Hickstead stages new competition with star appeal

A new class worth £40,000 to the winner and conceived by Traxdata is to be launched at Hickstead’s August meeting.

The class, to be called “The Traxdata,” will be the richest purse in Britain with a total prize fund of £120,000 and cash awards down to 10th place. It will be held on the Saturday of the Traxdata Derby Meeting including The Peugeot Derby (August 23 to 26).

Kevin Edwards, chairman and chief executive of Traxdata, said: “This class reflects everything that Traxdata is about - it is innovative and the best in Europe. I am confident that, combined with the other elements of the Traxdata Derby meeting, it will provide showjumping with the premier show in Europe this year and Traxdata with excellent pan-European coverage.”

And Hickstead founder and owner, Douglas Bunn, added: “Traxdata has come up with exactly the kind of competition the sport needs. It will be extremely attractive to the leading riders and an exciting competition for the public to watch.”

BBC Television has already agreed to transmit The Traxdata together with the Traxdata Speed Derby and the Peugeot Derby

There will be a demanding one-round qualifying competition, limited to 40 riders, on the Thursday of the meeting. Riders will be invited to take part, starting with the top 20 from last year’s BSJA ranking list and the top 10 riders from the FEI World Ranking list as well as the current World, European and Olympic champions. Further riders will be invited until the 40 is made up.

Riders in the top 20 places from the qualifying competition will go forward to The Traxdata on Saturday, starting over a Grand Prix-style course in reverse order of faults and time. The 10 best will then carry their scores forward to a jump-off against the clock.

Douglas Bunn explains: “The Peugeot Derby itself is always an attraction, but this new competition will give the whole meeting a tremendous boost and the world’s best riders yet another good reason to come to Hickstead.”