Young event riders can benefit from a new BE80 opportunity with two Championships to aim for and Regional Leagues.
The British Eventing Youth Programme has been reworked for 2023 to include the new section for under 18s, enabling more riders to be part of the programme and benefit from the support and guidance that it provides.
The new height category will give more riders access to U18 Regional Training, which encourages and trains younger riders, as well as providing support for parents.
Also new for 2023 will be the introduction of two Youth National Championships – with the inaugural Youth BE80 Championship and the BE90 Youth Championship taking place at Chillington Hall in Staffordshire from 9-10 September; and the Youth BE100 and 2*-L Youth Novice Championships running at Bishop Burton in East Yorkshire between 27-30 July.
The final addition to the programme will be the introduction of Regional Leagues, powered by Equiratings. The new leagues will provide Youth Regional Ranking, enabling riders to chart their progress against their fellow competitors, and provide a qualification route for the National Youth Championships.
New opportunities
The Regional Leagues will be introduced into Scotland, North, East Midlands, Wales and West Midlands, East, Central, South East and South West. Each region will have their own leagues across each of the height categories – including BE80 and will reflect the Power Based Average (PBA) score of each combination.
The PBA is calculated from the best three finishing scores of each combination achieved across any of the qualifying classes contested. The top 10 eligible combinations in each height category, at the end of the qualification period, will be invited to represent their region at the National Youth Championships. Only one qualifying score must be within the rider’s own region (this has previously been two), giving riders and their families greater flexibility in choosing event locations that suit them.
To be eligible for the Leagues and qualify for the Youth Championship classes, riders need to register for the Youth Programme. The cost for inclusion is £30 for the year and provides Youth Riders aiming for the Youth National Championships with access to course walks with U18 coaches and support at designated qualifiers in each of the regions.
These changes to the Youth Programme come with the recent introduction of The Howden Way Regional Academies.
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