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The Petplan Equine Area Festival series was launched in 2000 and is aimed at grassroots riders. It has grown since then into the biggest British Dressage affiliated competition in the UK. Now affectionately known as ‘the Petplans’ the Area Festivals are a great place to start your British Dressage competition journey!

Key facts

Split into two seasons, summer and winter, the Petplan Equine Area Festivals offer a year-round pathway for riders to qualify and compete, before – hopefully – going on to the Area Festival Championships taking place in April and October each year.

Petplan Equine Area Festivals Summer 2023 Winter 2024
Qualification period 1 January – 30 June 2023 1 July – 31 December 2023
Levels Prelim to Inter I (including Freestyle to Music) Prelim to Inter I
Sections Bronze and Silver Bronze and Silver
Area Festivals July – end August Mid-January to mid-February
Championships Arena UK, 5-8 October 2023 NAF Five Star Winter Championships Hartpury, April 2024
Championship Dressage tests Prelim 19, Novice 23, Elementary 53, Medium 73, Advanced Medium 91, FEI PSG 2009 and FEI Inter I 2009 Prelim 19, Novice 23, Elementary 53, Medium 73, Advanced Medium 91, FEI PSG 2009 and FEI Inter I 2009

Area Festival Qualification

Area Festival qualification is based on percentage scores. Scores can be gained at regular BD shows at your local venues. Take a look at the table below to choose your level and find out how many scores you need to take part.

Level Qualification
Prelim to Advanced Medium Three scores at 63% or above (scores to be from one section)
Prix St Georges and Inter I Two scores at 60% or above (scores to be from one section)

Freestyle

Level Qualification
Prelim to Advanced Medium Two scores at 63% or above (scores to be from one section)
Prix St Georges and Inter I Two scores at 60% or above (scores to be from one section)

Combinations who place in the top two at an Area Festival can earn a coveted spot (providing the minimum score of 63% is achieved) at the Petplan Equine Winter Area Festival Championships held as part of the NAF Five Star Winter Championships at Hartpury in April or at a dedicated Area Festival Championship at Arena UK in October.

Take a look at all of the rules for the Area Festivals in our 2023 Members’ Handbook.

“Supporting the Petplan Equine Area Festivals is incredibly important to the whole team. We enjoy following the progress of all the riders and are very proud to have done so for the past two decades. We were excited when in 2021, the introduction of Freestyle classes to the Petplan Equine Area Festivals opened up a brilliant new way to participate. You can find more information about all the classes including Freestyle as well as videos and educational content both on the Petplan Equine Area Festivals Facebook page as well as our dedicated website; petplanequine.co.uk/area-festivals.” ~ Rosie Bee, Brand Marketing Executive, Petplan Equine

Summer Area Festival Freestyle

If you want to take part in dressage to music in the summer you can qualify for the Petplan Equine Summer Area Festival Championships from Prelim to Inter I, by taking part in regular day to day BD competitions at your local venues to qualify.

Venue County Date
Wellington Riding incl. Music Hampshire 18-20 July
Myerscough College Lancashire 19-23 July
Rockrose incl. Music East Lothian 14-16 July
Beacons Equestrian Carmarthenshire 29-31 July
Brook Farm Equestrian incl. Music Essex 29-30 July
Kingswood Equestrian Centre Staffordshire 28-30 July
Speedgate Events Kent 4-7 August
Alnwick Ford Equestrian incl. Music Northumberland 4-6 August
Sheepgate Equestrian incl. Music Lincolnshire 8-11 August
Kings Equestrian incl. Music Herefordshire 9-13 August
Bicton Arena Devon 11-13 August
Field House Equestrian Centre Staffordshire 12-15 August
Onley Grounds Equestrian Centre incl. Music Warwickshire 18-20 August
Fenning Farm Cambridgeshire 18-20 August
Moreton Equestrian Centre incl. Music Dorset 19-20 August
Port Royal Equestrian Centre incl. Music North Yorkshire 24-27 August
Sparsholt College Hampshire 25-27 August

“The Petplan Equine Area Festivals have been a great pathway for me to move up the levels of British Dressage and are always brilliantly organised and extremely enjoyable. Everyone is so supportive and encouraging – it’s such a fun experience and I’d recommend giving it a try.” ~ British Dressage member

Membership of British Dressage


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