Biltmore Challenge Endurance Ride

ENTRY FORMS / PAYMENT:  Pre-entry is required (including entry fee payment).  For AERC rides, please return entry information (first page of the entry form) and signed waiver (first liability release which is the second page of the entry form) (general entry form is here, which is where you can find the entry fee schedule), with your deposit or full fee.  All final payments are due by April 25 (closing date).  That is, any entry not paid by April 25 is accepted only at management discretion (not guaranteed).  Any entry not paid, but accepted at management discretion after April 25 will be subject to a $40 late entry penalty. 

Fees are fully refundable with notice received before close of business, April 27; less $50 prior to April 29; 50% thereafter until arrival on premises. Once on site, refunds will be dictated by circumstances. For example, if a rider pre-enters multiple competitions, then the rider is injured, a full refund for non-started rides will be forthcoming; similarly, if a horse gets pulled on the first day and is unable to go the second day, a full refund will be provided for the second day. As another example, if on site but not yet vetted, if a rider chooses not to ride, a 30% refund will be provided. Once a rider vets in (whether or not passes vetting), all entry fees are the ride's.

Non-AERC riders must pay day fee of $15.  

***** The Biltmore Challenge is a pre-entry and pre-pay ride.  ***** 

You MUST bring Coggins test papers to check-in, or send a copy of the Coggins current through May 5 ahead of time. 

Questions?  Call Cheryl Newman at 828-665-1531 or email the Ride Manager for trail or AERC questions; or Biltmore Equestrian Center for stalls / paddocks / site info.

FEI:  An additional, separate release form is required for the FEI component at each distance (third page in the combined entry form).  Plus on-line entry through your USEF account or your NF is required (for USEF, look under the FEI on-line entry, then manage FEI entries.....).

Biltmore is hosting eight FEI competitions: 
Friday, 4 May, a 50-mile / 80 km, CEI 1* ride; and the same distance offered to Junior / Young Riders.
Saturday, 5 May, a 55-mile / 88 km, CEI 1* ride, a 75-mile / 120 km (CEI**) ride, and a 100-mile / 160 km (CEI***); plus the same distances offered to Junior / Young Riders.

FEI Young Riders are eligible from the beginning of the year they reach the age of 16 until the end of the year they reach the age of 21.   FEI junior riders are 14 and 15 years old.  AERC juniors may enter any FEI ride as Young Rider / Junior Rider or Senior Riders IF they are eligible to ride unsponsored (over 500 miles and with parental and USEF permissions), or will ride with a sponsor (Management will help work issues there). 

FEI has a 'ladder' system for qualifications.  A qualifications summary (from 2016 -- subsequent rules changes not reflected) is here from USEF (a link to this on the USEF web site is here) and FEI Rules for Endurance Events (2018 rules are available here, will be updated for 2019 when issued).  The qualifications require documentation of the lower level events you have entered and / or the same level FEI events prior to this ride.  The form suggested by USEF is attached here:  however, you do not need to fill it out if your information is verifiable on AERC and/or FEI web sites.  If your qualification record is not available on FEI and/or AERC web sites, please email or snail mail qualification information to the ride manager and your NF beforehand.

==>  Please note that FEI rest requirements for horses also apply to rest from an AERC competition (national event) as well as from any FEI competition.  The athlete bears the responsibility in ensuring the national event rest periods are met.

For US riders and horses, FEI 100 mile entry requires USEF membership for rider and owner, FEI Passport for the equine, FEI annual registration for rider and equine, USEF high performance fee ($35 / event already included in the entry fees). 

For US riders and horses, requirements for FEI 75 mile entry and FEI 50 mile entry are USEF membership for rider and owner, USEF equine registration (annual or lifetime -- note, if passports are required, even if national passport, USEF lifetime registration), USEF high performance fee (already in entry fees), and FEI annual registration for rider and equine, and horse national (e.g, USEF-issued) or FEI Passport.   Note:  FEI horses crossing international borders must have FEI passports, even for 1* and 2* events.  Please ensure the equine's name is consistent on all documentation (e.g., Coggins vs Passport vs entry vs FEI registration...).   Important New FEI Rule for 2017:  for 2017 ALL NEWLY FEI REGISTERED HORSES MUST HAVE A PASSPORT which in 1* and 2* events may be a National Passport.  Previously registered (that is through 2016) horses may compete 1* and 2* without passports.  If the horse is doing 1* and 2* domestic events without a passport, breed registration papers MUST be presented.  If no breed registration papers are available, a passport must be used.

Important USEF Rulestarting 2016:  all FEI horses entering the grounds of a USEF-licensed competition must be accompanied by documentation of Equine Influenza Virus and Equine Herpes Virus (Rhinopneumonitis) vaccinations within six months prior to entering the stables.  GR 845 is the relevant USEF General Regulation.  This applies soley to FEI horses in this competition.  Athletes should be prepared with proof of the Rhino vaccination -- ideally within a passport, where the flu vaccination frequently also has rhino in it, so a full identification of the vaccine used may suffice.  Or separate declaration from the administering veterinarian that the vaccination has been given.

Also from USEF: Attention Competitors as of January 1, 2019, if you are a USEF competing member 18 years of age or older you are required to take the core Safe Sport training within 30 days of activating your membership.  Take the Safe Sport Training at USEF.org by logging into your member dashboard.

Note:  as of 2013, all new FEI equine registrations must have an appropriate microchip identification (from 2014 Vet Regs 1027.4 "All horses registering with the FEI for the first time must be identifiable using a microchip and reader, compatible with ISO 11784 and ISO 11785.").  

For non-US riders and / or horse, all FEI entries require permission from the National Federation asserting qualification to ride in the upcoming event, and good standing with the National Federation.  With the new on-line FEI entry system, this should be automatic, so the prior requirement of an email to ride manager or paper copy mailed ahead of time has been superceded.  All horses and riders must be FEI registered for 2019.  All (non-US) 1*, 2* and 3* horses crossing a border must have a valid FEI passport.  By USEF rules, even non-US riders MUST pay the USEF high performance fee, so it is buried in the entry fees already. 

The FEI Definite Schedule will be here.

The USEF Federation Page will be here.

AHA Region XII 100-Mile Championship: The Arabian Horse Association Region XII 100-Mile Championship will be held in conjunction with the Saturday 100-mile ride at Biltmore Challenge. No fees, some qualifications, separate release form and entry will be here.

ECAHS Award:   The Eastern Crabbet Arabian Horse Society plans to sponsor a "Best Crabbet" horse award in each distance. If so, ECAHS will offer both Young Rider / Junior and Senior divisions for this award. The horse must be Crabbet-certified as having at least 25% Crabbet blood by April 25. If your horse has a certificate, all you do is enter, no fee.  To enter, per form instructions, send a copy of your horse's certificate with the Crabbet entry by the cutoff date. If you wish to enter and get your horse certified (assuming the horse meets the qualifications), send in the nominal fee for Crabbet certification with a copy of the horse's registration papers or pedigree along with the entry form by the cutoff date. The entry form will be attached here.  If you have any questions on the instructions, contact Cheryl Newman. 

TEAM COMPETITION: We plan on having team competitions, open to ALL riders on BOTH days, all distances.  Teams are of 4 rider-horse combinations (one rider per horse) at the same distance.   At least 2 full teams must be entered for the team competition at each distance.   At least three horse and rider combinations on a team must go the entire distance.   The top three finishing times for the team count towards awards.  

This is a good opportunity to practice team riding....   Check out how strategy and opportunities change in this environment!   Entry at ride registration, no additional fees. 

Choose your team -- entries will be posted as of April 28: 

Friday 25 mile entries -- will be here
Friday 50 mile entries -- will be here
Saturday 30 mile entries -- will be here
Saturday 55 mile entries --will be here
Saturday 75 mile entries -- will be here
Saturday 100 mile entries -- will be here

AWARDS:   Completion awards for all riders.  Top 10, Best Condition and 1st-to-Finish Awards; FEI first to finish in each event.  For the Region XII AHA 100-mile Championship, Champion Arab, Reserve Champion Arab, Champion Half-Arab, Reserve Champion Half-Arab; and best condition associated. Other awards as sponsored.