The eventing season is upon us: 7 opportunities you shouldn’t miss
With just a few days until the affiliated eventing season kicks off, here’s some competitions you won’t want to miss out on.
Eventer trial
Date: 4 March
Venue: Keysoe, Bedfordshire
Details: “Classes from 70cm to 1m with the option to compete with or without the dressage phase. All phases are on all-weather arenas. The jumping phases will consist a British Eventing (BE) equivalent single phase showjumping track indoors, followed immediately in outdoor arena by a short course of portable cross-country fences. This will typically be five fences below the maximum height followed by five at the maximum. Fences will be laid out to allow a reasonable pace, and to have some feel of being cross-country, not working hunter.”
Arena eventing
Date: 4 March
Venue: Field House, Stafford
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Details: “Classes from 65cm to 1m. All classes are open to juniors and seniors. The competition will consist of showjumps, permanent and portable cross-country fences. An optimum time will be set for the cross-country section. All optimum times will be displayed prior to the start of each class.”
Blyth Tait eventing clinic
Date: 5-6 March
Venue: Alnwick Ford Equestrian, Morpeth
Details: “Blyth is a former double eventing World and Olympic champion. There are two options – either a showjumping lesson or cross-country lesson (if the weather does not allow for schooling in the field, this will be simulated in the arena).”
Ben Hobday arena event
Date: 12 March
Venue: Todburn Equestrian Centre, Morpeth
Details: “Classes from 60cm to 95cm. This competition is a really useful way to practice all three phases of eventing at the start of the year in a competitive format. Dressage and showjumping with cross-country fences. All on a surface, with individual times for competitors. Ride a dressage test, then move immediately onto the showjumping and simulated cross-country course. We will allow competitors to ride their test in jumping equipment and boots. This class is designed as a great warm up for the eventing season, and will be a points series with the winners receiving a free lesson from Ben Hobday!”
One-day event
Date: 12 March
Venue: Moreton Equestrian Centre, Dorchester
Details: “Classes from 80cm to 1m using our updated cross-country course. We welcome competitors for a day of competing using our 80cm to 1m tracks.”
Eventing in the south-east
Date: 19 March
Venue: Codham Park Equestrian, Braintree
Details: “Classes from 50cm to 90cm, open to horses and ponies.”
Hunter trial
Date: 25 March
Venue: Foresterseat Cross-country, Perth
Details: “Organised by Fife Foxhounds, this hunter trial has classes from 60cm to 1m with junior and adult sections.”
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Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.