BD Youth. Your journey starts here. Your handy guide to opportunities for Under 25s

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1 BD Youth Your journey starts here Your handy guide to opportunities for Under 25s

2 BD Youth is the perfect starting point for any young rider. Whether you d like a future in dressage or simply want to learn and have fun, I can t think of a better way to get going. Dressage for me is all about the journey. My journey started at seven years old and by 11 I was riding down the centre line on my first Nations Cup team with a pony who cost less than his tack. Four years later I had achieved all that I could as a pony rider - two European Champion titles, five gold medals, two silver, one bronze and three Under 16s world records that still stand today. I wouldn t have been able to achieve any of this without the hours of training behind the scenes, both in and out of the saddle, given to me by the many professionals, trainers and officials that make up BD Youth. It doesn t matter whether your goal is to win a gold medal or to purely enjoy training with your horse or pony there is a place and a person in BD Youth to help you achieve your dreams. My best advice is to keep an open mind and ask for help, give anything a go and most importantly enjoy every second you spend at the reins! My days in BD Youth were the best start to my journey, just as I m sure they will be for yours. Phoebe Peters

3 Welcome to BD Youth! If you re between six and 25 years old, you can join in with the most successful equestrian sport of the modern era! BD Youth offers competitions, teams, prizes and top training to help you achieve your dreams. Make friends and have fun, wherever you live there s a BD Youth group near you so taking part is easy, simple and enjoyable! Our amazing programmes are designed to support you on your journey to becoming a gold medal winning rider, a top level judge, an award winning coach or a first class yard manager. Whatever your goals we can help you achieve them! 3

4 Where to start You can train with BD Youth from grassroots to international level! If you re a dressage newbie you re in the right place - find out about our Regional training and rider categories here! Regional Training Training starts at home... or in our case regionally! You can find venues close to home where you can experience invaluable days designed to give you all the basic training you need with your horse/pony to help you develop your skills and meet your goals. These sessions are organised by your BD Youth Representative or Regional You ll be judged by judges Development Officer. Your BD Youth Rep will be the first point of contact within your who have passed region! exams and receive Regional training sessions/camps run throughout the year including during on-going the school training holidays and cover everything from test riding and lessons to unmounted stable management workshops and social activities! BD Youth Squads Whether you re training or competing with BD Youth you can work your way through our amazing squad system. You can train and compete with your squad at Regional camps and competitions! Riders will enter at D Squad/Under 12 level and progress their way through to reach the A Squad. A unique aspect of BD Youth is the rider skills tests! These tests are used to upgrade you through the squads, and at a major team competition called the Inter Regionals. Instead of looking at traditional movements these classes assess you and how much difference you are making to your horse. Every rider has an equal chance to excel! 4 D Squad - riders up to the end of the year of their 11th birthday C Squad - riders up to the end of the year of their 14th birthday C+ Squad - Rider skills tests similar to Prelim / Novice B Squad - Rider skills tests similar to Novice / Elementary B+ Squad - Rider skills tests similar to Elementary / Medium A Squad - Rider skills tests similar to Medium or the specific young horse test

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6 Competing with BD Youth BD Youth covers an amazing spectrum, from Intro tests through to CDI classes. Read this section to find out what events you can aim for when you join the most exciting group for young dressage riders in Great Britain. Team Quest is dressage but as you ve never seen it before! Teams of three or four compete at Intro, Prelim or Novice level at regional events all over Britain. Join up with a few friends and qualify for our most popular grassroots Championships or give it a go solo and aim for the My Quest Championships, where it s just you and your horse going for gold! Area Festivals/Regionals The great thing about dressage is that there are no age barriers. From as young as six you compete against adults, which is an amazing opportunity to learn. Petplan Equine Area Festivals, Regional and National Championships offer U21s prizes to recognise your achievements on the big stage. If you re not quite ready for the jump to Regionals right now then why not give the Area Festivals a go? You ve got every chance to make it to the brilliant Area Festival Finals and even the Area Festival Championships hosted at Hartpury College. Check out the BD website for more info! Inter Regionals The Inter Regionals is one of the key events in the BD Youth calendar with around 30 teams and 140 riders taking part every year. It s an amazing chance to compete for your home region and battle for title glory! Instead of riding the standard BD tests, you ride the BD Youth Rider Skills tests which focus on your position, accuracy and influence over your horse s way of going. 6

7 BD Youth Home International Regions also select teams for the senior and BD Youth Home Internationals. These competitions showcase team spirit and talented riding. Both competitions include representation from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland giving you the amazing opportunity to experience international competition before reaching FEI shows. BD U25s Championships at Sheepgate Every year Sheepgate Equestrian Centre holds the very popular British Dressage Under 25s Championships. This includes titles at every level from Prelim through to the FEI Tests. One of the most exciting competitions at Sheepgate is the team championships. To take part in these you will be selected by your region and competing at Preliminary, Novice, Elementary or Medium level and above. With great prizes, unforgettable parties and bags of team spirit the BD Sheepgate U25s Championships is not one you will want to miss! Contact your Youth Rep for more info, see pages 13 and 15 for details! Premier League Shows Premier Leagues provide the perfect opportunity for you to gain experience in the FEI tests whilst competing in front of top judges and learning more for the future. These tests are ideal for those aiming to gain a place on the Pony, Junior or Young Rider squads to earn qualifying scores and valuable experience. For riders not quite at the level yet, there s much to be gained in watching the higher level BD Youth riders at Premier League shows why not visit a few events this summer! Don t forget to visit the BD Youth competition pages on our website where you can see all the dates in the U25s calendar and learn more about how to get started. 7

8 Progressing with BD Youth Aiming for Premier League shows and championships? Check out the training programmes below to help you reach your goals! Foundation and National Academies If you re an A, B+ or B Squad rider then you re eligible to apply for a place at our Academies. These camps offer individualised training and development programmes to help you progress even further whilst developing your own and your horse s capabilities. The National Academy is accessed through selection from the Foundation programmes, visit our website to find out more. Pony, Junior and Young Rider Squad Training Being a part of an U21s GBR squad is a dream for many young riders, but with hard work and dedication it is achievable! Squad Training aims to develop riders long term for senior squads with the added goal of preparing combinations for Under 21s international competitions. Squad weekends offer the highest quality training alongside the opportunity to improve yourself as an athlete, with workshops on nutrition, physiotherapy, psychology and much more. BEF Podium Potential Pathway This training squad is open to riders aged 14 to 24 who are riding in their relevant age group, in line with the FEI categories. The programme runs for two years and provides you with access to top equestrian specialists, including coaches, physiotherapists, psychologists, vets and nutritionists, via a series of rider performance camps. The programme is coordinated by the BEF and supported by Sport England. 8 Want to know more? Visit

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10 Build a career in dressage If you re 18 years or over and considering a career in the sport we ve got loads on offer to kick-start your professional journey! Young Professional Programme This exciting programme, led by the BEF, is open to riders who are not in full time education and are between the ages of 19 and 26. The cross-discipline Young Professional Programme has been designed to help support an individual s personal development, career planning and professional enhancement. At the end of the 12 month programme participants have a wider and well-adapted skill-set that builds their confidence for continued work to thrive and earn a living in the equine industry. Dressage only candidates are also eligible for the Pollard bursary, a generous gift of 5w000 designed to aid establishing your career. Visit for more information. Young Judges Did you know that once you turn 18 you can become a BD judge? Many riders include judging in their busy schedules so why don t you give it a go too? You could even aim to progress right from judging local shows all the way to travelling the world attending CDI competitions as an FEI judge. Through our training programmes it s straightforward and stress-free to become a listed judge. Don t be put off by the application process you can join our many training days and programmes to help you as you take your first step on the judging ladder. Speak to your RDO to learn more and find out how you can get started. 10

11 Young Trainers From the age of 18 you can become a British Dressage registered trainer! The British Dressage Coaching Certificate has helped raise the profile of equestrian coaching by establishing best practice coaching standards. Holding a British Dressage Coaching Certificate demonstrates that you have the technical knowledge and practical ability to coach riders to the level of the qualification gained and will give you an unrivalled credibility for your future as a British Dressage trainer. Why not speak to an existing trainer to get some advice or check out our Training/BDCC pages on the BD website. DISE (Diploma in Sporting Excellence) In partnership with Hartpury College, DISE provides riders with opportunities to improve performance via a blended learning programme. The programme offers a high quality training enviroment, access to modern, well-equipped facilities, as well as the benefits of conditioning experts, physiotherapists, nutritionists and mentors. The award is an eighteen-month programme for riders aged and in your first year of further eduation. It covers all aspects of training and sports performance support to enable you to step up to the next level and achieve your goals! To find out more about DISE and the many other learning opportunities offered by BD Youth, please get in touch with our BD Youth Development Officer. 11

12 Represent your region! Whether it s regional training or competing for your region, look the part with the official regional clothing range from Tylers Horse & Country. Get everything from polo shirts and gilets, to beanie hats and saddle cloths all in your regional colours! Great bundles and fab prices, head to and represent your region with pride!

13 Who you need to know BD Youth Point of Contact For any BD Youth queries please get in touch with our Youth Development Coordinator Hannah James or Under 21 International Officer Sharon Weir. Phone: (Hannah) or (Sharon) or Regional Contacts Contact your BD Youth Representative or Regional Development Officer if you ve got any questions about taking part in BD events, training or competitions in your local area. The team of RDOs organise activities to guarantee that you ll have a good time taking part in the sport you love! Head to our website and start by finding your region on our online map. When you join you ll receive an with details of who your RDO is and how to contact them. Your RDO will be able to put you in touch with your BD Youth Rep as Under 25s is their main focus they will always be at the end of a phone or to help answer any BD Youth questions and queries, no matter how big or small! 13

14 Membership explained! Rider Membership types Membership Full Trial Winter Premier Club Club What is it? Horse registration Registration Full Trial Complete membership, which covers you for one year from joining date with the full package of benefits. All the benefits of Full membership but for a six month trial period for those new to BD. All the benefits of Full membership, to run from 1 October 31 March. Ideal for eventers or Riding Club members. A year-long package aimed at owners, officials, trainers and supporters. A year-long package that enables you to ride at the grassroots levels. Qualify for various finals such as the Associated Championships. What can I do? All events and shows affiliated to British Dressage. Trial all the benefits of Full membership but for a six-month period. Full member benefits for a six-month period. Same as Club member benefits, plus recieve the BD magazine eight times per year. Team Quest, My Quest, Music classes, Prelim Bronze classes and Combined Training. As well as the rider, horses and ponies will need to be registered with us too: Winter Club What is it? Complete registration, which covers the horse for one year from joining date. For those new to BD for a six month trial, must be used in conjunction with a Trial membership. Same as Full registration but runs from 1 October 31 March. Ideal for eventers or Riding Club members. For those riding in Quest, Prelim Bronze, Young Horse, Music and Para classes. What can I do? How much? 95 or 90 annual Direct Debit, or 8.75 a month by monthly Direct Debit All horses must have a valid passport which shows it has current vaccinations against equine influenza. Please check the Members Handbook online for more information or 53 by Direct Debit 35 All events and shows affiliated to British Dressage. All the benefits of Full membership but for a six month trial period. Full membership benefits valid for period of registration. Can only access the classes for these competitions. Price?

15 Regional Information Central RDO Laura Aitken Area includes Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire. Eastern RDO Katharine Perry Area includes Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, London, Norfolk, Suffolk. North West RDO Nadine Murray Area includes Cheshire, Cumbria, Herefordshire, Lancashire, West Midlands, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Isle of Man. Northern RDO Jo Byrne Area includes Derbyshire, Durham, Humberside, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, Tyne & Wear, Yorkshire. Scotland - RDO Emma Stewart Emma.Stewart@britishdressage.co.uk Area includes Borders, Dumfries & Galloway, Fife, Grampian, Highlands, Lothian, Central Scotland, Strathclyde, Tayside. South West - RDO Amanda Heath Amanda.Heath@britishdressage.co.uk Area includes Avon, Channel Islands, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire. Southern - RDO Sharon Walker Sharon.Walker@britishdressage.co.uk Area includes Kent, Surrey, Sussex. Wales - RDO Vanessa Archer Vanessa.Archer@britishdressage.co.uk Area includes all 23 counties in Wales. British Dressage, Meriden Business Park, Copse Drive, Meriden, West Midlands CV5 9RG

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