British Eventing (BE) and The Pony Club are delighted to announce a new collaboration to better align their events, minimise scheduling clashes and enhance the value of membership for their communities. 

As part of the new partnership, a pilot scheme is being introduced at select events at the 80, 90 and 100 levels. This scheme provides more access to British Eventing members to participate in Pony Club competitions, and vice versa, without requiring membership in the other organisation.  

The initiative aims to reduce financial and logistical barriers to encourage broader participation in the sport, demonstrating the dedication of both organisations to educate, inspire and support young riders, nurturing future generations and ensuring the sport’s continued growth and sustainability. 

This new collaboration will expand access for both BE and Pony Club members to compete in a wider variety of events, giving Members more choice.

Pony Club Members may enter up to two BE competitions before joining BE, in our efforts to support and encourage their eventing journey and keep people in the sport for longer. Similarly, BE Members will have access to Pony Club competitions and receive priority booking for two events in selected areas. The trial remains focused on assessing demand without straining current infrastructure and we are committed to closely monitoring and tracking the trial’s impact and success throughout the year before we roll out more widely.

Alongside this development we have also agreed to work closely together on the fixtures calendar to try to avoid clashes and therefore allow our young riders to compete in both BE and Pony Club eventing, to give them a more cohesive developmental journey and avoid being in a position where they need to choose.  

The Pony Club’s CEO, Marcus Capel said, “Competing in British Eventing provides Pony Club members with opportunities to develop their skills, gain more experience, and progress within the sport. Working together reinforces The Pony Club’s commitment to supporting its members and contributing to the growth of equestrian sports”.

British Eventing CEO, Rosie Williams added, “This is an exciting and innovative step in our ambition to unite the sport for the good of the whole eventing community. We know from the recent fixtures review that travel can be a major barrier to participation at a grassroots level. This initiative is another positive way in which we are looking to tackle this to ensure our members can compete more often throughout the season and encourage more people to continue their eventing journey.”   

Pippa Funnell commented, “As a child who came through the Pony Club, I hugely value the solid foundation children are given in horse care which results in improved horse welfare, so I’m delighted that they are joining forces with BE. This positive step will also see more events available to more riders, and it gives Pony Club riders the opportunity to compete at BE events where they can watch and learn from more experienced riders. It will also open up more opportunities to compete for BE grassroots riders and professional riders bringing on young horses. It’s a win, win for everyone!”

We’re also pleased to confirm that Pony Club members can continue to enjoy a 40% new member discount on British Eventing Introductory memberships. Visit the British Eventing website to find out more.

Look out for follow up communications, with full details of the pilot venues and how to get involved.