More Riders Take Up The Challenge

In the second year of the YOUR HORSE UK RIDERS CHALLENGE the number of riders entering qualifying rounds doubled, demonstrating the demand of a National unaffiliated competition series.

The Your Horse UK Riders Challenge is a national competition for everyday leisure riders. Competitors can take part in dressage and show jumping classes at local qualifying events around the UK. Split into junior (under 16 on 1/1/03) and senior sections, anyone can enter and there are no rules regarding the height of your horse or pony eg seniors can ride ponies and vice versa. Membership of UK Chasers & Riders is only required once a competitor has qualified.

Following on from the success of the 2002 Your Horse UK Riders Challenge, qualifiers for the 2003 competition will take place until July 2003. The Regional Finals will take place at designated venues throughout the country during July and August, and the National Finals will once again be held at Warwickshire College's Moreton Morrell Centre on 6th & 7th September 2003.

In order to deter affiliated competitors and 'pot hunters' and make the Challenge fairer for unaffiliated competitors, some rule changes have been introduced to the 2003 Challenge. The number of qualifiers per class has also been adjusted, with one competitor qualifying for every five in the class eg in a class of 20, 1st - 4th will qualify.

For details of the Your Horse UK Riders Challenge qualifiers in your area or for more information on UK Chasers & Riders (including membership), log on to www.ukchasers.com or call Jane on 01926 450049 or email info@ukchasers.com.

Facts about the Your Horse UK Riders Challenge
" 50 equestrian centres and riding clubs took part in the 2002 Challenge. There are currently another 20 possible UK Riders Challenge Centres under consideration.
" An estimated 15,000 entries took part in last year's qualifiers (these have no obligation to become members).
" The 2002 Challenge had 2,600+ qualifiers (members of UKC&R who qualified for Regional Finals).
" There were1,430 entries in the show jumping Regional Finals (100% uptake ie all qualifiers entered the Regionals)
" There were 1,090 entries in the dressage Regional Finals (93% uptake)
" There were 131 entries in the show jumping National Finals (71% uptake)
" There were 110 entries in the dressage National Finals (91% uptake)
" The 2002 Your Horse UK Riders National Finals were held at Warwickshire College on 7th (SJ) & 8th (Dressage) September. Organised in conjunction with Your Horse magazine, lecture demos featuring equine behaviour experts Michael Peace and Cathy Tindall also took place, alongside trade stands and educational talks - adding an element of entertainment to the exciting competitive action going on in the rings. The winners were presented with Mountain Horse jackets; second placed competitors were awarded Weatherbeeta rugs, with Baileys Horse Feeds goody bags for third placed competitors. All placed competitors also received Your Horse goody bags. The results and photographs appeared in Your Horse magazine in Issue 236 (October 24-November 20).

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