If you've dreamt of competing at a championship-style dressage show, here is your chance. The Petplan Equine Area Festivals are a series of 15 dressage competitions that run from August to October.

Held at top dressage venues across Britain, this is a chance to compete in beautifully prepared arenas and experience true championship conditions.

Classes range from prelim to prix st georges and unaffiliated riders can qualify for area festivals using British Dressage class tickets. It is easier than you think to qualify for an area festival – all you need to do to is score just 62% twice at one level from preliminary to elementary and 60% twice from medium to prix st georges between 1 January and the closing date for entries for your area festival.

You need to send the original sheets, with the date and venue of the class written on them, to the show organiser of the area festival you would like to go to, together with your entry form. Test sheets can be used once only, but it is a good idea to keep copies, as they will not be returned to you.

The top-placed combinations then go through to the prestigious Petplan Equine Championships. These run alongside the winter championships, which take place annually in April at Hartpury College, Gloucestershire.

For more info, visit Petplan's websiteand the How to qualify page on our website.