On top of the 2017 Series Podium - Gemma Tattersall, Sarah Cohen and Sir Mark Todd
The Event Rider Masters Series (ERM) has announced its 2018 calendar, which builds on last year’s international expansion into mainland Europe with the introduction of a new leg in Belgium.
In 2018 the world’s leading eventing riders will be competing for an ERM series prize money fund totalling £350,000. The prize pool for each ERM leg in the UK is set at £50,000, €57,000 for each European leg and the riders will also compete for an additional £50,000 prize fund for the 2018 Series Championship Title.
The 2018 Event Rider Masters calendar is confirmed as:
Leg 1 – The Dodson & Horrell Chatsworth International Horse Trials, Derbyshire - Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th May
Leg 2 - Internationales Wiesbadener Pfingstturnier, Germany - Friday 18th & Saturday 19th May
Leg 3 – Concours Complet d’Arville, Belgium - Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th June
Leg 4 – The St. James’s Place Barbury Castle International Horse Trials, Wiltshire - Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th July
Leg 5 - Haras de Jardy Eventing Show, near Paris, France - Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th July
Leg 6 / 2018 Series Finale – The Blair Castle International Horse Trials, Perthshire - Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th August
The 2018 ERM venues located in Belgium, England, France, Germany and Scotland are renowned for hosting some of the most prestigious and spectacular eventing competition in the world
The King of Barbury, Andrew Nicholson, had to settle for second place in the Barbury International ERM CIC3* in 2017
There had been rumours of an American leg but, although this appears to be on hold in 2018, ERM says that ‘continued expansion into mainland Europe reinforces the intention to feature on other continents in the future, with the goal of establishing it as a recognised global sporting series and entertainment platform’
Each competition leg will feature forty of the world’s best riders and horses competing in the three eventing phases of Dressage, Show Jumping and Cross Country in a shortened TV-friendly FEI CIC three-star format competition. Viewing is available, for free, on innovative popular social media platforms Facebook Live and YouTube and is also available to view live and for free by anyone in the world on www.eventridermasters.tv
The 2017 ERM series provided some outstanding personal performances and introduced a new generation of eventing superstars. Britain’s Gemma Tattersall commanded the series with wins at Chatsworth and Gatcombe Park aboard two different horses, while fellow British rider, Sarah Cohen, beat off strong competition to win the German leg at Wiesbadener Pfingstturnier.
European riders fared well with the French rider Thomas Carlile winning at Barbury International on the popular stallion Upsilon and the FEI World No.1 ranked rider and current Olympic Champion, Michael Jung winning the inaugural ERM leg at Haras de Jardy
Australia made it one, two at Blair Castle with Shane Rose and Chris Burton and Britain's Oliver Townend took third
Australia had its first ever winner with Shane Rose on top of the podium at Blair Castle and the season finale was won by Britain’s Izzy Taylor, leading from start to finish, with a stunning performance riding Be Touchable.
The 2017 Season ERM Champion, Gemma Tattersall is champing at the bit for the new season
“I enjoyed the pressure of the 2017 series and cannot wait to set my season around the 2018 series with my team of horses” says Gemma “The new event at Arville will be a challenge and the even mix between UK and Europe will definitely increase the International competition within the series. I cannot wait!”
Gemma Tattersall is ready to defend her title
Chris Stone, CEO of Event Rider Masters is also looking forward to the developments for 2018 “The 2018 series marks an exciting progression for Event Rider Masters. Not only are we building on the Eventing showcase the series has developed, but we are planning to introduce even more technology with SAP to push the boundaries of our sports”
“The expansion into mainland Europe with the addition of Arville embraces the truly global nature of Eventing and will definitely make the competition more intense. It is a privilege to introduce ERM to the Belgian Eventing audience”
