New Event Rider Masters Series Kicking Off in 2016

Lauren Kieffer and Team Rebecca's Veronica en route to a lovely clear around the Equitrek Bramham CCI3* cross country. Photo by Samantha Clark

Lauren Kieffer and Team Rebecca’s Veronica at Bramham in 2015. Photo by Samantha Clark.

A new Series called Event Rider Masters will kick off this year, linking six already existing events in Great Britain with a goal of eventually expanding the series to continental Europe and other nations.

The series is meant “to be packaged specifically for television, with sophisticated commentary, innovative camera techniques and informed by statistical analysis of the kind used by other televised sports — intended to welcome and entertain new audiences as well as those already engaged with the sport.”

Prize money for the series has been confirmed with a fund of £350,000, which provides £50,000 for each of the six classes and a £50,000 prize fund for the leading riders at the end of the series

The 2016 calendar for the Event Rider Master Series is Chatsworth, May 14-15; Bramham, June 9-12; Barbury, July 7-10; Gatcombe Park, Aug. 5-7; Blair Castle, Aug. 25-28; and Blenheim, Sept. 8-11.

The competitions will take place in a CIC format over two days, with dressage held on the first day and show jumping held the next morning, followed by cross country running that afternoon.

Each competition in the Event Rider Masters Series will be limited to 40 total entries, with each rider limited to one horse. Riders must have completed one CIC3* as a combination with their horse to qualify and will be selected based on FEI Rankings, with four “special entry” spots also reserved.

Two spots are reserved for any eventing Olympic gold medalist or any rider who has won a CCI4* in the past 10 years. Two additional spots are reserved for riders from “developing nations” in the sport of eventing.

The goal of the series “is to provide an ever-changing leaderboard.” Points will be awarded to riders that finish 1st through 15th in the competitions, and an additional 1 point will be allocated to riders who place below 15th but still achieve an MER result.

The goal is to expand the Event Rider Master Series from six events in 2016 to between 12 and 15 events in 2017, with events held in continental Europe and beyond.

What do you think of this new Event Rider Master Series, EN? The series is “packaged specifically for television” and is “intended to welcome and entertain new audiences as well as those already engaged with the sport.” Do you think this series will achieve those goals?

Additionally, the series hopes to expand to other countries next year. If North America is allocated a leg of the Event Rider Master Series, which already existing event would you like to see host a leg of this series? Let us know in the comments below!

[Event Rider Master Series]