The UK Riders' Challenge is a national competition series in dressage & show jumping aimed at unafilliated combinations of horse and rider. It gives everyday riders the chance to compete for national glory in dressage and show jumping. The aim is simple - to help you enjoy your horse more!

>> The UK Riders National Finals 2008 will be held at Vale View Equestrian Centre, Lecis in September 2008 >> Click Here for more info		>> Join UK Chasers & Riders >> Find Your Nearest UK Riders Centre >> View UK Riders Challenge Dates >> Regional Final Dates & Venues '08 >> UK Riders National Finals Report '07
>> New Class for UK Riders Challenge 2008! The UK Riders Challenge 2008 will see the introduction of Elementary Dressage as a new qualification level. This class is aimed at the unaffiliated combination who are wanting to progress in their dressage. >> more
>> Do you want you to enjoy your competing without it costing the earth? We believe the UK Riders Challenge series offers GREAT value for money when compared to similar competitions - But don't just take our word for it! What will it cost? click here to find out...

 

First round qualifiers for the 2008 Challenge ended on the 30th June and Regional Finals take place during July and August of 2008. Classes For The 2008 Challenge There are 4 levels of dressage: Preliminary, Preliminary Scales Of Training, Novice and Elementary -NEW LEVEL FOR 2008 All dressage classes are run under British Dressage rules. Please note: There will be no differentiation between Prelim and Prelim 1 Scales of Training at qualifier level. However, as with the 2007 Challenge, at Regional and National Final level a Prelim ‘Scales Of Training’ class will be available alongside the standard Prelim and Novice classes. Competitors qualified at Prelim level will be eligible to enter Regional Finals in both Prelim and Prelim Scales Of Training and we will hold National Final classes in both. There are 4 levels of show jumping: Restricted Novice (0.65m) Novice (0.75m), Intermediate (0.85m) and Open (0.95m.) All show jumping classes are run under BSJA rules. There are Junior and Senior sections in both dressage and jumping classes. For the 2008 Challenge Juniors are those under 16 years on 1st January 2008. However Juniors may ride horses and Seniors may ride ponies. The Challenge has a three-tier competition structure. Local qualifiers are held at centres around the country from July ’07 until the end of June ’08. Successful partnerships then go on to compete in Regional Finals held during July and August and the challenge culminates in the National Finals, held in September in the centre of the country. What Is Prelim Scales Of Training? With the popularity of our dressage competition growing steadily we have decided to offer another qualifier to competitors in the form of Prelim 1, the new 2006 Scales of Training test from BD. This test is different from all the other Prelim tests because of the change to the collectives and directives scoring (what is expected for each movement). The breakdown makes it easier for the judge to target specific areas that the rider needs to work on and goes hand in hand with the new directives which will appear on the score sheets so you can see clearly what the judge is looking for in each movement. In essence the Scales of Training Tests give more emphasis to the effectiveness of the rider than in normal Prelim tests. Competition wise, they (it) works in exactly the same way as a normal test and you will get a score for each movement as normal. The existing Prelim dressage level will still operate as normal, obviously excluding the new Prelim 1. Why We Allow Seniors To Compete On Ponies The UK Riders Challenge is a competition series aimed at unaffiliated riders. Many of these riders do not have specially bought competition horses/ponies. Many other adults choose to ride ponies because they are more suitable for them in size and type and there are a growing number of adults riding native ponies and cobs under 14.2hh. We feel it would be unfair at this level to discriminate against competitors simply on the grounds of the pony’s height providing rider and mount are well matched. Conversely many under 16 year olds are more suited or choose to ride horses and are allowed to compete in the Challenge in the junior class. We do review our rules every year and realise this rule in particular is different to a lot of other competition series. It is however welcomed by many riders who find themselves often excluded from other competitions on the basis of the height of their horse/pony. Certainly at the National Finals the results speak for themselves. Many of our show jumping winners have been mounted on horses and we do not see the perceived advantage of ponies versus horses played out.

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