Full review of insurance planned after so many events lost to weather

British Eventing is to look at the cover after a huge number of fixtures have fallen victim to the wet spring this year

- BECKY MURRAY

BRITISH EVENTING (BE) has announced a “full stakeholder review” of abandonment insurance, as the fixtures calendar continues to be hindered by cancellations.

In the latest blow, Somerford Park International, Cheshire, which was to hold classes from novice to CCI3*-S, announced its 30 June–2 July event is off. Organiser Debbie King said Somerford is “not prepared to run without abandonment insurance”.

“Having built up trust with our client base over several years we are not prepared to jeopardise this and leave clients out of pocket in a challenging economic climate,” she said.

“We self-insured last year and due to the high volume of cancellations this year the cost for us to insure has escalated by over 100%, something we simply cannot afford to absorb along with the other escalating costs.”

BE said in light of the “unprecedented abandonments due to the prolonged adverse weather” it is undertaking a “full stakeholder review of the existing arrangements in relation to abandonment insurance”.

This follows the cancellation of Rockingham International (Leicestershire, 18–21 May), as the ground had not dried “sufficiently to allow the event to proceed in a safe manner”.

Chatsworth International (Derbyshire, 12–14 May) cancelled classes including the CCI2*-S and Chepstow at Howick (Monmouthshire, 16–17 May) abandoned as a result of the bad weather.

NEXT STEPS

ROCKINGHAM organisers said they are working with their insurer to “establish next steps in terms of refunds and will be in touch with everyone as soon as they know more”.