Everything you NEED to know about Eventing

The 2025 event season is well underway here in the United Kingdom, and for once we’ve had some decent weather to see in the start of the season! As we roll ever closer to the first few big events in the international eventing (CCI) calendar, and the first of the “Big B’s”, now is the time to brush up on your eventing knowledge so you’re ready to get stuck in.

With the Defender Kentucky Horse Trials in the USA on the fixtures list for the end of April, with some big British partnerships heading across the pond to contest in the 5*, and the prestigious Badminton Horse Trials and Badminton Grass Roots Championship following closely behind it, you’ve only got a few weeks to get scrubbed up on all things eventing, and we’re here to help!

We’ve brought you a one-stop-shop on all things eventing, so if you’re looking to get into the sport or impress your friends with your eventing knowledge then make sure you keep on reading.

Where did eventing originate from?

Like all equestrian sports, eventing originated from the military, used as a way to display the attributes of different horse breeds and to show off the military riders’ capabilities in the saddle. Introduced to the Olympic Games in 1912, eventing started to gain popularity as sport, encouraged by the establishment of the well-known Badminton Horse Trials in 1949. From this point onwards, the sport became a national fixture.

In its early days, eventing also incorporated the popular roads and tracks and steeplechase elements which tested the horse’s stamina and endurance. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that eventing became the three-phase test we recognise today.

What is eventing?

For those of you who have never actually witnessed eventing, it’s probably quite hard to glean what it actually is from the name…

Eventing is effectively a triathlon for modern sports horse, incorporating three disciplines dressage, cross country, and show jumping. Whether it is a one-day event or a three-day event, dressage is always done first with the jumping phases to follow in either order depending on the format.

At the long format three-day events, like Badminton, the order is run dressage (across two days to accommodate the large number of starters), cross country, and then the show jumping on the final day to conclude the test. The winner of the competition is the rider with the lowest score at the conclusion of the final phase.

The cross-country phase is a lot like cross country running, with obstacles to tackle along the way whilst being on the clock. Horse and rider combinations face lots of different types of jumps, ditches, water, and terrains whilst coming home inside the optimum time with no deviations from their direct route. Any failure to jump the fence correctly the first time of asking will result in 20 penalties, and any more than 3 refusals will lead to elimination from the competition, as does any horse and/or rider fall. Time penalties will be added for every 0.2 seconds over the optimum time allowed.

What to watch at an international three-day event?

The short answer here is… all of it!

Eventing at the top of the sport is a hugely exciting sport to tune into and be a part of. It’s wonderful to watch these eventing machines hold themselves together in a tense atmosphere to deliver a cool, calm, and collected dressage test on one day only to witness them in their element galloping across the country and jumping some serious fences the next!

But if that isn’t enough to get your fix for the weekend, then there are a couple of extra additions to the week eventing that you might want to get your teeth into. The first day of a three- day event actually begins the day before the dressage commences with the first horse inspection. Traditionally this is open to the public and gives you the first glimpses of these equestrian athletes (and their riders!). Not only is this a great time to start picking out your favourites to take home the trophy, but the horses are also all beautifully presented and the riders dressed in their Sunday best too. There are some great prizes on offer for the best dressed lady and gent, the best shod horse (going to their farrier), and the best turned out horse (going to the extremely hard-working groom).

To top it all off, the morning after the cross country all horses and riders through to the final stage of the competition are expected to re-present for the ground jury to determine if the horse is fit and sound to continue through to the final phase. A little more nerve wracking than the first horse inspection after the thrills and spills on the cross-country course, it’s a great watch for those of you who don’t mind an earlier start in the morning!

If still isn’t enough to curb your cravings, there are some extra competitions thrown in there too, with the likes of pony club team jumping, working hunter showing classes, and young event horse classes where you can see the stars of the eventing future having their first go at eventing.

Things to remember before going to watch your first event

Whether you’re a seasoned pro and have been going to watch the staple events in the calendar for years (it does become a family tradition!) or you’ve never been before and have no idea what to expect, here’s a few things you won’t want to forget before you leave.

There is a lot of walking involved! At all of the big events, everything is very spread out and that’s before you even get to the cross country! Cross country day is a marathon on foot, and often takes most of the day to walk the whole course if you stop to watch a few go at each element. Make sure you pack appropriate shoes to walk in and bring wellies just in case it rains.

If you’re not keen on walking the whole course, then no need to panic as there are plenty of big screens along the way or back on the show ground to sit down and watch it all live streamed with a coffee, tea, or possibly something stronger!

Bring your wallet because there are lots and lots of shops to browse. Even if you’re not a horsey person there will be plenty of trade stands to pick out some new country clothing, footwear, trinkets, and other goodies to bring home with you. And if you’re a bit of a foodie, the food stalls will be a dream come true, showcasing the best of British cooking and produce.

And if you’re not attending in person, you can still catch up on all of the excitement from the comfort of your own home streamed in real time. Badminton TV is showing all of the action from Badminton Horse Trials so you, so you don’t have to miss out on any of it.

Here at PolyJumps we’re gutted not to be attending the first “Big B” this year, but we know how much fun those of you going will have. It’s a great place to go and watch some of the best of the best in the sport, and see the incredible horses tackle some serious challenges. If you are feeling inspired to get out there yourself and need a bit of kit to get your started, make sure to get in touch with us and we can help you get started with everything you need. Who knows, we might be watching you there one day!