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4 minute read
GET READY FOR THE HOWDEN WAY YOUNG HORSE CLASSES!
The Young Horse classes get underway in just over a week....
An effective way to showcase up and coming talent, and expose youngsters to the atmosphere of a bigger event, The Howden Way’s first Young Horse classes of the season get underway at Barbury Castle (21-23 March). It is with great pleasure that BE are once again offering riders and owners the chance to showcase their 6- and 7-year-old horses in specific sections for horses in these age groups.
The young horse classes offer the perfect opportunity to introduce young horses to events with a lively atmosphere, while allowing riders to compare their horses with others of the same age and recognise the highest-performing young horses. Thanks to The Howden Way’s support, these classes will feature increased prize money, with the top three combinations in each class receiving an additional £250, £150, and £100, respectively, on top of the prize money calculated and awarded through the prize money calculator.
The classes take place throughout the spring and summer in some of BE’s most stunning venues. The 6-year-old classes will be run at novice level, while the 7-year-old classes will be run at intermediate level.
Dates of the 2025 The Howden Way Young Horse classes:
21 – 23 March BARBURY CASTLE
17 – 20 April KELSALL HILL INTERNATIONAL
25 – 27 April CIRENCESTER PARK (2)
9 – 11 May TWESELDOWN (2)
24 – 25 May BISHOP BURTON (1)
31 May – 1 June LITTLE DOWNHAM (1)
20 – 22 June FARLEY HALL
8 – 10 July UPTON HOUSE
18 – 20 July ASTON-LE-WALLS (2)
22 – 25 August WELLINGTON INTERNATIONAL
Alongside these classes, the performance of young horses competing with British Eventing is acknowledged within The Howden Way Young Horse Leagues which can be found here. There are four leagues which cover the ages of 5 years, 6 years, 7 years and then the ages of 8 & 9 combined. The leagues display the average of a horse’s three best finishing scores via a Power Based Average score which highlights the ability to repeatedly finish on a low score.
The 2025 Young Horse Championships take place at Cornbury House Horse Trials in Oxfordshire between 11-14 September. The classes will also benefit those aiming their young horses at the FEI World Breeding Championships at Le Lion d’Angers, which hosts a CCI2*-L World Championship for six-year-olds and a CCI3*-L World Championship for seven-year-olds. Horses identified at the Cornbury House Young Horse Championships are invited to The Howden Way Development Days, and if selected, invited to join The Howden Way Young Horse Academy for the following year. More details of which can be found here: www.thehowdenway.com/yha
British Eventing CEO Rosie Williams said: “After the successful of the Young Horse series over the past few years, we are excited to offer these exceptional classes once again this season – a platform to highlight the young equine talent in the UK. We are committed to fostering the development of our equine athletes, and these classes provide invaluable experience and exposure for up-and-coming horses. They are also crucial for riders to evaluate their young event horses’ progress in comparison to others of the same age. A heartfelt thank you goes to The Howden Way for their continued support of these classes.
Justine Parker, Programme Director for The Howden Way said, “The Young Horse sector within British Eventing is one The Howden Way are passionate about supporting and we are delighted to once again be providing the Young Horse classes with additional prize money. This allows them to be run as independent classes within their own right where young horses can compete on equal terms.
“The young horse leagues are also a great asset for owners wishing to see how their horses are comparing to others within the same age group and we are equally pleased to be backing these for owners and riders who wish to monitor their horses’ performances through the year. These initiatives complement the broader The Howden Way Young Horse programmes including the Young Horse Academy, where we have seen combinations go on to huge success in National and International age group classes. The calibre of this year’s cohort is exceptional and we look forward to supporting them throughout the season as they lead up to their respective age group national championships, which for the 6- and 7-year-olds is the Young Horse Championships at Cornbury House Horse Trials, with an additional aim for some being the young horse world championships at Le Lion.”
Image credit Jack Pinkney and DHI Ayrton, 6yo young horse class winner, Aston le Walls July 2024. Credit Matt Nuttall Photography