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Horse & Hound’s useful guide to eventing levels in Britain

Pippa Roome Pippa Roome

    • There are six core eventing levels available to riders who compete in national affiliated eventing in Britain, which is run by British Eventing (BE).

    These levels offer a broad range of competition with cross-country fences from 80cm up to 1.20m, accommodating everyone from affiliated eventing first-timers up to serious professionals training for the Olympics.

    British Eventing (BE) levels

    BE80

    What it involves: the maximum height of fences at this introductory eventing level is 80cm on the cross-country and 85cm in the showjumping, with the recommendation that the first three showjumps are below maximum height to allow horses to gain confidence.

    Across country, combinations need to travel at 435 metres per minute (mpm) to avoid time-penalties and fences will ask basic questions of horse and rider. There are no specific BE80 dressage tests – these classes use BE90 dressage tests, which involve straightforward movements such as 20m circles, three-loop serpentines and free-walk on a long rein.

    Best suited to: those trying eventing for the first time, looking to build confidence or start out with a young horse. This is your ideal opportunity to give it a go, even if the thought of throwing yourself down the Burghley Leaf Pit or into the Badminton Lake gives you the shakes.

    More experienced competitors can only take part in these sections hors concours (HC) so they are “outside of the competition” and can’t be placed.

    Katie Brickman and Greenkeld’s Moondance jumping a cross-country fence in the BE90 eventing level grassroots championship at Badminton.

    Katie Brickman and Greenkeld’s Moondance competing in the BE90 grassroots championship at Badminton. Credit: Peter Nixon

    BE90

    What it involves: the second eventing level, with fences up to 90cm on the cross-country and 95cm in the showjumping, again with the recommendation that the start of the course is smaller. The required speed across country is a little faster – 450mpm. The same dressage tests are used as at BE80, with relatively basic movements.

    Best suited to: again, this is an introductory level, suitable for those who want to try out eventing or give a young horse experience. As at BE80, experienced competitors can only take part in BE90 classes HC and can’t be placed.

    BE100

    What it involves: you’ve got the hang of this now – the fences are up to 100cm on the cross-country and 1.05m in the showjumping, and the first three coloured fences should be below this height. The speed needed on the cross-country ramps up again, so it’s now 475mpm to avoid time-faults.

    In the dressage, the circles and half circles can be as small as 10m, you might be required to give and re-take the inside rein in canter and transitions will come up more quickly.

    Best suited to: this is the last true grassroots eventing level and the highest level of competition at which those in the year of their 14th birthday or older can start their BE journey without any prior qualifications (those in the year of their 12th or 13th birthday have to qualify at BE90 to ride at BE100). 

    Novice

    What it involves: at novice, the showjumps are up to 1.15m and the cross-country fences max out at 1.10m. This is the first level where a treble and a water tray are allowed in the showjumping and there will be at least one four- or five-stride related distance. The cross-country combinations will be more technical, with narrower fences and more testing lines and the speed required picks up again, to 520mpm.

    In the dressage, requirements across the tests include showing some medium trot and medium canter strides, a short section of counter-canter, rein-back, extended walk, leg-yield and a simple change of leg through trot.

    Best suited to: novice is perhaps a bit of a misleading name – this eventing level is quite a step up from BE100 and a fairly serious test, so is best suited to those with a solid foundation at the grassroots levels.

    Riders have to qualify at BE100 to take part. Horses can start eventing at novice if their rider is suitably qualified, but most will begin at the lower levels, even if they are ridden by a top professional. 

    Meghan Healy and Think It Over jump a fence on the intermediate level eventing cross-country course at Thoresby.

    Meghan Healy and Think It Over on the intermediate cross-country course at Thoresby. Credit: Peter Nixon

    Intermediate

    What it involves: maximum fence heights are 1.25m in the showjumping and 1.15m across country and again, the difficulty steps up in both phases. The required speed in the showjumping is 350mpm (325mpm at all levels below this) and across country it’s up to 550mpm.

    The showjumping will include both a double and a treble and at least one three- or four-stride related distance and the margin for error will decrease in the cross-country as the fences become more demanding. Movements such as shoulder-in, transitions from walk to canter, medium and collected trot and collected canter feature in the dressage.

    Best suited to: most riders at this levels are professionals, although the odd brave, skilled amateur will make it to intermediate. Riders and horses need qualifications at novice to move up to intermediate and both will need to be confident tackling large fences in quick succession on technical lines.

    Advanced

    What it involves: this is the top level of BE competition. Showjumps are up to 1.30m (and the speed has increased again to 375mpm) and cross-country fences can be as big as 1.20m, with a required speed of 570mpm. The technicality in both will be appropriately tough for this high level.

    In the dressage, horses and riders are asked for extended versions of all paces, half-pirouettes in walk, half-passes in trot and canter and flying changes.

    Best suited to: the bravest of them all – both horse and rider! Obviously horses and riders have to qualify at intermediate to move up to this top level and will need to be skilled, confident and well trained to succeed. 

    Open classes and age-restricted sections

    Open classes run with the same dressage tests and courses as regular sections, but those who are “over-qualified” for the level in terms of their previous experience or points won can take part and collect placings. There is one specific open intermediate (OI) dressage test, but OI classes can also be run using a standard intermediate test.

    Age-restricted sections are specific classes for riders under a certain age, for example under-18 classes are common up to novice level, under-21 classes at intermediate level and under-25 classes at advanced.

    Interim levels

    To accommodate those wishing to get a taste of a level above the one they are competing at, BE offers interim eventing levels of competition in which the dressage is the standard of difficulty of the class above, the showjumping is between the two heights or at the higher level and the cross-country is at the lower level.

    Interim competitions include:

    • BE100plus – novice dressage, showjumps up to 1.10m, BE100 cross-country
    • intermediate novice – intermediate dressage, showjumps up to 1.15m but with greater width, speed and technical requirements than at novice, and novice cross-country
    • advanced intermediate – advanced or advanced intermediate dressage (there is one specific advanced intermediate test) advanced showjumping, and intermediate cross-country
    • BE105 – novice dressage, showjumps up to 1.10m, but it is an unusual interim level in that it has its own cross-country course (with fences up to 1.05m) while the other interim levels all use one of the six standard cross-country courses

    Useful links

    FEI eventing levels

    Those wishing to compete in eventing at international levels are offered five tiers of competition. There are two types of FEI competition – one- (-S) and three-day (-L) – with both types offered at two-, three- and four-star. Qualifications at three- and four-star require pairs to compete at the short format of a level before stepping up to the long. At one-star and five-star, there is just one competition format.

    One-star

    What it involves: with showjumping fences up to 1.10m and cross-country maximum height of 1.05m, this is the introductory level of international competition. The dressage tests involve movements such as 10m circles in trot, 15m circles in canter, lengthened strides and leg-yield.

    Best suited to: first-timers at international level, who are competing successfully at BE100 and either BE105 or novice.

    Two-star

    What it involves: this is essentially international novice level with showjumps up to 1.15m and cross-country obstacles maxing out at 1.10m and the same speed required across country as BE novice (520mpm). Medium trot and canter, rein-back, short sections of counter-canter and give and retake the reins are typical in the dressage tests.

    Best suited to: those competing successfully at novice.

    Three-star

    What it involves: the international equivalent of national intermediate – showjumps are up to 1.20m and cross-country fences up to 1.15m, with a cross-country speed of 550mpm. The dressage tests feature the likes of extended walk and trot, collected trot and canter, shoulder-in and half-pass.

    Best suited to: pairs with a solid record at BE intermediate level and the appropriate international qualifications.

    Emily King and Jackpot jumping a cross-country fence on the CCI4*-S level eventing cross-country course at Bramham

    Emily King and Jackpot competing in the CCI4*-S at Bramham. Credit: Peter Nixon

    Four-star

    What it involves: four-star is roughly equivalent to BE advanced, with showjumps up to 1.25m and cross-country fences measuring a maximum of 1.20m. The required country speed is 570mpm. Flying changes come into the dressage tests at this level, as well as collected and extended versions of all paces and half-pirouettes.

    Best suited to: very experienced riders and horses with consistent results at BE advanced and the lower international levels.

    Five-star

    What it involves: the very top level of eventing. Showjumping is up to 1.30m and while the cross-country maximum height (1.20m) and speed required (570mpm) is the same as four-star, the brush can go bigger, the spreads are wider and the technicality of the test is increased, with the toughest of angles, the skinniest of skinnies and the most challenging lines.

    The dressage movements are much the same as at four-star, but they are placed through the routine in such a way that they are more difficult to execute well, with everything coming up more quickly and the sequence of movements designed to be more testing.

    Best suited to: the crème de la crème of the eventing world – this is an elite level that most can only dream about. Think the Wimbledon of the tennis world or the Champions League in football.

    Useful links

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    Pippa Roome
    Pippa Roome

    H&H magazine editor and eventing editor
    Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
    Pippa Roome

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