New rules for young eventers

Pony Club achievements will now count towards British Eventing qualification, in line with new British Eventing rules.

A qualification process, akin to that used for CCI and CIC competitions, will ensure young riders compete at the right level, and their Pony Club results as well as their British Eventing records will be recognised. “The Pony Club and British Eventing will now go hand in hand, rather than being one or the other,” explained a British Eventing spokesperson.

Instead of the former BE accreditation process, where young riders proved their capability to an accredited trainer before affiliating, they now simply register with a regional coordinator or chairman of selectors, depending on the level they wish to compete at (see below). “Accreditation was just one person’s opinion and riders had to pay for a lesson in order get it,” said a spokesperson for British Eventing. “This way we create a huge area of growth within the sport.”

JRN coordinators, according to British Eventing, are delighted at the prospect of so many more riders from which to select their regional teams. But the system will not suffer fools; “The riders will only qualify for higher levels if they are competent and consistent at lower ones, just like at senior level,” said the spokesperson.

Qualification criteria for 16-and-unders

Pre-novice

Riders must have completed two clear rounds cross-country with no more than 12 show jumping penalties at intro level or Pony Club level 3, as recorded in the rider’s Pony Club log book. Riders will be required to send photocopies of the relevant pages with their entries to the Registration Department of British Eventing. Qualifications are for horse and rider combinations, thus riders with more than one horse or pony must meet the criteria on each.

Novice

Riders must have competed three pre-novices with no cross-country jumping penalties and a maximum of 12 show jumping penalties. They must also have completed a JRN or JN with no more than 20 cross-country jumping penalties. In exceptional circumstances the JRN coordinators will be able to fast track riders onto the JRN programme. Riders will be required to send photocopies of the relevant pages with their entries as well as to the Registration Department of British Eventing. Qualifications are for horse and rider combinations, thus riders with more than one horse or pony must meet the criteria on each.

Intermediate

To compete at intermediate level, 16-and-unders must have notched up 5 clear cross-country rounds at novice level, and their horses must have three novice cross-country clears on record. Combinations must also have completed an OIu21 or an intermediate chosen by the Chairman of Selectors, with no more than 20 cross-country penalties.

Who to register with…

• Riders in the year of their 12th – 16th birthday on ponies, competing at BE novice level and want to be considered for the Pony European Team register with the Chairman of Pony Selectors
• Riders in the year of their 12th – 16th birthday on ponies, competing at Intro and Pre-Novice level register with their JRN coordinator
• Riders in the year of their 14th – 16th birthday on horses, competing at Pre-Novice and Intro level register with their JRN coordinator
• Riders in the year of their 14th – 18th birthday on horses, competing at Novice level and want to qualify for the JRN Championships register with their JRN coordinator
• Riders in the year of their 14th – 18th birthday on horses, competing at Intermediate level and want to be considered for the Junior European Team register with the Chairman of Junior Selectors .

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