventing Team Trainer Katie Barrett on 07775 563028 or Eventing Secretary Pauline Stoddart at paulinestoddart@hotmail.com and we will do our very best to help you.
We wish you all the very best of luck for 2024!
Katie and Pauline
