2021 Premier League season is ready for the off

We’re on the final countdown to the 2021 Premier League season opener at Keysoe which is just a few days away! There are some changes to the ever-popular series this year which features a seven-fixture strong calendar across some of the sport's most adored venues.

Popular with a range of competitors, the fixtures are designed to bridge the gap between BD shows and the international stage and selectors value them highly to show how combinations are putting their work at home into practice on the big stage. 

For 2021, Vale View in Leicestershire joins the Premier League ranks while the ever popular Hickstead fixture moves across the West Sussex show ground to become the I.C.E. Horseboxes All England Dressage Festival Premier League, and entries are open for both fixtures. Both teams have some great plans in the pipeline for these shows. And further fabulous news comes in the shape of BD’s media supporters Horse & Country livestreaming five of the seven on their H&C+ subscription platform.

Premier League shows feature Gold classes from Advanced Medium to Grand Prix with a number hosting Shearwater Young Horse Championship, BD Seven Year Old, BD Young Pony and BD International Young Horse qualifiers, plus some classes for the FEI under 25 age groups for our stars of the future. At each Premier League, one dedicated class will act as a direct qualifier to the LeMieux National Championships in September at the Andrews Bowen Advanced Medium, Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges, Saracen Horse Feeds Inter I, HAYGAIN Inter II and LeMieux Grand Prix levels – win at a Premier League and a coveted Nationals ticket is yours!

We get underway on Friday 23 April at Keysoe for three full days covering 29 classes of action. The expansive centre is under new ownership and a huge amount of improvement work has gone on during lockdown to the facilities, café and arenas, and Sarah Stoute and her team are looking forward to welcoming competitors to their biggest dressage competition yet.

Names like Louise Bell, Alice Oppenheimer, Fiona Bigwood, Rebecca Hughes, Nicola Buchanan, Steph Croxford, Emma Hindle and Nathalie Kayal feature among a bumper Grand Prix entry on Friday as well as a host of talented riders and horses across the age groups.

While government restrictions currently mean no spectators, you can still watch the action as Horse & Country will be on hand to livestream via H&C + membership – you can subscribe to watch – it’s just £5.99 per month and you can cancel at any time. For times and results, visit the Keysoe website.

A week later we move northward to the rescheduled fixture at Myerscough College in Lancashire (30 April – 5 May) and then it’s down to Hickstead for their debut on the iconic All England Showground, home to the world famous Hickstead Derby, 21 – 23 May. Just seven days later, it’s the turn of Somerford Park in Cheshire, the new home of the LeMieux Nationals, 28 – 30 May before Wellington Riding play hosts to Hampshire’s Premier League fixture over 9 – 13 June. Days later, 16 - 19 June, Vale View will run their first ever Premier League but the Leicestershire venue is no stranger to the big occasion having hosted a myriad of championships. The Premier League season finale is at the Hartpury Festival of Dressage, a five-day celebration which also includes two international fixtures for seniors and para riders over 7 – 11 July.  

Full calendar: (click venue name for BD schedule)

* - streamed by Horse & Country with a H&C+ subscription