BHS Riding School National Championships

This special show gives horse-lovers who don’t own their own horse the chance to represent their local riding school at a prestigious national event.

This championship is a highlight for us, our Approved Centres and their clients. It showcases the incredible riding school horses and ponies, as well as the expertise of our Centre coaches. We take pride in making this event accessible, allowing everyone to experience a show of this level.

The event welcomes all ages and abilities, offering a variety of classes including in-hand showing, equitation, showjumping, and even horse care and welfare with a stable management phase of the competition!

Preparing for this event is a fantastic opportunity for centres to continue building positive connections with their supporters and clients of all abilities. It’s all about teamwork and supporting each other from preparation to the big day.

The deadline for qualifiers and results submission is 7 March 2025. We hope you can join us!

“A fantastic family occasion to compete and support other riders on a national level. I would highly recommend. The prizes and rewards are super exciting for those competing.”

“I would encourage any centre to attend. It’s always a popular event for us, our riders are already looking forward to next year!”

This year's championships are kindly sponsored by Just Horse Riders.

“An amazing opportunity for riders not only to compete but to support each other, display teamwork and show off their riding skills”

Classes 1, 2 & 3 - All Rounder

The All Rounder is the perfect way for competitors to show off their horse knowledge and riding skills. This class has three elements: an Equitation test, Show jumping round, and a Quiz. There are three different classes within the ‘All Rounder’ available to enter depending on the rider’s experience and stage of training. Horse and rider combinations can only enter one of these three classes.

Equitation Test: Each equitation test is judged on how well each movement is performed as well as collective marks for the rider’s position and effectiveness throughout the test.

• Class 1: Walk & Trot Equitation - this test will not include any canter work
• Class 2: Prelim Equitation - this test will include walk, trot, and canter
• Class 3: Novice Equitation - this will include walk, trot, canter, and some lengthening of strides

Show Jumping: Around a course of fences being judged on style and gaining marks for correct and effective riding. Points will be deducted if you knock a fence down or have a refusal or other errors such as error of course.

• Class 1: 45cm
• Class 2: 60cm
• Class 3: 70cm

Quiz: This is a general horse knowledge quiz which could include questions about coat colours, parts of the horse, equipment, and other general horse knowledge. The quiz will get gradually harder from classes 1 - 3, asking questions that will be suitable for the level of training for the competitors in the class.

Classes 4 & 5 - Equitation

The Equitation classes are for the competitors who want to showcase their flatwork skills. The tests are marked on how well each movement is performed as well as collective marks being allocated for rider position and effectiveness throughout the test. Horse and rider combinations can enter either class 4 or class 5.  The winner will be the competitor with the highest score in each class.

Class 4: Pick a test, combinations of Horse and Rider can opt to ride one of the tests within the class:

• Walk & Trot Equitation - this test will not include any canter work
• Introduction to Canter - designed to encourage riders not quite ready to progress to Prelim, this test will mainly be a walk, trot test with a small amount of canter work

Class 5: Pick a test, combinations of Horse and Rider can opt to ride one of the tests within the class:

• Prelim Equitation - including walk, trot, and canter
• Novice Equitation - including walk, trot, canter, and some lengthening of strides

Class 6 - In Hand Showing

The In Hand Showing Classes are a great way for competitors to show off their turnout skills. If they take pride in presenting the horses in a clean and tidy manner and enjoy grooming and bathing the horses, this could be the class for them. For this class, you will lead the horse in walk around the arena and line up so the judge can look at how well the horse and rider have been presented. The winner will be the horse and rider combination the judge places highest.

Showing attire for the handler is not essential, but recognition will be given to their overall tidiness and cleanliness and their correct PPE for the activity.

Plaiting of manes and tails is optional, but it is hoped that this will not be done by Centre staff.

Class 7 - Style Show Jumping

Style Show Jumping will be run alongside Classes 1-3’s show jumping. Perfect for the rider who does not enjoy the equitation as much as the thrill of jumping. Competitors will jump around a set course of fences being judged on style and gaining marks for correct and effective riding with points being deducted for refusals or fences being knocked down, etc.

Run as a pick a height competition, competitors can enter at any of the below heights:

• 45cm
• 60cm
• 70cm

Combination of horse and rider can only enter at one height range.

Winner will be the highest scoring clear round competitor over the three heights.

Championship Prizes and Awards

• A Trophy for 1st placed in each class.
• A medal for those placed 2nd and 3rd in each class.
• Sponsored prizes in kind for 1st - 3rd in each class.
• Rosettes up to 10th place in each class, subject to starters on the day.

Throughout the day, an overall accumulative points system will be put in place to recognise the Centre Coaches and Proprietors who have so kindly helped and encouraged their competitors to prepare for and to attend the event. Points will be awarded in each class for each competitor placing, subject to starters, for the first 10 placings, for example, 1st place = 10 points through to 10th place = 1 point. The below 2 awards will be presented at the prize-giving at the close of the championships:

Overall Leading Coach - awarded to the Centre Coach responsible for the highest accumulative scores gained by their competitors.

Overall Leading Centre Proprietor - awarded to the Centre Proprietor responsible for the highest accumulative scores gained by their competitors.

Wild Card

The Wild Card as implemented last year is returning. For one class only, each Centre can nominate one rider to enter under the ‘wild card’ system. The rider must have competed at the centre’s qualifying rounds and enter in the class that they competed in. The rider must have been placed within 1st - 6th place at the qualifier.

Download the 2025 Rule Book

To make sure you are fully prepared for the competition, we encourage all centres to download and review the official rule book. The rule book contains essential information on eligibility, competition classes, scoring, and much more. Download the rule book.

Additional Information

We value, respect, and embrace equity, diversity, and inclusivity and consider our Riding School Championships as an ideal environment to increase participation for all. If you have any participants that have genuine need for adaptations to enhance their opportunity to join us at this amazing event, please do contact the Approved Centre team on 02476 840509 or approvedcentres@bhs.org.uk.