British Riding Clubs (BRC) run competitions at regional and National level. These are aimed at ordinary riders. You do not need to be an Olympic hopeful to compete on the teams or as an individual. The classes range from true grass-roots level up to international level, but all are accessible to normal everyday riders. There are also other organisations that have Riding Club sections i.e. Endurance GB, E-riders on line.
Over time this page will give an insight into what opportunities are available for you, and if you are interested you can contact Zoe, our teams manager for more information. It is important to note that YOU are responsible for learning the rules of any competition that you enter although Zoe can provide some guidance. The BRC rule book is available online, free of charge, this is the link to download the 2026 version. 4030_brchandbook_2026_lr.pdf
Dressage at EVRC is usually “stressless” in that you do not need to wear competition kit or plait your horse up, so long as you are both clean & safely turned out with BD approved tack and up to standard riding hat and proper riding boots, you’re welcome to come & compete. Andrea Peel puts a lot of effort into making these a fun, social event and there is a points league with the winner being awarded the annual shield. Seasonal themes mean that we see people and horses with costumes which is fun. All levels are catered for, from Intro to advanced, and yes, we see the full range at these competitions. Going forward to the Area 4 Regional competitions is simply doing the same, just wearing competition clothes and plaiting up your horse. Qualification at Area can lead to competing at the Nationals. A fun if tiring experience! Zoe, our teams manager would be delighted if you got in touch asking about the pathway to competing for the club, either as an individual or on a team. Other sections that fall under Dressage are Dressage to Music and Quadrille. EVRC members have competed in both and there are preliminary plans to put a quadrille team forward in 2027.
Show jumping is the art of getting horse and rider round a course of jumps. This may be 2 phase – jump round, then wait to jump-off against the clock if you are clear in the first round, or Single phase where you go round the first part of the course and if you go clear, continue into the jump off before leaving the arena. BRC have acknowledged the gap between novice riders and the starting point for the Regional competitions so have introduced a new competition, with local qualifiers to go forward to a Championship. This has a starting point of 40cm, rising to 60 cm. Most people can do that without the horse! The idea is to generate interest among people who have thought about show jumping but not actually had a go, or haven’t jumped for years and are wondering… Hopefully they will gain confidence from this and maybe work their way up the competition levels in time.
Horse Trials; Dressage, show jumping AND cross country. You and your horse need to be fit mentally and physically but it’s a lot of fun and the feeling you get after completing is amazing.
Combined Challenge The BRC Combined Challenge is a prestigious equestrian competition that tests the ability and timing of a horse and rider to navigate a show jumping course followed by a cross-county course on grass. It is part of the British Riding Clubs (BRC) national championships and is open to both teams and individuals. The Arena Eventing Championships will consist of a course of show jumps immediately followed by a course of cross-country fences. Classes: Junior 70 & 80 Senior 70 & 80 Mixed 90 & 100 The round will finish with the last fence as a ‘Joker’ show jump, which may be set up to a discretionary 10cm higher than the rest of the course. Further information on heights, course requirements and horse and rider eligibility can be found in the BRC Handbook.
Combined Training Combined Training consists of one dressage test and one course of show jumps. The championships is open to both individuals and teams, with all classes mixed juniors and seniors. Team options are: Novice Combined Training: 2 team members ride Prelim level dressage tests & 60cm show jumping, third rides a Prelim level dressage test & 70cm show jumping and the forth rides a Novice level dressage test & 70cm show jumping. Open Combined Training: 1 team member rides a Prelim level dressage test & 80 show jumping, second rides a Novice level dressage test & 80 show jumping, third rides a Prelim level dressage test & 90 show jumping and forth rides a Novice level dressage test & 90 show jumping. Elimination from one phase will result in elimination from the other. The winning team will be decided from the best three scores in both phases. For eligibility requirements and dressage tests, please visit the 2026 BRC Handbook.
Arena Eventing; Eventing on a surface. The Arena Eventing Championships will consist of a course of show jumps immediately followed by a course of cross-country fences. Classes: Junior 70 & 80 Senior 70 & 80 Mixed 90 & 100 The round will finish with the last fence as a ‘Joker’ show jump, which may be set up to a discretionary 10cm higher than the rest of the course. Further information on heights, course requirements and horse and rider eligibility can be found in the BRC Handbook.
Showcross; Lots of jumping, no dressage although schooling is useful for fine control!
Endurance; The art of getting you and your horse from A-B-C-D etc, sound and in good condition. RIDING CLUB Teams will be able to compete at any Endurance GB (EGB) ride with a suitable foundation novice graded class of between 20 and 29km in distance for the Tier 1 competition, and a suitable graded class between 30 and 40km in distance for the Tier 2 competition. Teams can also compete in equivalent classes with the Scottish Endurance Riding Club (SERC). A RIDING CLUB Team can compete in both Tiers if they so choose. Teams must consist of a minimum of three and a maximum of six combinations. Any number of teams can be put forward from single CLUB. A team can be formed from members of more than one CLUB. For more information call Endurance GB on 02475 381381 or check out their website; wwwendurancegb.co.uk
Working Equitation is a new equestrian discipline to the UK, originating in Portugal. It is a fun and very social event. Competitions are in three sections; Dressage, judged on classical lines, Ease of Handling (think pony club obstacle course ridden in a dressage style) and the Speed round which is an obstacle course completed as fast as possible. W.E. is unusual in that you can be eliminated in any round and still complete the competition. Points are awarded for your position in each of the 3 sections, and the person with the most points wins. Elimination is common! The course is designed to trip you up and catch you out. Some people simply compete hoping to NOT get eliminated this time! EVRC have been running training for this for some time. You would be very welcome to come along and have a go. Newcomers are given a thorough grounding and explanation, and lots of assistance to learn how to manoeuvre through to obstacle course. This is also an excellent discipline for people on young /novice horses as it helps build a better rapport between horse and rider and desensitises the horse to many things. It also improves your ability to open gates, halt correctly and allows you to school your horse without doing endless circles, so ideal for a horse that is becoming a little sour in the school.
E-Riders Online Dressage also now offers a BRC League Classes too. E-Riders allows you to compete in organised dressage classes with BRC members, no matter where you are – directly from the comfort of your own arena and in your own time. For more info visit https://www.e-riders-dressage.co.uk/