CIC-style pre-novice to debut at Mattingley

The first ever CIC-style pre-novice will take place at Mattingley this season. Kbis Equine Insurance is set to sponsor the new class which will form part of the Mattingley One Day Event (19 – 21 May). A £100 first prize will be presented to the winner but the entry fee will still be the standard pre-novice amount.

Competitors will follow the international one-day event format, performing the championship pre-novice dressage test in the long arena. They will then tackle the cross-country course and finally the show jumping. Kbis is also sponsoring a presentation on the international format and a course walk on the Friday evening given by Olympic medallist Tiny Clapham.

Guy Prest of Kbis said: “We are very pleased to be supporting the first ever pre-novice international style CIC, it is a great step forward and truly innovative, something we pride ourselves on at Kbis.”

The competition is open to all pre-novice competitors and in order to contribute to the atmosphere of a full international event the organisers will present a charity ball on the Saturday night.

“We wanted to continue the policy of evolution which has made Mattingley so popular by creating change at all levels of the sport organised at our event,” joint organiser Richard Clapham explained. “The pre-novice level seemed ideal for this kind of event. In addition reverse order show jumping will provide an exciting finish for our sponsors and spectators alike, whilst also providing the competitors with a real experience of the pressures that can be felt on that all important final phase if an international competition.”

Ongoing improvements have been made to all three cross-country courses (intro, pre-novice and novice) including upgrading both the novice and pre-novice water fences, which incorporate the new Bill Kerr-sponsored Dew Pond.

As well as the intermediate novice section, run on the same format as the international pre novice section, there will be an open novice, novice, open pre-novice, pre-novice and intro.

“It is intended to be fun, educational and representative of the sport today. We are delighted that Kbis has joined this innovative format,” said Richard Clapham.

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