BTC WINTER NEWSLETTER

I hope all of you and your horses have wintered well and are looking forward to the spring season starting at the Bicester Team Chase on SATURDAY 21st March.

BTC is thrilled to be including the Usk Valley Team Chase on 26th April as a new venue in the calendar this spring. Hopefully most of you will have seen their social media posts with photos to whet your appetite.

We held our AGM in December which included some invaluable discussions about the future of BTC. It is imperative that we actively support all our event hosts and organisers as they are so important to team chasing. Please take the time to respond to the upcoming government consultation on its recently announced Animal Welfare Strategy.

PARTNERS

BTC is delighted to have Goldsmiths Seeds and Your Protection Guaranteed as our headline partners for 2026. They are supporting BTC throughout both the spring and autumn seasons as Open League Sponsors and at the National Championships at Worcestershire TC on 12th April. Thank you to Stuart Nichols Waste Disposal Ltd for continuing to support the Intermediate League for another year and Treehouse Sporting Colours for aligning with our Tumblers Club. This year the tumblers club will be raising funds for the Welsh Air Ambulance. Please use this link to donate and remember if you compound for £20 for the year there is no obligation to donate each time you unintentionally dismount – BTC Tumblers Club Donation Membership

The BIG news for 2026 is that we have secured a BTC Public Liability Policy which all members will benefit from whether they are annual or day members. We have worked hard to make sure BTC’s membership offers incredible value for money and are confident that this policy is a market leader. Make the most of this and the other BTC membership benefits by joining BTC now rather than delaying until just prior to your first team chase. Feel free to tell your non-team chasing friends that by joining BTC they too can make the most of these benefits!

Click here to join –  BTC Membership 2026

TRAINING

We are delighted that one of the country’s leading coaches, Jo Aston, will organise and run the first Team Chasing Clinic, kindly hosted by Lottie Crocker at Loddon Court Farm, Reading, RG7 1HU on Sunday 1st March. It will cover the core principles to an effective and safe team round and will highlight a repeatable structure and techniques for confident riding. This is aimed at those new to team chasing, as well as those looking to step up from Novice to Intermediate and is a perfect opportunity to get a solid schooling session in prior to the start of the season.

There will be a discounted rate for BTC annual members.

More details can be found here – www.britishteamchasing.co.uk/training

GENERAL POINTS

Optimum times are often a topic for discussion and so it is worth stating again that they are set in the following ranges:

425 to 475m/min for Novice (approx. equivalent to BE80 to BE100)

475 to 525m/min for Intermediate (approx. equivalent to BE100 to BE Novice)

The actual optimum time will take into consideration the course and conditions on the day.

The distances are mapped on a team chasing line so bear this in mind when walking the course. This is something that will be covered in the training clinics.

Please read the  BTC rules again (you have all ticked a box stating you have done so when you registered). Even experienced team chasers do still express surprise when they fall foul of rules, often ones which have been in place for many years!

The rules are intentionally concise so that it doesn’t take too much effort to read them. Please pay particular attention to the Horse Welfare section and if you require any advice please do approach any of the Executive Committee. Equestrian sports are increasingly under scrutiny and we must always show how much we care for our horses as social license is unavoidable.

Please thank the volunteers at the team chases and treat them with respect. The events and riders rely on them and if they have an enjoyable day they will hopefully volunteer again.

Please remember that it is the rider’s responsibility to get checked out by the medics after a fall. If you fail to get checked you will be stood down from BTC competitions for 21 days. Please note all equestrian disciplines may soon have to share rider fall information, which could lead to a medical suspension across the board if you don’t get cleared to ride.

Please notify the event of any changes to the team and all riders must wear the correct colour number. If the medical team doesn’t know who you are they may not be able to treat you appropriately.

Please note the apps and the online entries are separate entities. The apps are an information tool and directory (which don’t require a login to use). They provide information pertinent to that event and quick links to relevant websites ie entries/results/official photographers etc.

All riders registered on the entries system can now make team entries. Also please DO NOT register more than once as a rider. Having multiple profiles may cause confusion in an emergency and when you enter (your membership will only be on one profile).

Please check your details are correct and up to date, especially your DoB  (needed to access NHS records in an emergency).

You can amend them by logging in => Settings => Profile. If you need any help with the entries system including logins please use the Help tab and then the Contact Us link.

The leagues are really encouraging people to travel to more team chases and with a 50% increase in prize money for 2026  we look forward to them being even more competitive.

Finally entries are now open for the Bicester Team Chase so I look forward to seeing everyone on 21st March for what will undoubtedly be a cracking season opener.

Enjoy your team chasing in 2026 and good luck to all!

Roddy Stanning

BTC Chairman