New eventing challenge offers competitors hope following recent cancellations

British Eventing venues Belsay, Alnwick Ford and Burgham International Horse Trials will all form part of an exciting new eventing challenge in 2024. The news comes following a flurry of event cancellations that continue to shake up the eventing community in the UK.

The new initiative, aptly named the Northumberland Challenge, will include the CCI3*-S, CC2*-S and, for the first time, the BE100 competitions. All will take place across the three venues offering a total potential prize pot of £61,000.

All events have received considerable support so far, with Hambro Sport Horses headlining the CCI3*-S challenge, N.I.S Limited sponsoring the CCI2*-S challenge, and InXpress Tyne & Wear and Equestrian Eye taking joint sponsorship of the BE100 challenge.  

The Northumberland Challenge requires competitors to enter all classes across the venues (Belsay International 29 May-2 June 2024, Alnwick Ford International 19-23 June 2024 and Burgham International 24-28July 2024). Each class offers 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.