British Eventing (BE) has pulled the plug on Barbury Castle International Horse Trials for 2023 owing to new restrictions placed on international events.
The Wiltshire fixture is known for its feature CCI4*-S – one of the few events at this level in the British calendar – with past winners including household names such as triple five-star winners Avebury (who won the Barbury title on four occasions) and Headley Britannia, Luhmühlen winner Charly Van Ter Heiden, and top eventing stallion Upsilon.
A statement from organisers Musketeer Events on Saturday (25 February) said they hope “sense can prevail and the international can be reinstated” next year.
“It is with great sadness that we have to announce that BE has made the decision to terminate the affiliation agreement for Barbury Castle International Horse Trials and therefore remove the fixture from the 2023 BE and FEI eventing calendar,” said the statement.
“The current restriction placed on organisers by British Eventing within the new international fixtures affiliation agreement seeks to prevent venues that host international fixtures from hosting unaffiliated eventing competition during the year.
“At this stage we wish to be quite clear that our intention is to continue to run eventing competitions at Barbury throughout the 2023 season, including the Cotswold Cup qualifier from 14 to 16 July. We will also look to replace the international with an alternative fixture.”
Barbury’s 2023 affiliated fixture was set to run from 6 to 9 July at CCI3*-S and CCI4*-S, alongside national classes. This fixture will now be put out to tender with existing BE organisers.
“We are grateful for the continued support we have had from the estate and wish to thank sponsors, trade stands, officials and volunteers, and of course the riders, owners, and grooms who have all played such a big part in the development of the event over the years,” added the statement.
“Bring on the exciting Barbury fixtures for 2023 and let’s hope that sense can prevail and the international can be reinstated back into the calendar for the 2024 season.”
BE, which has experienced increasing competition from the unaffiliated market in recent years, cited “social licence” as its reasoning behind not allowing international venues to also host unaffiliated events.
BE chairman Mark Sartori said last autumn that international fixtures are the “crown jewels of our events” and that the BE board had decided that “if you’d like to run the crown jewels, you need to be supporting BE”. Affiliated venues can host Pony Club and riding club events.
The BE statement released on Saturday said it was “sad to confirm that Barbury will not be running a fixture in July 2023”.
It added that the organisation had hoped Barbury would use the GO BE series – events that fall under the BE umbrella, but results do not go on the official BE record – “but regrettably the organiser has opted not to”.
“The BE board determined that, in light of the increased spotlight on equestrian sport’s social licence to operate, venues holding international fixtures in 2023 would be required not to hold unregulated competitions,” it said.
“As the national governing body for eventing in the UK, BE is committed to delivering a consistently regulated, safe, clean sport. BE has no jurisdiction over unregulated competitions, and cannot vouch for their compliance with FEI and BE requirements for sport; which have horse and rider welfare at their heart.”
BE chief executive Helen West said: “As a national governing body for Olympic sport we need to set a standard. International events on home soil showcase the sport at its very best; providing a fair and level playing field where safety, equine welfare, safeguarding and clean sport are mandatory.
“We feel that these standards should be upheld consistently by all those who are allocated international fixtures, therefore the decision was made by the BE board that no international fixtures should be awarded to venues that run unregulated sport.”
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