Four new eventing leagues, each with a £1,500 prize pot, are running this season, to give financial reward and recognition to up-and-coming horses.
The Dassett Eventing young horse league at Aston-le-Walls was developed to “support and reward the development of young event horses”.
The initiative gives competitors with five-, six-, seven- and eight-year-old horses the chance to compete for cash and other prizes. The leagues, one for each age, take in all the British Eventing fixtures this season; points will be awarded for wins and places at each and there will be prizes for the top three horses of each age.
“We have always been keen to support showcasing top young event horses, as that is what we specialise in producing,” Alice Rocher of Dassett Eventing told H&H.
“Since 2009, we have done the popular Dassett Eventing eight- and nine-year-old advanced class at Aston-le-Walls, and wanted to put on something different for riders producing young horses across all levels.
“Our aim is to provide recognition and financial rewards for those top young horses as they move through the grades. The Dassett Eventing Young Horse League has been created to encourage and reward riders producing young horses, providing extra motivation, recognition and financial support during these crucial early years of training and competition.
“With strong competition, exciting prizes and a full season of opportunities, the new league promises to be a major highlight of the Aston-le-Walls calendar.”
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Points can be collected in all classes from BE90 to advanced level (BE90 for five-year-olds, BE100 for six-year-olds, novice for seven-year-olds and intermediate for eight-year-olds), including open, under-18 and under-21 sections, and all international classes.
Fixtures run from 13-17 May, 10-12 July, 24-26 July and 13-15 August.
Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
