Ready for the eventing season? 7 competitions to help you prepare
If you want to get a head start for the fast-approaching eventing season, here are some arena eventing competitions you need to enter
Clear round fun arena eventing
Date: 28 January
Venue: Diamond Equestrian, Leicester
Details: “This will be held in the outdoor school which is 60mx40m. Please state the height you would like to jump on the entry form and I will allocate you a time. If you need a time to suit you please put it on your entry form and I will try my best. Fences one to eight are showjumps and nine to 16 are cross-country fences and you jump two rounds — rosettes will be awarded to those who jump clear in the second round.”
Arena eventing challenge
Date: 29 January
Venue: Speetley EC, Chesterfield
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Details: “Pairs and individual classes from 65cm to 1m.”
Eventer trial
Date: 29 January
Venue: Keysoe, Bedfordshire
Details: “Classes from 70cm to 1m with dressage option. 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.”
Show cross
Date: 29 January
Venue: Northern Racing College, Doncaster
Details: “Classes from 70cm to 1.10m. There will be a minimum of 18 fences. The last fence of the showjumping will have an alternative and will be the joker fence — jump this and have 10 seconds deducted from your total time. Knock it down and have 10 added. You will then carry on over the cross-country fences and the whole course will be timed.”
Arena eventing
Date: 5 February
Venue: Epworth Equestrian, Doncaster
Details: “Classes from 80cm to 100cm+ with the option to do a dressage test too.”
Arena eventing
Date: 11 February
Venue: Field House, Staffordshire
Details: “Classes from 65cm to 1m.”
Arena eventing in the south-east
Date: 12 February
Venue: Brendon Pyecombe, Sussex
Details: “Classes from 70cm to 90cm with junior and senior sections, over a mixture of showjumps and cross-country fences. This unaffiliated event will run under BE/British Showjumping rules, with a total of 23-26 fences of which the first six fences will be knock-down followed by cross-country static fences. The course will be timed from fence seven onwards.There will be an optimum time for each class but this will only come into play on equality of final jumping penalties. The combinations nearest the optimum time will be placed.”
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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.