Express Eventing to run as series with final at HOYS

Express Eventing will run this year as a national series with a final on the new sixth day (Tuesday 4 October) of Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), organisers have revealed.

Last year’s event was for young riders only, but this year it is open to any combinations that qualify at four events over the summer.

Entrants must have completed the cross-country phase of two BE intermediate and/or FEI two-star events with a clear round and with no more than eight faults in the showjumping phase at the same events.

Entries will be ballotted to allow eight young riders and eight seniors to contest each qualifier, and the highest placed senior and young rider at each qualifier will go forward to the final at HOYS.

Each qualifying event has a pot of £10,000 and the final will have a prize-fund of £40,000, with £12,500 to the winner.

Extra day at HOYS

With the addition of Express Eventing, HOYS will run for six days for the first time — from Tuesday, 4 October to Sunday, 9 October.

A number of showing classes and championships have been reallocated to take place on the Tuesday, including the Cuddy working hunter of the year, the Comfort Zone small show hunter of the year, Guy Fawkes III intermediate show hunter of the year championship and the SEIB Search for a Star classes for cobs, hunters, riding club show horse and riding horses/hacks.

Visitors who have already bought tickets for HOYS will have the chance to exchange their tickets for the Tuesday. For more information and the complete timetable visit: www.hoys.co.uk

Mary King and Oliver Townend tell H&H what they think of the changes to Express Eventing and find out where the qualifying rounds are being held in today’s magazine (3 March, 2011)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now