The 2025 Bates Saddles Arena Eventing Championships held at Northamptonshire’s Aston-le-Walls Eventing Centre saw over 260 qualified riders competing over two days for four coveted titles.
The event involved riding a course of show jumps followed immediately by completing a cross-country course. There were four levels of competition, each with its own championship title on offer; including BE80, BE90 and BE100 and BE100 Open.
Perfect for horses and riders of all ages and ability, this year’s Arena Eventing Championships saw rider ages ranging from 11 to 71, and horses from 5 to 25. There were in excess of 750 combinations qualified for the championships, from 55 qualifiers, showing just how popular the series is.
As well as the thrill of the competition, riders were able to chat with Ellen Bates and the team from British Eventing’s Official Saddle Partner, Bates Saddles who were on site to answer questions on saddle fit, care and performance as well as show a range of high-performance Bates Saddles.
Ellen Bates of Bates Saddles, said: “We’re immensely proud of this year’s Bates Saddles Arena Eventing Championships, which brought together riders of all ages showcasing exceptional talent. We are so glad to have the opportunity to provide valuable saddle advice directly to competitors, enabling them to enhance their performance and their horse’s comfort in the sport. This powerful connection with the eventing community is precisely why our partnership with British Eventing is so meaningful.
“We extend our heartfelt thanks to the British Eventing team for their outstanding organisation in creating these platforms for riders at all levels. Congratulations to all participants on their achievements. Bates Saddles looks forward to continuing this successful collaboration next year, furthering our shared mission of supporting and nurturing the future of eventing.”
Laura Whitfield and Valley Of Dreams were victors of the BE80 championships. Laura, from Haltwhistle, Northumberland, qualified at Northallerton.
“I’m really happy to have won especially as the prizes were fab! I’ve finally managed to crack the speed as I’m usually too fast arena eventing but I found a good rhythm, used the full arena and it paid off. My little mare Val is a superstar, she always tries her hardest and is usually one of the smaller ones in the competitions! The arenas were fantastic and the courses were really good; enough questions without being too difficult.”
The BE90 championship was awarded to Isla Davis and Godieta’s Miracle from Ashford, Kent. The pair qualified at Pyecombe.
“Wow, what a weekend! I’m so thrilled to have won the Bates Arena Eventing BE90 class. Godieta’s Miracle and I are a fairly new partnership so I came here without any real expectations as this is a whole new discipline for him. I’m lucky that my school is extremely supportive, having lessons with Emily Baldwin at Mayfield has helped to introduce him to arena eventing as well as being a member of the Front Runners Performance pathway which has offered me support and guidance but he took everything in his stride and totally excelled, I couldn’t be more proud!
“The course jumped really well – challenging with some technical elements as you would expect at a championship, but such a luxury to have so much space with the different arenas making it truly feel like a flowing cross-country course. I enjoyed every second of it and I think he did too! I found the Bates Arena Eventing championships to be a friendly, supportive atmosphere with fellow competitors wishing each other luck. The facilities are fantastic and I’d like to thank the whole team at Aston as they made things run effortlessly. The whole experience has given me so much confidence as a rider and I’m immensely looking forward to the season ahead with British Eventing and my partnership growing with this very special boy!”
Fiona Patty and Earl Grey VII from Uckfield, East Sussex, topped the BE100 final having qualified at Pyecombe.
“What a brilliant day! Earl Grey (Elvis) jumped fantastic – I’m so thrilled for him! He’s homebred and has had a successful show jumping career, so it’s lovely to have these championships at Aston-le-Walls to aim for in his advanced years. And to be able to ride across all four arenas at such a fantastic venue was a real treat. Also thank you to Bates Saddles for the very generous prizes.”
The BE100 Open title went to Brough-based Saffron Levine and Paddy Jo who won their qualifier at Epworth.
“After a last-minute win in the Epworth qualifier, we were very excited to have the opportunity to ride at such a highly regarded facility for the second year running. Paddy Jo behaved and performed exceptionally in some testing conditions, and Aston-le-Walls being so well run, contributed to this. The organisers of the Bates Arena Eventing Championships made a really pleasing effort in celebrating our win, and the prizes supplied by Bates Saddles were excellent. The championships are a great way for those who can’t facilitate eventing to get a taste of the sport and the opportunity to compete at such a reputable venue, equally, for eventers wanting to aim for something over the winter and prepare for the coming season like we did. It was very special to get Paddy Jo a win he really deserved and we can’t wait for the upcoming season to continue our progression.”
The top three combinations from each class are as follows:
Arena Eventing BE80
1st Laura Whitfield & Valley Of Dreams
2nd Victoria Jolly & Titan V
3rd Andrea Clarkson & Mymwood Dancer
Arena Eventing BE90
1st Isla Davis & Godieta’s Miracle
2nd Vicky Stacey & Highdale Autumn Sunrise
3rd Kezia Arnold & My Clonmore Bonnie
Arena Eventing BE100
1st Fiona Patty & Earl Grey VII
2nd Sophie Kjessler & Obi The One
3rd Lauren Gutteridge & Jeremey Fisher
Arena Eventing BE100 Open
1st Saffron Levine & Paddy Jo
2nd Allegra Driscoll & I Love Money
3rd Saskia Davies & Singing Usk
Full results can be found here.
A huge thank you to our valued sponsor Bates Saddles for supporting the series so generously. We also have to thank Aston-le-Walls and all the volunteers for running a brilliant event.
Missed the fun? You can watch all the action back on demand on Horse & Country TV channel – www.horseandcountry.tv. If you were a competitor and wish to purchase your round, you can download your clip at £20 per round or free if you are a Gold H&C+ member from here – https://horseandcountry.tv/get-my-clip
Don’t forget you can still purchase the official Bates Saddles Arena Eventing clothing online via britisheventingshop.com.
Image credit: Matt Nuttall Photography – www.mattnuttallphotography.co.uk
