Eventing prepares to restart within weeks

Plans are under way for events to run over the first weekend in July with protective measures in place

- LUCY ELDER

RIDERS and organisers are preparing for a new normal as the sport of eventing prepares to return on 4 July.

British Eventing (BE) set its hoped restart date based on the government’s recovery strategy from Covid-19 and lockdown.

Social distancing measures will be in place, entries will open seven to 10 days ahead of a “decision to run” date, balloting will continue as normal, entry fees will not increase, and the number of people on-site will depend on government restrictions.

A new “pandemic refund policy” will apply; competitors will receive at least 30% (+VAT) of their entry fee for coronavirus-related cancellations. Abandonment insurance will still be payable.

Barbury (Wiltshire), Buckminster (Lincolnshire) and Aske (North Yorkshire) are among the modified fixtures scheduled on the sport’s re-opening weekend. An updated fixtures list for July and August is expected shortly.

“It is very exciting to have something positive to look forward to,” Barbury organiser Alec Lochore of Musketeer Events told H&H.

He added he expects everybody to take social distancing requirements “very seriously”, and has spent a lot of time working out how these will work safely for all.