British Showjumping Team Jumping 2026: what club organisers need
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British Showjumping refreshed Team Jumping for 2026. Qualifiers ran May to July. The finals sat at the National Championships in August. If you run a club show, brief the course designer, or sit on the secretary’s desk, this is the practical version of what that format asked for on the day.
This is a working note for UK clubs, not a substitute for the Members Handbook. Always check the current British Showjumping rules before you print a schedule.
The format in plain English
Teams entered at 90cm, 1.00m, or 1.10m. Each team had three or four riders, put together by the members themselves and self-funded. Riders could come from any area.
A few rules that matter for entries and the draw:
- A rider jumps once per team.
- A horse-and-rider combination may compete at two consecutive heights.
- A horse may jump in two teams, but only in different classes.
- Eligibility bars apply (international team history and league restrictions differ by height). Check the handbook for the height you are running.
Competition shape:
- Round one: Table A, not against the clock.
- Round two: Single Phase.
- Team score: faults from the best three scores in round one, plus the best three in round two.
- If teams are equal on faults after round two, the three times from the best three scores in the second section of the Single Phase break the tie.
- No grading points.
Speed for the qualifiers: 325 m per minute, indoor or outdoor. Course designer requirement for the qualifier classes: Level 2 or above.
The championship final runs under Rule 281a (Nations Cup), with limited substitutions allowed in writing.
Course specs organisers should brief to designers
From the March 2026 handbook amendments (course specification table for Team Jumping Qualifiers):
| Class | First-round max height | First-round max spread | Water jump | Water tray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90cm | 90cm | 1.00m | No | Optional |
| 1.00m | 1.00m | 1.10m | No | Optional |
| 1.10m | 1.10m | 1.30m (triple bar 1.60m) | No | Optional |
Shared build notes for those qualifier classes:
- Max spreads should not be used in combinations; combinations and/or a water tray are allowed as specified.
- Triple bars: width should not exceed height plus one third.
- Doubles and trebles: a minimum of two doubles, or one double and one treble.
If you are writing the designer brief the night before, put those numbers on one page with the speed (325 mpm) and the Level 2 designer requirement. It saves a ringside argument.
What this means on a busy show day
Team formats create admin load that single classes do not.
Entries. You need clear team sheets: rider, horse, height, and which team. Because horses can appear in two teams across classes, and combinations can do consecutive heights, your entry list has to show relationships, not just names.
Scoring. Best-three counting means a four-rider team can drop one score each round. The judge’s box needs a sheet (or screen) that makes the drop obvious. Single Phase in round two means you also need times ready for tie-breaks.
Course plans. Every team member jumps both rounds. Builders, judges, and athletes all need the same track facts: distances, numbers, time allowed. When the plan lives in three WhatsApp threads and a crumpled printout in the judges’ box, someone rides the wrong related distance.
Schedule. Two full team rounds take time. Pad the ring plan, especially if you stack 90 / 1.00 / 1.10 on the same arena with rebuilds between.
None of that is glamorous. It is the difference between a smooth Team Jumping day and a late finish.
Checklist before you open entries
- Confirm the height(s) you will offer and print the eligibility notes from the current handbook.
- Name the course designer (Level 2+) early.
- Agree course specs in writing: heights, spreads, combinations, water tray yes/no, speed 325 mpm.
- Decide how teams enter (online form vs paper) and how you will display team + horse cross-entries.
- Brief scoring: Table A then Single Phase, best three + best three, times for ties.
- Export one master course plan plus athlete / builder / judge copies before the first walk.
- Keep the British Showjumping news post and handbook amendments PDF in the show folder so stewards are not hunting on their phones.
Where YardForge fits (softly)
If you design club tracks, YardForge’s course designer lets you place fences on a scaled arena, check related distances, and validate against British Showjumping or FEI tables while you plan. You can export watermarked Master, Athlete, Builder and Judge PDFs. During alpha the full designer is unlocked with no card. Try it free and tell us what would make show day easier for your club.
YardForge is a planning aid only. It is not official British Showjumping or FEI software. Always confirm heights, spreads, and distances against the live Members Handbook before you build.
For organisers hunting “showjumping events software”, the boring truth still wins: entries, teams, scores, and the course plan for each class need to live in one place the ring party can trust. Start with a clean plan for every class; for entries and results tooling see our show organiser page. Add the rest of the show stack once that habit sticks.
Designer CTA
Build the Team Jumping track before you move a pole. Open the free designer, set British Showjumping validation, mark your doubles/treble, and print athlete + builder + judge plans: yardforge.co.uk/designer
We are in alpha and want organiser feedback. If something in the plan export or validation would have helped your last Team Jumping day, say so. That is how we decide what to build next.
Sources: British Showjumping, “A New Era for Team Jumping in 2026” (10 April 2026); British Showjumping Members Handbook Amendments V7 (31 March 2026).
