Bicton Arena has announced that Protexin Equine Premium will sponsor its BE 100 three day event at its International Horse Trials, which take place from October 24 to 27.
Protexin Equine Premium produces innovative, research based products of the highest quality, providing a complete range of gut health and joint products for the equestrian market.
Marketing manager Kate Rouse said: “We have been working with Bicton for many years now and have developed a great relationship with the team there. As one of the best venues in the UK with fantastic facilities we wanted to further support them and are sponsoring their October Horse Trials. We can’t wait to attend and we’re looking forward to meeting all of the competitors there!”
Arena manager Helen West added: “We are delighted that Protexin has extended its sponsorship at Bicton. The three day in October is immensely popular and to have such a high calibre sponsor on board is fantastic.”
The full range of classes that will be run at the event are CCI-S 3*, BE100Open, BE100, CCI-S 2*, CCIL 2*, OI BE100Open, N, 3 BE100, ON, ONu18.
Times for the Regional Championships will not be available until Tuesday 17th July due to BD validation issues.
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Bicton Arena are delighted to welcome Equipe & Soverign Equestrian on board as headline sponsors for the May Spectacular Showjumping Show
Please click on this link to enter!
Join us at Bicton Arena for our International Horse Trials on April 20th 21st & 22nd
A fun day out for all in the glorious grade one listed parkland.
Experience the thrill and excitement first hand, watching Oympic riders compete in this equine triathlon which comprises of dressage, show jumping and the main attraction….cross country.
The following combinations competing here at Bicton are all entered for Badminton Horse Trials next month:
- Andrew Nicholson & Jet Set IV
- Gemma Tattersall & Arctic Soul
- Gemma Tattersall & Pamero
- Tom McEwen & Toledo De Kerser
- Alex Bragg & Zagreb
- Lydia Hannon & My Royal Touch
- Padraig McCarthy & Mr Chunky
- Alicia Hawker & Charles RR
- Alex Whewall & Chakiris Star
Browse through the trade stands selling an array of fascinating goods, with catering from award-winning Kenniford Farm and a licensed bar.
Tickets are available on the gate for just £10 per car.
Dressage will commence at 08:30 each morning & run through to approx. 15:00
Showjumping will commence at 09:30 each morning & through to approx. 16:00
Cross Country will commence at 10:00 each morning & run through to approx. 17:30
Start times for all riders will be published on www.britisheventing.com from 18th April 2018.
Gemma Cooke collected the prestigious award of British Dressage Venue of The Year 2017 for Bicton Arena earlier this month. This was presented to her at the BD Organisers Convention held at Warwick Racecourse.
Bicton Arena has announced that Chatham, an Exeter-based footwear company that specialises in nautical and country inspired styles, will sponsor a new CIC* class that will take place at its international horse trials on April 20 to 22.
The class will run alongside the established Rathbones-sponsored two star section and the addition is expected to attract an influx of high caliber competitors to the Devon venue.
Chatham’s managing director Philip Marsh said: “It’s a terrific set up at Bicton Arena and the venue is going from strength to strength. It’s a great team and we are delighted to be adding our support. It’s an exciting time for the arena as it continues to develop and grow and we’re delighted to be a part of that.
“We sponsor at several events, including the Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials and William Fox-Pitt is one of our brand ambassadors. We also attend 55 shows every year with our retail stand. But we’re also locally based to Bicton Arena so it’s the perfect fit as we continue to expand our sponsorship portfolio.”
Organiser Helen West added: “We’re delighted that Chatham is coming on board as a sponsor at Bicton Arena and we’re very much looking forward to working with Philip and his team. It’s great that it’s a local company, but with an international reputation.
“Our two star class already attract many big names from the sport, which is fantastic for West Country eventing, but we hope that this additional one star, which would have run at Hambledon had it been taking place, will attract even more people to Devon.”
Helen took over as the arena’s manager in 2013, and in 2015 introduced CIC2* classes to both the April and August events. The addition of the one star class is regarded as the next stage in her quest to create a centre of equine sporting excellence in the south-west with a comprehensive range of classes from grassroots to international level.
About Chatham
Since 1989, Chatham has traded on a nautical traditional of quality, and is now growing into one of Britain’s key lifestyle footwear brands.
Quality, durability, marine aesthetics and performance all form an integral part of the Chatham product.
Chatham is committed to creating a range of classic sailing kit, country footwear, all served up with Chatham’s very British style. Combining traditional craftsmanship with innovation, durable materials with attention to detail. Its footwear is designed to be comfortable, functional and able to withstand all that nature can throw at it.
- May Spectacular Show – May 24th – 27th (To include HOYS qualifiers and Grand Prix’s)
- Pony Premier Show – June 22nd – 24th (Juniors to include HOYS qualifiers & Cat 2 senior)
- Mixed Summer show July 13th – 15th (Cat 1 & 2 & Club)
- Amateur festival – Aug 3rd – 5th (Cat 2, Juniors, Club, Derbies)
- Sep Championship Show with Talent Seekers – Sep 6th – 9th (Cat 2 & 3)
To see all events at Bicton Arena visit our Event Calendar.
Big plans for Bicton Arena
Bicton Arena’s manager, Helen West, has revealed that she hopes to create an international show jumping event at the acclaimed eventing venue in little over 18-months’ time.
Helen, a professional rider of 14 years was appointed Arena Manager of Bicton Arena in Devon in 2013. Since taking on the role four years ago, the 37-year-old has elevated the venue’s status to one of international standing, but she won’t be happy until it’s up there with Badminton.
Her immediate goal is to establish a FEI accredited CSI 1*, 2* and Young Horse international show jumping event with classes up to 1m 50cm for July 2019.
“Jumping on the Continent is really popular in the winter months, with riders going off to take part in the Sunshine Tour in Spain and Portugal,” she says. “But I want to be able to say to riders, come to Costa del Bicton! Because when the sun’s shining it’s great, although I probably won’t be able to use this as a selling point if it’s tipping down with rain!
“I have spoken to lots of competitors over the years who say they would love to see an event in July where there appears to be a gap.
“We’re at the highest level we can be on a national level here at Bicton,” she continues. “We can’t really get much better. So my ambition is to branch out to the next level, to attract the top riders to our area. And currently, the closest venue to the south west of England offering international show jumping events is Wales and West where they host the Chepstow International.”
“If we do realise our ambition of establishing an international show jumping show at Bicton, we will be seeking further sponsorship to enable us to provide the significant level of prize money required, and would welcome new partners/associates to get involved with us.”
Helen’s devotion to equestrianism is tangible everywhere you look when rolling into Bicton Arena.
“I’m pretty much in charge of everything that’s green!” laughs Helen, gesturing to the verdant 360-degree panorama, studded with giant beeches.
Owned and managed by Clinton Devon Estates and set in beautiful Grade 1 listed parkland, Bicton Arena is the finest equestrian venue in the South West and one of the most reputable in Britain.
Helen’s job includes managing the brimming events diary and designing the courses, including the cross-country course escorting you into the estate. Since Torquay-born Helen took the job, the quantity and quality of events, and the footfall, have increased exponentially.
“Because I’ve ridden at such a high level, I’ve tried to put in place everything I’ve wanted as a competitor, such as investing in the grounds’ maintenance. The horses are worth an awful lot of money, so keeping them sound is a priority,” she adds.
“As a rider, you’re only as good as the horse you’re sitting on, so it’s vitally important to get it right. When I arrived, the space was under-utilised and I could see its huge potential.”
This potential is being fulfilled under Helen’s expertise, with support from a small team of committed and competent colleagues.
When Helen joined, Bicton Arena hosted one British affiliated horse trial. Now there are three, including two international horse trials. “I just thought it had all the ingredients and deserved to be up there with Blenheim and Bramham.”
Bicton Arena is currently a CIC** venue, a rating given by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports. Under Helen’s expert guidance, Clinton Devon Estates’ ambition was to turn it into a three-star venue by next year, however due to changes administered by the FEI, this won’t be possible until 2019. There are currently only two four star rated venues in the country; Badminton and Burghley, and two other three starred venues.
This summer, the venue hosted its first regional dressage championships after a successfully tendering to be the host venue. The new Western Counties Equine Vets all-weather arena opened in April which will enable the venue to meet an ever-increasing demand. In Helen’s 2017 calendar there are only two weekends spare.
Since 2015, when Helen was awarded a course design scholarship with British Eventing, she has been designing all the courses at Bicton. This led to her appointment as course designer for the prestigious Nunney International Horse Trials in June and Ballendenisk, Ireland in September.
“I was looking at ways to cut costs and just thought, crikey, I’ve ridden at 4* level, surely I must have the knowledge to design,” she explains. “When designing, I always ask myself, what kind of course would I want to ride? Another unexpected benefit of being able to design is that it’s really helped my riding.”
Helen started riding aged six and was competing within a year, including at Bicton. Eventing became her passion.
“Any eventer does it for the love of cross country,” she says. “I really love that you get to meet so many people and go to some beautiful places, but it’s an incredibly risky sport – your neck’s on the line in cross country, so what you get is an immense spirit of comradeship. Competitors are willing each other to keep safe and do well, which is rare in competitive sport.”
Eventing showcases the immense proficiency of the rider and intelligence of the horse. But is it unfair on the animals?
“No,” affirms Helen, who regularly competes on the national show jumping circuit with her “demanding but characterful” 10-year-old Irish sports horse, Eebay. “You can’t make a horse do something it doesn’t want to do,” she continues. “They have to love it. You’ll never have a horse at the top level who doesn’t want to be there.”
All Helen ever wanted to do was ride horses. Recognising her potential, her parents set up a livery business and, as a teenager, she started getting paid to train and ride other people’s horses competitively, going on to produce horses and sell them.
After selling a horse she’d produced to Captain Mark Phillips, father of the Queen’s granddaughter and Team GB rider, Zara Phillips, he offered her a job at his stables in Gloucestershire, which she took for the best part of a season.
But Helen admits that her lifestyle proved relentless and that “there isn’t a part of me I haven’t broken”. Just one week after a near fatal fall for one of her horses, another horse lost its life and Helen decided it was time to re-evaluate. “I didn’t want to ride that course with that horse that day, because it was too big for him, but I had to because it was my job,” she explains.
That same evening Helen saw the advert for the manager’s role at Bicton Arena; a place where she’s been able to continue to immerse herself in the world of horses, and the place that has brought her together with her fiancé Andrew who she will marry in December.
“Before, I had no work life balance,” says Helen, “now this job gives me the best of both worlds.”