Scottish eventers have welcomed the news of numerous additions for the 2014 British Eventing (BE) season, after the loss of several high-profile fixtures in the past couple of years.
Wet weather battered Scottish venues last year, contributing to the loss of Central Scotland Horse Trials at Scone and Balcarres and Brechin Castle and Oatridge for the 2013 season.
Next season is now looking considerably healthier, with Central Scotland and Brechin Castle back on, as well as the addition of new international classes at Hopetoun (news, 12 September) and Floors Castle.
Auchinleck Horse Trials will also run from grass roots to novice, despite having a patchy record because of the weather.
“With costs being as high as they are, it’s nice not to have add on loads of extra fuel for a few events,” said Scottish four-star eventer Louisa Milne Home.
“We were really lacking when we lost Central Scotland.”
Central Scotland is back on the calendar, having moved to the new venue of Dalkeith Country Park, near Edinburgh, and will run in April (19-20) and July (19-20).
“It is great that Central Scotland has found a new site,” organiser James Oakden told H&H. “It was important that I didn’t let it die.
“I think BE has now done more than enough to plug some of the gaps lost.”
As well as the new Scottish events there have also been major additions to the calendar in northern England. There will be a new event at Warwick Hall near Carlisle. Belsay has added an intermediate and Burgham an advanced and CIC2* and CIC3* classes.
