What is the earliest I can arrive?
Because these Championships take place so close to the Al Shira'aa Hickstead Derby Meeting, no horses / ponies will be admitted to the showground before 4.00pm on the Thursday. Gates will close at 9pm each evening.
Are forage & shavings available to buy on site?
Haylage and Shavings will be available to buy from the Stable Manager: please ask at the Stable Manager’s Office at the entrance to the Stable Field when you arrive at Hickstead. Regrettably, feed, hay will not be available to buy on site, so please ensure you bring enough with you.
Is there somewhere I can exercise my horse / pony if I arrive the day before the competition?
Yes. You are permitted to exercise your horse and pony in either the Polo Arena or the International warm-up arena (both all-weather). All grass arenas are strictly out of bounds.
Are tickets required for entry to the showground?
No, tickets are not required. Entrance is also free to the general public, so please do encourage friends and family to come along and watch.
Are there places to eat and drink on the showground?
On the day of the competition there will be catering outlets open serving a selection of hot and cold food and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. You will also hear the jingle of our ice cream van! Please be aware that there will be no catering outlets open on the showground on the Thursday.
Can I buy a memento?
Yes. We have a new and exciting range of merchandise featuring your team name - order online at anytime by clicking here https://hickstead.outlandaapparel.co.uk/webshop/
Don’t forget to get a copy of the programme to see yours and your pony’s name in print.
Are we required to qualify before we can enter?
Competitors in the Hickstead Elite 1.10m NSEA Individual Championship must qualify. Teams competing in the junior and senior school divisions are not required to pre-qualify in order to enter.
How do we enter?
Schedules are available to download from the Hickstead website, and all entries must be completed online. Regrettably, we cannot accept entries made by telephone, fax, email or social media messaging.
Are we required to declare?
Yes, everyone must declare at the Show Office either in person or by telephone (01273 834315) on the day before their competition by 5.00pm. At the time of declaration you must please let us know of any horse or rider substitutions, and confirm the order in which each of your team members will jump if it is a team competition.
Is the order of starting drawn?
Yes, the drawn order will be published online within printed copies available from the stable manager. Otherwise, you will be informed of the draw at the time of declaration. Alternatively you may telephone the show office from the Thursday before the competition. Unfortunately we will not be able to take calls concerning this earlier than this, as we will be in the middle of the Al Shira'aa Hickstead Derby Meeting!
How many competitors are there per team?
All competitions are now open to teams of four competitors, allowing for one score to be discarded.
Can you compete as an individual in the National Schools Competitions?
Yes, you can! Reserve team riders (maximum 2 per team) and schools unable to field a team (maximum 2 per school) may jump as an individual at the conclusion of the preliminary team competition. All those jumping a clear round (including team riders) will qualify to jump in the International Arena.
