Excitement is growing as the final of the NEXGEN Young Horse Series is due to take place at Hickstead next week (15-16 September).
This new series – the first of its kind in the UK – recognises the talent of four, five and six-year-old horses across all three Olympic disciplines. In this difficult year, NEXGEN and its lucrative prize pot has been gratefully received by riders and owners of young dressage, showjumping and event horses, and qualifiers have taken place all across the country.
The judging panel in the dressage has been headed by List One judges, and in eventing international CCI5* judge Les Smith has been joined by top riders and exceptional young horse producers. Andrew Saywell and Stuart Harvey will take to the showjumping ring at Hickstead to judge the four and five-year-old showjumping classes.
NEXGEN eventing judge Richard Jones said:
The courses are testing but fair and highly educational for young horses. It’s great to watch the horses grow in confidence from start to finish.”
Internationally renowned competition horse producers Tim and Antonia Brown added,
This really is a series for riders, run by riders, and to bring all three Olympic disciplines together for the first time is a great initiative.”
The series proved such a hit that additional qualifying dates for Hickstead had to be added to satisfy demand.
Uptown Eventing’s Rachel Wakefield, one of the founding Directors behind NEXGEN, said,
We are delighted at how well the qualifiers have been received and have huge plans for the future of this series, which will continue to follow a very continental format.
The series, which has been generously sponsored by Elite Stallions, Coldstream Equestrian, Baileys Horse Feeds, Equestriana, Custom Saddlery and BETTALife, also introduces a list of additional prizes for riders, breeders and owners and is changing the pathway for all young horses in the UK for the future.
This will be the UK’s Bundeschampionat,”
NEXGEN’s Victoria Wright said.
We want to give young horses the best foundations to enable them to progress to the top levels of their sport. We also need to encourage breeders and young horse producers in the UK to showcase the talent that we already have and are producing.”
The final will be live-streamed on ClipMyHorse.TV on Tuesday 15th September and Wednesday 16th September.
For more information, go to Nexgen Horses.