News
Updated guidance after the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
- Written By: British Dressage
- Published: Mon, 12 Sep 2022 14:53
The Royal Household has confirmed that the state funeral for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will take place on Monday 19 September. All British Dressage competition and training will therefore be cancelled on this date as a mark of respect.
While organisations are not obligated to cancel or postpone events on the day of the funeral, we have agreed with the venues due to host BD activity on this date that this is the appropriate course of action and thank them for their co-operation and understanding.
Monday 19 September has also been declared as a Bank Holiday and therefore the BD offices will also be closed on this day, to enable staff to pay their respects.
All other BD competitions and training will continue to take place this week as planned, including the LeMieux National Dressage Championships at Somerford Park, from 15-18 September.
In accordance with the guidance issued by British Dressage on Saturday 10 September, the National Championships will be conducted in a respectful manner, in recognition of and paying tribute to Her Majesty’s significant contribution to equestrianism over the 70 years of her reign.
One minute’s silence will be held before the lunch break on each day, to reflect on the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II, followed by the National Anthem. Competitors should note that times will have to be slightly adjusted to accommodate this, so please do check the BD website and Equipe for the updated times when they are published tomorrow.
Flags will be flown at half-mast for the duration of the championships, while all riders and officials will be requested to wear dark clothing while in the competition arena, and dress in muted colours at other times, in keeping with the subdued mood of the nation at this time. Competitors may also wish to wear black armbands as a mark of respect.
A book of condolence will be available in the Show Office and on the British Dressage stand throughout the National Championships, and both competitors and spectators are invited to visit to write a message, from Thursday through to Sunday. There is also a public online book of condolence on The Royal Family's website: royal.uk.
Please note that there will also be a nationwide minute’s silence held on the eve of The Queen’s funeral at 2000 hrs BST on Sunday 18 September. We encourage the whole British Dressage community to join this shared national moment of quiet reflection.
Further information on arrangements for the state funeral is available here:
Full guidance on the national mourning period can also be found here:
Once again, we request that BD members respect the wishes of any organiser or venue that wish to cancel their fixtures or training during the national mourning period. We also fully respect the decision of any rider, owner, coach or official that chooses not to participate in any competition or training activity at this time.
