Petplan Equine Area Festivals
The Petplan Equine Area Festivals are the perfect target for BD riders looking to have a taste of the big time at a championship-feel event!
The series, which was launched in 2000 and is aimed at grassroots riders, has grown from 15 Area Festivals around the country with 555 tests completed in its’ first year to over 6,300 dressage tests ridden in the 2018/19 series.
New for 2019/2020, the competition is now all year! Split into two seasons, summer and winter, the Petplan Equine Area Festivals offer a year round competition pathway with riders qualifying and competing at one of the regional Area Festivals, before going on to the Area Festival Championships taking place in April and September each year.
Key facts
| Summer 2020 | Winter 2021 | |
| Qualification period | 1 December 2019 - 30 June 2020 | 1 July - 30 December 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Levels | Prelim to Inter I (including Freestyle to Music) | Prelim to Inter I |
| Sections | Bronze and Silver | Bronze and Silver |
| Area Festivals | July - end of August | Mid January - mid February |
| Championships | September/ October (TBC soon!) | Held at NAF Five Star Winter Championships |
Qualification
NEW for 2020, the Area Festival qualification follows the same points based method as other major BD championships, including the summer and winter regionals. Achieve your required number of points within the designated qualification periods detailed below. Points can be gained at regular BD shows at your local venues. Take a look at the table below to choose your level and find out how many points you need to take part!
| Level | Bronze | Silver |
| Prelim | 7 | 9 |
| Novice | 7 | 9 |
| Elementary | 7 | 9 |
| Medium | 4 | 6 |
| Advanced Medium | 4 | 6 |
| PSG | 2 | 4 |
| Inter I | 2 | 4 |
At least one of the points in the total above should be gained in a qualifying section - marked with a 'Q' on the show schedule.
How points are scored
| Percentage scored | Points awarded |
| 60.00 - 61.99% | 1 |
| 62.00 - 63.99% | 2 |
| 64.00 - 65.99% | 3 |
| 66.00 - 67.99% | 4 |
| 68.00 - 69.99% | 5 |
| 70.00 - 71.99% | 6 |
| 72.00 - 73.99% | 7 |
| 74.00 - 75.99% | 8 |
| 76.00 - 77.99% | 9 |
| 78.00 - 79.99% | 10 |
| 80.00% and above | 11 |
Area Festival Summer Music
All you need to qualify is two scores over 63% for Prelim to Advanced Medium and two at 60% or over for PSG and Inter I - why not find a fixture near you and give it a go from 1 December!
2020 in a nutshell...
- The Petplan Equine Area Festival structure will now consist of a Summer and Winter series for Bronze and Silver combinations.
- The Summer Area Festival qualification period for 2020 will run from 1 December 2019 to 30 June 2020 with Area Festivals taking place throughout July and August.
- The Winter Area Festival qualification period runs from 1 July to 31 December 2020 with Area Festivals taking place in January and February 2021.
- There will be 17 Summer Petplan Equine Area Festivals, spread across the country hosting Prelim to Intermediate I classes. BD may add a further Festival at a Channel Island location in due course.
- Ten of the Summer series Area Festivals will also host Freestyle to Music classes, as part of the new Music Area Festival Championship name for Prelim to Intermediate I.
- The Summer Petplan Equine Area Festival Championship will be held in September/October - date and venue are being finalised.
- There will be 10 Winter Petplan Equine Area Festivals, spread across the country hosting Prelim to Inter I classes. Venues and dates to be confirmed.
- The Winter Petplan Equine Area Festival Championship will take place at Hartpury College in April 2021 as part of the British Dressage Winter Championships.
- Combinations can ride in as many Area Festivals they qualify for unless they achieve qualification for the Championships.
- From the Area Festivals, combinations will need to finish in the top two of their class to qualify for the Area Festival Championships. Any unfilled places will be awarded by the wild card system.
- Qualification for the Music Area Festival classes classes will be two scores of 63% or above for Prelim to Advanced Medium and two scores of 60% or above at PSG and Intermediate I. To reach the Championship, combinations will need to place within the top two and wildcards will be awarded as necessary
Membership
You can ride in Prelim Bronze sections to get your scores for an Area Festival as a club member on a club horse. If you do qualify for a Petplan Equine Area Festival, you and your horse will need to become a full member to take part. Don't forget, if you own a horse taking part in the Petplan Equine Area Festivals, you'll need to be a Full or Premier Club member too.
For Prelim Silver and Novice level and above both you and your horse need to be fully registered to gain your scores.
