Reviving a piece of history in the South West

BE are delighted to welcome Mendip Plains Ston Easton, a family run equestrian centre in the heart of the Somerset countryside, into the calendar for 2022.

The event will run on 14 and 15 May 2022 (week 11 of the season) and will offer classes from BE80 to BE100. Providing superb facilities, such as a 90m x 50m all-weather outdoor arena, plenty of hardstanding lorry and trailer parking and a cafe providing home-reared burgers from the farm, it promises to become a popular target for grassroots riders across the Southwest.

The equestrian centre is run by the Green family, who have been farming on the Waldegrave Estate in Chewton Mendip and Ston Easton for more than 80 years. Ston Easton already has a rich history with British Eventing – many members will remember the event run just a stone’s throw away on neighbouring farmland from 1987 to 2001. One of the landowners and a joint organiser of that event was John Doman, great uncle to the Centre Manager at Mendip Plains Ston Easton, Hannah Smith (née Green).

“The horse trials ran at Novice, Intermediate and Advanced level and was known as the pre-Badminton run as it ran in the last weekend of March and then moved to Easter weekend,” says Hannah. “My great uncle was greatly involved in the building of the cross country course and during the event he was in charge of looking after all of the fence judges – very much the same roles that my dad (his nephew) performs at Mendip Plains Ston Easton these days!

“We are delighted to be bringing affiliated eventing back to Ston Easton. Since opening our gates in August 2014, we have developed into a much-established venue in the South West. Our ultimate goal has been to run our very own BE fixture and we are thrilled to now have this opportunity. We look forward to bringing you a well-organised, fun, friendly and welcoming weekend of eventing in the South West.”

To find out about the newest BE venue, visit mendipplainsec.co.uk