British Eventing venues Belsay, Alnwick Ford and Burgham International Horse Trials are delighted to announce the launch of the 2024 Northumberland Challenge, which will include the CCI3*-S, CC2*-S and for the first time, the BE100 competitions across the three venues, with a total potential prize pot of £61,000.
Hambro Sport Horses will headline the CCI3*-S challenge, N.I.S Limited sponsor the CCI2*-S challenge, with InXpress Tyne & Wear and Equestrian Eye taking joint sponsorship of the BE100 challenge.
The Northumberland Challenge offers horse and rider combinations that must enter these classes at all three venues (Belsay International 29 May-2 June 2024, Alnwick Ford International 19-23 June 2024 and Burgham International 24-28 July 2024) the opportunity to win cash bonuses of up to £25,000 (CCI3*-S), £20,000 (CCI2*-S) and £6,000 (BE100).
The prize pot breaks down as follows:
Hambro Sport Horses CCI3*-S Northumberland Challenge – a total potential prize pot of £25,000
- Achieve a top three placing at all three events and win a £3,000 bonus
- Achieve two wins out of the three events and win a £7,000 bonus
- Win all three events for a further £15,000 prize
N.I.S Group Services Limited CCI2*-S Northumberland Challenge – a total potential prize pot of £20,000
- Achieve a top three placing at all three events and win a £2,000 bonus
- Achieve two wins out of the three events and win a £6,000 bonus
- Win all three events for a further £12,000
InXpress Tyne & Wear and Equestrian Eye BE100 Northumberland Challenge – a total potential prize pot of £6,000*
- Achieve a top three placing in a BE100 section at all three events and win a £500 bonus
- Achieve two wins out of the three events and win a £1,500 bonus
- Win all three events for a further £3,000
*Please note: BE100 competitors must be grassroots riders and should not have competed above BE Novice. The BE100 challenge does not include BE100 Open or BE100 Open Under-18 sections.
Belsay Event Director Laura de Wesselow said: “As a team we are hugely grateful to our sponsors, particularly Hambro Sport Horses, and our creative insurance brokers McClaron Sports Ltd for enabling us to offer this fantastic accumulator prize fund. Our aim is to showcase our beautiful Northumbrian venues and attract top riders and grassroots competitors from all over the country.”
Alnwick Ford and Burgham International Event Director, Craig Anderson added: “We are really thrilled that we have been able to extend the Northumberland Challenge to include the BE100 this year. There are not many other places where you can win really decent prize-money at this level.”
Lexi Hambro of Hambro Sport Horses said: “My husband Jonathan and I have a special affection for Northumberland and we are thrilled to be able to support this wonderful initiative for the CCI3*-S competitors. Hambro Sport Horses is all about breeding and producing talented horses for talented riders and the Northumberland Challenge is a great way of rewarding that talent.”
N.I.S Group Services Ltd’s Ian Marsden commented: “My equestrian journey has gone from having no experience with horses to now having 9 horses, a competition centre and livery yard and a son pursuing a career as an eventer! N.I.S is a local business, and we are delighted to support the CCI2*-S classes across these Northern events.”
Equestrian Eye’s Mark Gilbert said: “Equestrian Eye is a soon to be launched interactive community platform specifically aimed at grass roots and low-level competitors. The new BE100 Northumberland Challenge is a perfect space for us to promote our business and we look forward to working with the organisers of Belsay, Alnwick Ford and Burgham.”
Co-sponsor of the BE100 Challenge Peter de Wesselow of InXpress commented: “InXpress is one of the North East’s leading courier and logistics firms – we are 10 years old this year and are delighted to support grassroots eventing in The Northumberland Challenge.”
In 2023 Cumbrian-born Mark Davidson, who is based with top British rider Piggy March, proved that the Northumberland Challenge is achievable and collected £7,000 with two wins out of the three in the CCI3*-S at Alnwick Ford and Burgham, riding the Round Table Syndicate’s Fonbherna Lancer.
“Winning the CCI3*-S at both Alnwick Ford and Burgham was a career highlight for me. It was incredible to win this sort of money and it’s a huge incentive for riders to travel to these wonderful Northern events. We will definitely be back this season,” said Davidson.
Martin Wright, Grassroots representative to the BE Sports Committee said: “This is a great opportunity for grassroots riders to compete for a serious prize pot. It is fantastic to see Northumberland events extending this opportunity to riders at this level, who make up 75% of BE’s membership.”
British Eventing’s CEO Rosie Williams commented: “The Northumberland Challenge is a great way to promote our sport for the good of competitors and owners and I am particularly pleased that it has been expanded to include the BE100 sections this year. A huge well done to the organisers and a massive thank you to these sponsors for making it happen.”
