Barbury returns to British Eventing calendar, plus more developments for the 2025 season

Barbury is back in the British Eventing (BE) calendar for 2025 alongside exciting new and returning fixtures next season.

The popular Wiltshire event, which previously held national and international classes up to CCI4*-S, dropped out of the affiliated calendar in 2023 and 2024, owing to restrictions placed on international events. These restrictions meant venues hosting FEI classes were not permitted to also hold unaffiliated eventing competitions.

Barbury returns to the national affiliated fixtures list for 2025 with a new spring date, with national classes from novice to advanced intermediate, and will include young horse qualifiers.

The event venue is on well-draining chalk grassland on the edge of the Marlborough Downs and next year’s fixture is scheduled for 21 to 23 March. It replaces the Cirencester (1) fixture, and will be run by the Cirencester organising team.

Horseheath also returns to the BE calendar the same weekend (22 to 23 March), with new organisers and classes from BE100 to open intermediate.

H&H has reported that the European Eventing Championships will take place at Blenheim in September. The news that Chatsworth is taking a break from the calendar for 2025 and has been replaced next year by Belsay (17 to 18 May), and that Scone Palace will step into Blair Castle’s place (21 to 24 August), is also widely known.

Bicton’s spring three-day (22 to 25 May) will incorporate the British leg of the Nations Cup.

Oasby (1), often an early season run for horses targeting major fixtures, has cut back to try to protect itself from weather challenges. It will now include BE100 to open intermediate classes on just two midweek days (6 to 7 March) – but is also running an additional grassroots fixture over Easter weekend (18 to 19 April).

South of Scotland, a new event that will be held at Valleyfield Farm, Twynholm, with classes from BE90 to open novice, is scheduled for 14 and 15 June.

British Eventing calendar 2025: other developments

In other news, entry refunds for members from the abandonment support fund will increase from 60% to 70% next year.

Late fees will also be waived if members reroute to a new event within three days of the abandonment of their original entry.

Entry fees for national classes are increasing by two percent, in line with the consumer price index (CPI). PayPal credit is also being added as a payment option for entry fees.

“We have worked closely with British Eventing to offer the best possible value to members in the current climate of rising costs, not just for organisers but for owners and competitors too,” said Laura de Wesselow, joint chair of the British Eventing Organisers Association.

“The two percent increase in entry fees next season is in line with the CPI, which is fair and reasonable.”

Organisers of FEI classes are able to set entry fees reflective of their business models, event types and operational costs. BE has said that it trusts that organisers will “set fair and reasonable fees for these classes”.

BE chief executive Rosie Williams said that she is “truly excited about the extensive changes” BE is implementing and hopes that the “community shares in this excitement”.

“We’re also continuing the QR code feedback system, which has received over 5,000 responses,” she said.

“This invaluable input has played a key role in shaping many of the changes we’ve made. We are also working on several collaborations and new trials that we will be announcing in due course.”

View the 2025 BE calendar [PDF] and full summary of changes

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