British Eventing announces entry fee and prize money increases for 2019

British Eventing has announced its plans to increase entry fees and prize money for 2019. Most membership passes will stay at the same rate, however, day pass membership will see an increase of 50%.

Following consultation with stakeholders, including the British Event Organisers Association (BEOA), riders and owners, it’s been decided that entry fees and prize money in 2019 for BE affiliated events will increase by 2.25%. This will see your entry fees for BE80, BE90 and BE100 classes increase by just over £1.50.

After British Eventing received a proposal from the BEOA, which outlined areas where event’s running costs had increased, BE undertook analysis to calculate the inflation factors for organisers. In conclusion, the BE board agreed to an increase in entry fees of 2.25%. The increase is reflective of the actual cost increases to organisers which include, labour, tentage, equipment hire, costs of improvements to cross-country courses and more.

Entry fees are set by British Eventing, and then passed onto the event organiser. A percentage does go to BE in the form of an affiliation fee which differs according to the class and ranges from less than 1% up to 9.8%, before VAT and abandonment insurance. The affiliation fee supports the provision of the sport, for example the cost of a technical adviser, steward and scorers, and covers essential items such as fence judge scoring sheets and dressage test sheets. Plus, it ensures events have access to BE’s fleets of ground care machinery, at subsidised cost, and benefits from public liability insurance.

All memberships, with the exception of day pass memberships which will increase to £15, will stay the same. This is the first increase relating to membership fees since 2014. There’ll be no change to the price of horse season tickets or day and training pass prices. BE can confirm that start fees will not increase in 2019 and that the abandonment insurance premium for next year will also remain unchanged.