‘They’re just not viable’: call for action as major show cancellation highlights issues

The FEI said it “recognises the challenges” faced by organisers, after Hickstead was forced to cancel the All England Dressage Festival as it could not be made viable.

H&H reported that the event, which had grown from a Premier League show in 2021 to a six-day CDI3* and CPEDI, could not continue to run, as Hickstead director Lizzie Bunn said the numbers did not add up.

“The timing of the event in May made things challenging due to the weather, but the main reason is that we cannot make it economically viable,” she said, having thanked all those who had supported the event. “The costs – particularly of judges and officials – at over £50,000 are exorbitant and, despite our best efforts, the event still ran at a loss.”

Olympic rider Richard Davison, who was dressage technical consultant for the Bolesworth and Windsor CDI4* events, told H&H the cancellation “reflects what has been known for some time”.

“Privately funded and non-subsidised standalone CDI events are just not viable,” he said.

“While some non-state-subsidised European CDIs have survived thanks to private benefactors, that is not sustainable.

“It is critical the FEI reviews regulations that affect organisers’ costs, such as the mandatory number of officials and length of tests, which affect revenue derived from entry fees, among other aspects.

“Where organisers combine CDIs with other disciplines and attractions, it is possible to offset some costs, especially where there is sufficient spectator interest reflected in non-discounted ticket sales, such as in freestyle classes.”

British Dressage (BD) CEO Jason Brautigam told H&H BD had been working with Hickstead to try to ensure the event remained viable, including contributing financially, with British Equestrian, to support the CDI and CPEDI.

“We are obviously very disappointed to lose the event for 2025, as it has been a popular show with members and well supported,” he said. “The cost-of-living crisis and high inflation over the last three years has had a negative impact on all our major events, including our winter and national championships, so we appreciate it’s a difficult economic climate.

“Nevertheless, we will continue to do what we can to work with our affiliated venues to mitigate the impact of these commercial pressures – and we hope dressage will return to Hickstead in the near future.”

The FEI told H&H it cannot comment on any organiser’s financial situation.

“Having said that, the FEI recognises the challenges faced by equestrian event organisers, where rising organisational costs can represent a significant hurdle,” a spokesperson said.

“To have an open dialogue with all stakeholders, two sessions at the FEI Sports Forum 2024 were dedicated to exploring ways to increase engagement among national federations and organising committees in hosting FEI championships. A key point of discussion was the potential for reducing organisational costs to enhance feasibility and sustainability.

“In relation to dressage officials, it is important to underline that officials play a fundamental role in safeguarding essential aspects of dressage events, from ensuring fair and balanced scoring to upholding the welfare and safety of the horses.

“Due to the complexity of dressage judging, which involves evaluating both horse and rider from multiple perspectives, it is widely recognised that a minimum number of judges is necessary to ensure fair and consistent performance assessments.”

The spokesperson said the FEI has proposed reducing the ground jury size from seven to five judges for the dressage World Cup Final, adding: “The dressage test format is also under consideration as part of the FEI’s future strategy for the sport.”

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