Somerford Park Farm will not host British Dressage (BD) premier league or excessive profile competitions owing to viability considerations – however will proceed to host the LeMieux Nationwide Dressage Championships.
Somerford, which is one in every of seven venues on the 2025 excessive profile and premier league calendar and held its fixtures in Might, introduced this week, “with remorse”, that it might not maintain the exhibits in future. This leaves the nationals because the venue’s solely competitors.
“This troublesome determination has been made in response to evolving competitors tendencies and monetary challenges affecting the viability of competitions within the horse world,” stated a spokesperson for the Cheshire venue.
“We lengthen our deepest gratitude to all sponsors, particularly Baileys Horse Feeds and Bliss of London Saddlemakers, rivals, supporters, judges, and volunteers to your dedication and help through the years. Your involvement has been important to the success of the occasion.”
Organiser Millie Heffernan advised H&H that entries on the Might premier league and excessive profile fixtures had been “the bottom they’ve ever been” and the exhibits ran at a “main loss”.
“Therefore, it’s not sustainable. We run it as a enterprise, we will’t run at a loss and issues must be reviewed and stopped in the event that they’re not going to pay their means,” she stated.
“Everybody’s bills have risen, and sadly issues have to return to an finish after they don’t stack up.”
Millie believes that persons are competing and travelling much less on the entire.
“Given the monetary state of affairs of the entire nation, persons are extra aware of what they’re spending their cash on. Individuals who used to compete fortnightly are maybe competing month-to-month,” she stated.
“And sadly I feel the BD calendar is kind of overpopulated, there’s plenty of exhibits for individuals to go to so it’s unfold a bit skinny.”
Millie added that the state of affairs across the viability of exhibits “is regarding” for the game.
“I don’t suppose it’s particular to 1 self-discipline. The extent of curiosity has possibly dropped in competitions; individuals can entry a lot on-line these days they don’t must go and watch it within the flesh. We’re nonetheless busy as a coaching venue and persons are nonetheless doing the enjoyable facet of it, however I feel individuals have gotten completely different priorities and commitments,” she stated.
“We see it from either side; it must be the worth it’s as a venue however clearly as a competitor it feels costly as nicely. It’s an actual high-quality line, the help of excellent high quality judges and the usual of every thing that rivals anticipate from services, judges and surfaces, it’s a must to cost a value for.
“And we need to invite sponsors in and now we have good long-standing sponsors, however they should really feel like they’re getting one thing again and being supported by rivals, in any other case we’ll lose them.”
Millie confirmed that Somerford will proceed to host the BD nationwide championships – going down this yr from 11-14 September.
“There aren’t any plans for that to vary,” she stated.
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Credit score: Boots and Hooves Images
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H&H senior information author
Since becoming a member of H&H in 2018, Becky has lined a broad vary of equestrian information together with welfare issues, veterinary research, FEI Tribunal hearings and highway security campaigns. She has additionally interviewed prime riders together with Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to call just some. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, in addition to the Royal Highland and Blair Fort Worldwide Horse Trials nearer to house. She was additionally a key a part of the distant reporting staff for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
