As the 2025 eventing season draws to a close, we want to say a heartfelt thank you to every single event organiser who has supported the British Eventing Support Trust this year.
Ever since the eventing season kicked off at the very beginning of March, we’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity shown. So many of you have hung our banners, included us in your programmes and welcomed us into your events, and every single action helps. It’s helping us spread the word among riders that we’re here to help, and the message is truly getting out there.
We’ve also been fortunate to host and be part of some incredible fundraising events throughout the year, including both of Britain’s premier 5* events – Badminton and Burghley – as well as a number of beloved fixtures both old and new taking place across the country. Here’s a look back at a brilliant season of support.
Badminton Horse Trials
Badminton is one of the most iconic events in the international eventing calendar and we were thrilled to be involved in several fundraising events. There was an exclusive EquiRatings event on the morning of the cross-country test, with presenter and commentator Nicole Brown joined by EquiRatings’ Diarm Byrne to break down the dressage results from Thursday and Friday, share in-depth analysis of the cross-country course and the top contenders. There was also A Conversation with Eventing Legends in the Project Pony Lakeside Pavilion, hosted by Alice Fox-Pitt and featuring Pippa Funnell, Tina Cook, Piggy March and of course William Fox-Pitt – a wonderful way to raise money for our cause!
Chillington Horse Trials
At the Aspen Cooling BE80 Grassroots Championships, every competitor received a YETI Rambler, which was very kindly sponsored by YETI, a gesture we were proud to support that celebrated each competitors achievement and helped spread the message among grassroots riders.
Belsay International Horse Trials (1 & 2)
We were thrilled to be named Charity of the Year alongside the Great North Air Ambulance at both Belsay events.
Belsay 1: A charity course walk with FEI Level 3 Course Designer and British Eventing Platinum Course Builder Adrian Ditcham offered riders a fascinating look behind the scenes and helped raise vital funds for our work.
Belsay 2: We were thrilled to host a welcome party at Belsay (2) which was the perfect way to kick off the weekend and raise money for our cause and our Chair of Trustees Ian Stark hosted his own fundraising course walk, full of his expertise, unique insight and plenty of laughs.
South of Scotland Horse Trials
A new addition to the British Eventing calendar for 2025, South of Scotland Horse Trials proved to be a fantastic event, and we were grateful for their support. Our patron Nicola Wilson led a charity course walk around the brand-new courses, sharing her expert insight, and our thanks to everyone involved for the warm welcome and support.
Scone Palace Horse Trials
Also new to the BE calendar, Scone Palace Horse Trials hosted the Scottish Grassroots Championships, where we once again partnered with YETI to gift each championship competitor a Rambler water bottle, kindly provided by YETI. It is a real privilege to celebrate grassroots eventing and support the people who make it so much fun to watch.
Burghley Horse Trials
The second of Britain’s 5* events was another highlight of the season and our Pol Roger Party was an unforgettable evening of socialising and fundraising. There was also a charity course walk led by Alexander Bragg and Adrian Ditcham which offered our supporters and spectators a unique insight into the legendary Burghley track, not least as it was run in reverse for the first time in 2025.
Cornbury House Horse Trials
We were proud to return to the gorgeous Cornbury House Horse Trials as one of their chosen Charity Partner’s for a second consecutive season. Fundraising highlights included a silent auction, a lively welcome party and a complimentary buggy service to help visitors get around. Our sincere thanks to the Cornbury team for their continued support and for putting on such a super event.
Blenheim Palace Horse Trials
This year saw the European Eventing Championships head to Blenheim Palace, and we were very privileged to be given a fence on the European course to share our brand and message. The end result, the BE Support Trust Healing Garden Fence, truly helped raise our profile with riders and spectators. The brilliant Austin O’Connor hosted a fantastic charity course walk for us too, sharing his thoughts on the course the riders would face and entertaining our attendees with his anecdotes and tales!
Osberton Horse Trials
At Osberton, Friday was officially designated the ‘BEST Day’, with competitors and spectators encouraged to dress in red, white and blue and be in the running for prizes for the best dressed. In the evening the proceeds of a quiz were donated to our work, and we extend a huge thank you to British Polo Gin for donating £2 from every gin and tonic sold to the Trust.
Tetworth Hall Horse Trials
A new addition to the British Eventing calendar, Tetworth Hall provided the perfect finale to the season, and we were proud to be their chosen charity for their inaugural event. Will Rawlin very kindly donated his time to lead a charity course walk, and riders, owners and their supporters enjoyed a lounge hosted by the ‘two Janes’, our Charity Administrator Jane Rudd and Executive Director Jane Hunter Walsh! – it was a brilliant end to an incredible year.
Now, our focus turns to our biggest fundraiser of the year—the Winter Ball, taking place on Saturday 29 November at The Savoy. It’s a celebration of another successful season, a chance for our trustees, team and supporters to reflect on the riders we’ve been able to help, and an opportunity to raise vital funds to continue our work.
Tickets for the Winter Ball are now very nearly sold out, but if you can’t join us on the night there’s still a way to be involved. We’ll be announcing our silent auction lots in the coming weeks, with some truly special money-can’t-buy experiences up for grabs. There’s still time to donate a prize, too, so if you’d like to support the auction, please email Jane Rudd at info@besupporttrust.org.uk.