New opportunities to train at Hickstead

For the first time ever, riders will be able to hire a professionally-built showjumping course by the hour here at the All England Jumping Course, Hickstead.

Following the launch of the huge all-weather cross-country schooling facility in October, we are now offering another arena for individual and group hire.

From March, a course will be set up in the 50m x 100m 2plan Wealth Arena (the new name for the Bunn Leisure Arena), with hourly schooling sessions bookable until mid-May.

The courses will be designed by top level BS and FEI course builders and will be changed regularly. The height of the fences will be set at 90cms, though clients will be allowed to alter heights and distances as required providing they are reset at the end of the hour.

The arena will be hired out for exclusive use for £50 per hour, for up to six horses at a time, with all bookings to go through the existing Hickstead Schooling website.

“After one of the wettest winters for many years, we were often being asked if we would hire out an all-weather arena for showjumping training,” said Hickstead Director Edward Bunn. “Due to public demand, we are opening up the 2plan Wealth Arena with a full course of showjumps, which will allow horses and riders to gain experience of jumping at Hickstead as well as making the most of training on our foot-perfect Andrews Bowen surface.”

This new venture follows the introduction of cross-country schooling at Hickstead, with a huge course set across Equine America Arena and the Airowear Arena, plus the Equine America Water Complex.

“The first Winter of cross-country schooling has been a great success, with more than 2,500 hourly sessions booked in the past four months,” added Edward. “From five-star event riders like Pippa Funnell and Gemma Tattersall, to grassroots riders training over fences from 60cm upwards, the feedback has been excellent from all our visitors.

“We’ve also had a lot of training clinics held here this winter, and we expect our showjumping course hire to be equally popular with trainers, coaches, Riding Clubs and branches of the Pony Club.”

The cross-country course and new showjumping course will be open for public hire until mid-May, when preparations will begin for our two international shows – the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting (24-28 June) and the Longines Royal International Horse Show (21-26 July).