Exciting times as two major championships move venues

The dressage and showjumping winter championships are moving from Hartpury to Addington Equestrian in 2024

- ELEANOR JONES

MAJOR championships are on the move from Hartpury, Gloucestershire, to Addington Equestrian, Buckinghamshire, next spring.

British Dressage (BD) announced last week that both the Winter Championships and Winter Area Festival Championships will now run at Addington, a move from Hartpury University and College. The British Showjumping (BS) Winter Showjumping Championships then confirmed the same move. The jumping will run from 3–7 April next year, and the dressage from 10–14 April.

“After a partnership spanning 15 years, Hartpury University and College has concluded its association with the largest event in the affiliated dressage calendar,” a BD spokesman said.

The spokesman cited Hartpury’s “exponential” growth, as the championships have also expanded, and this means more pressure on time and resources – championship organiser Show Direct needs three weeks to hold the show.