South and West Regional Team
Want to compete as part of Team South & West? Our Regional Teams give you the chance to represent the south west in a variety of competitions.
Whether you're a senior rider, youth rider, or para rider - there's lots of opportunities to compete for your region and fly your region colours! Each category has its own selection criteria and competitions that you can apply to be a part of.
Harbour Holidays Inter County Challenge
Each county in the S&W including IOW, Guernsey and Jersey has an ambassador (sometimes more than 1). This person is a volunteer who works very closely with me to deliver opportunities and social events in each county. This does not include competitions etc.
Each year from 1 Sept to 20 March we hold ICC Qualifier Days, These are open to anybody member or otherwise, and they are a great way to ride a test and get feedback from the judge as well as a score.
To do the Inter County you need 3 scores at the same level on the same horse(s), these scores are centrally recorded. At the end of the qualifying period your ambassador will work through the list of results and put together teams of up to 14 riders. They may send a team of Youth and Senior riders to compete. We host a 2 day stay over show at Bicton Arena, Devon and in 2025 the date is 2-4 May 2025.
Teams can have no more than 3 at the same level in them. For Senior the main team is made up of 12 riders who need to ride tests to qualify plus 2 invited riders at FEI level. The teams go from Prelim to GP. For Youth we use the rider skill tests from D squad to A squad and up to 4 from each level may compete. (email me for more info on Youth if are interested in Youth Teams. Youth mirrors seniors in all way except the tests).
You then enter and come, you have to ride a test on Saturday and Sunday at the same level. Scores are collated and the team with the highest marks over 2 days wins. We amalgamate the Youth and Senior scores to arrive at a Supreme Champion result as well.
In addition to the ICC Classes we offer Affilaited classes from Prelim to GP from approx. 2pm on the arrival day and then each day on the two days of the ICC. You don’t have to stay on site if you don’t want to but we do a lot of fun things as well such as a Cake Bake Off, Bingo, Unmounted Gymkhana in fancy dress, treasure hunt etc!
To do ICC you only need a club membership and a horse club membership once picked for a team, up to then you don’t have to be a BD member except for the FOC community one.
Inter Regionals
This is at end of May/early June for Seniors and end of June for Youth. Each region sends up to 7 teams of 4 riders per team to a 2 day competition where we compete against the other 5 regions across the country. For senior its only open to bronze and silver riders (restrictions in place if you have been to the Winter or Summer Champs). It goes from Prelim to Medium. Youth riders ride the Squad Tests at this event. The format for both is identical.
Home Nations
This is your chance to ride for your county and country the format being the same as the inter regionals with two exceptions, the Youth ride BD Tests and can also opt to do Pony, COH, Junior and Young Rider FEI Tests. The Seniors go from Prelim to PSG and this is open to Bronze, Silver and Gold riders. The same restrictions on Winter/Summer champs is also in place).
What to do to do Inter Regionals and Home Nations
- Attend 3 BD Official events, booked and paid for in the time period specified. See 2024 example below.
- These 3 events may be your three ICC tests
- Have 4 scores in the same time period as mentioned in 1 above at BD affiliated competitions at the same level. You may apply at multiple levels on multiple horses if you have the right things from 1 and 2, but it’s not guaranteed you will get in twice …. But you never know.
- The scores have to be from two different venues and two different judges
Here is this year’s selection policy and a document we produced earlier this year.
If you attend one of our two day camps which cater for all levels and are very open and welcoming you can get scores and attendances to qualify.
Check out also our Soho Equestrian Have a Go Shows.
Para Home Nations
Teams are made up of three or four riders, with each team presenting no more than two riders from any one grade. The competition is open to all riders grade I to V. To qualify, simply take part in two regional training activities and earn three BD Para Qualifier scores within a 12 month period.
Your regional representatives
If you want to find out more about competing for your region, your regional representatives are on hand to answer any questions you may have, simply click on the names below to email them:
- Senior representative: Nicky Du Plessis
- Youth representatives: Tina Burrow
- Para representative: Mark Cunliffe
You can also find the details of our Country Ambassadors below.
Berkshire - Angela Bellamy | Devon - Nicky Du Plessis and Karen Lisk | Cornwall - Clare Deithrick and Nicky Allen |
Oxfordshire - Amanda Rodgers If you want to find out more about being an ambassador please email Mandy |
Gloucestershire: Youth - Melissa Smith or Senior - Chantelle Oliver | Dorset - Carly Toogood and Gilly Wheeler |
South Gloucestershire - Carolyn Taylor | Somerset - Tina Burrow | Wiltshire - Charlotte Dicker |
Isle of Wight - Ellie (Youth) and Laura Crew (Senior) |
Channel Islands: Guernsey & Jersey - Claire Fox | Hampshire - Amanda Rodgers If you want to find out more about being an ambassador please email Mandy |