Veteran Championships - all you need to know

Following the huge success of the Veteran Horse and Rider Championships over the past three years, British Dressage and the Veteran Horse Society are proud to be running this popular series for a fourth year.

The Veteran Horse Championships has two sections – one for horses aged 15-19 and one for those aged 20 and over, and the Veteran Rider Championship is for competitors aged 55 and over.

This is an exciting opportunity for veteran dressage competitors who, even though they may be a little older, are still fighting fit and raring to go.

The Championships will take place at Vale View in Leicestershire, 11 – 14 October 2018.

What levels do they run at?
- Intro
- Prelim
- Novice
- Elementary
- Medium
- Advanced Medium
- Prix St Georges (New for 2018 - 20+ Horse PSG)

Who can compete?

o Both the Veteran Horse and Veteran Rider Championships are open to current Full and Club members. Those who have never competed BD before are welcome.
o They are run under British Dressage/Quest rules and combinations must be eligible for the level at which they wish to compete.
o The Veteran Horse Championship is open to all horses age 15 years and over. Age is taken from the 1st January in the year in which they were born.
o The Veteran Rider Championship is open to all riders aged 55 or over at the time of obtaining qualifying scores on horses four years old or over.

Which organisations do I need to be a member of to be able to qualify?

BD membership/BD horse registration to qualify:

Membership required for the final:
- All horses and riders must be full BD members 
- For the Veteran Horse Championship only, all horses and riders must be registered Veteran Horse Society (VHS). 

How do I qualify?

o Qualification period is between the 1 December 2017 and 31 August 2018
o To qualify directly for the final for the championship, horse and rider combinations must achieve three scores of 60% or above, gained between 1 December 2017 and the 31 August 2018. 
o Horse and rider combinations must be eligible for Bronze or Silver sections for the level they wish to qualify in accordance with BD Rules. 
o The same three scores can be used to qualify for both veteran horse and rider championship. 

Please note: The winning combination at each level at the final will not be eligible for the same level or below in future years and must compete at a higher level.

What shows can I get my scores at?

o Scores can be gained in any regular BD affiliated competition or BD Team/My Quest competition. Follow this link to see a list of competitions.
o Score sheets from Area Festivals, Regionals, Winter or National Championships and Quest Regional or Quest National Championships, may not be used towards qualification.

Can I compete at different levels?

o Combinations may compete and qualify at different levels but can only compete in two levels/classes at the final.

How do I know when I have qualified?

o Once you have achieved your three qualifying scores, you need to register your qualification with BD. 
o Please fill in the qualification form to register your qualification for the Veteran Horse Championship or please fill in this qualification form to register your qualification for the Veteran Rider Championship and then send an e-mail to fixtures@britishdressage.co.uk or post to: British Dressage, Meriden Business Park, Copse Drive, Meriden, West Midlands CV5 9RG, stating where and when you achieved your three qualifying scores.
o You’ll then receive an invitation to the final with all the championships details. 

What happens at the final?

o The final will take place Vale View in Leicestershire, 11 – 14 October 2018. At the final, each level i.e. Intro, Prelim etc. will be split into three sections:

- Horses aged 15 -19 years old
- Horses 20 years and over
- Riders 55 and over

o Prizes will be awarded in each of the three sections at all levels.
o The highest-placed Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) registered horse will receive a rosette kindly donated from RoR. 

I still have questions, who should I contact?
o Christina Stuart at British Dressage: Christina.Stuart@britishdressage.co.uk 02476 698909
o Julianne Aston at the Veteran Horse Society info@veteran-horse-society.co.uk 01239 881300