Hartpury Equine Academy

Our Equine Academy has a proven reputation for supporting and developing talented young riders to be the best they can be – both in their competition career and academically, opening doors to a career beyond their sport.

Whether you’re a dressage, showjumping or eventing star of the future with the potential to represent your country, we can offer you all the support you need to hit the heights in your chosen discipline.

You’ll be supported by a world-class team of coaches and experienced support staff, plus you and your horse will have access to our multi-million pound facilities.

In certain circumstances we aim to offer you competition support at high profile events, visits to top-level riders and trainers’ yards and access to a range of professional support services. The elite and elite development squads have access to rider performance and biomechanical analysis, psychology, strength and conditioning and physiotherapy – both human and equine.

Horse and rider combination jumping a cross-country fence

Joining the Hartpury Equine Academy

There are three levels within the Hartpury Equine Academy: the Elite Squad, the Elite Development Squad and the Development Squad. Membership to each depends upon the partnership meeting present criteria, previous competition history and successful completion of an academy trial. Applications for the equine academy open in January for students starting their studies in September of the same year.

Applications for September 2023 entry to the Equine Academy are now open, and will close at midnight on Friday 30 June 2023.

Application form

If you meet the required standard of the first application stage of our Equine Academy application process, you will be invited to a ridden trial that will take place early in the academic year. Applicants for squads are also eligible to apply for Hartpury Equine Scholarships, which provide financial support alongside the equestrian coaching programme available. Please refer to the application criteria specifically for scholarships

Elite Squad and Elite Development Squad applications will be considered from horse and rider combinations that have competed successfully within the period 1.1.2022 – 30.6.2023 covering the previous 18 months at the following levels:

Eventing: CCI*** Long / 4 * S (or equivalent national class) and above with points achieved at 3* level or above.
Dressage: BD Advanced Medium level with points won (or equivalent national class with scores of over 64% being considered)
Show Jumping: 2 double clears at 1.30 level in any BS class or FEI class with results to verify the criteria met.
Para Dressage: To have scored 60% at any CPEDI3* show in any Grade.

Development Squad applications will be considered from horse and rider combinations that have competed successfully within the period 1.1.2022 – 30.6.2023 covering the previous 18 months at the following levels:

Eventing: BE Novice with at least 6 BE points won (not foundation points) or equivalent national class at 1.10 or above equating to 6 points or FEI CCI2*S with top 5 placing
Dressage: BD Elementary with a minimum of 15 points won (or equivalent national class with scores of over 62% equating to 15 points)
Show Jumping: 4 double clears or first place with money won at 1.10 level or above in any BS class or FEI class with results verifying that the criteria has been met.
Para Dressage: To have scored 60% in any Para CPEDI 2* or below or any BD National Para class.

Elite squad

There are a maximum of 10 places available in the Elite Squad.

What is available?

Weekly 1.1 training sessions with Equine Academy Director, Lizzel Winter dressage 1.1; shared jumping of flat work for jumping
Access to show jump coaching with Academy Show Jumping Coach Corinne Bracken and invitational dressage coaching sessions with Nick Burton and Carl Hester (depending on discipline and diary availability)
Assistance with planning competition schedule
Support from the Hartpury Sports Academy Team with includes Rider Analysis, individual tailored S&C programs, physiotherapy, and life style advice
Group and 1:1 sports psychology sessions

Applications to join the Elite Squad are invited from event riders who have competed successfully and won points CCI3*L/4*S (or equivalent national class) and above, dressage riders who have won points at Advanced level, Show jump riders who have 2 double clears at 1.30 level above and Para dressage riders who have scored 60% at any CPEDI3* show in any Grade.

All combinations in the Elite Squad will show the potential to perform successfully on an international stage.

Elite development squad

There are a limited number of places available for the Elite Development Squad. Selection for this squad is for riders currently competing at Development level (or above) and showing the potential to be at Elite level in the future. Consideration for this Squad is at the discretion of the Equine Academy Director in consultation with the panel at the ridden trial.

Development squad

What is available?

Weekly group or occasional individual training sessions in all disciplines with Equine Academy Director, Lizzel Winter, or occasional guest coaches
Show jump coaching with Academy Show Jumping Coach Corinne Bracken (depending up on diary availability)
Assistance with planning a competition schedule
Group sessions covering psychology, nutrition, lifestyle advice and weekly S&C group session
Access to Hartpury sport specific Microsoft Teams Academy information page

Applications to join the Development Squad are invited from Event riders who have competed at BE novice level or the equivalent national class at 1.10 or above equating to 6 points or FEI CCI2*Short with a top 5 placing. Dressage riders who have won a minimum of 15 points at Elementary level and above (or their National equivalent), Show Jumpers with 4 double clears or first place with money won at 1.10 level in any BS class or FEI class with results to verify the criteria met and Para Dressage riders who have scored 60% in any Para CPEDI 2* or below or any BD National Para class.

Equestrian athletes who have previously been a part of ALL the Squads have gone on to achieve in a range of both competitive and business environments.

SCHOLARSHIPS

To support top level young riders in the Hartpury Equine Academy, we offer three scholarships annually from September of each year.

Eventing Scholarship

To be eligible to make an application for the Eventing Scholarship the rider will have been on either a British Eventing (or the equivalent overseas National Federation) Pony, Junior or Young Rider team or have been selected onto one of the British Equestrian Federation’s Talent Programmes. The rider will ideally be competing successfully at CCI3L or 4* level.

Dressage Scholarship

To be eligible to make an application for the Dressage Scholarship the rider will have been on a British Dressage (or the equivalent overseas National Federation) Pony, Junior or Young Rider team or have been selected onto the British Equestrian Federation’s Talent Programmes. The rider will ideally be competing at small tour level.

Showjumping Scholarship

To be eligible to make an application for the Showjumping Scholarship the rider will have been on a BS (or the equivalent overseas National Federation) Junior, Young Rider or Senior team, or selected onto the British Equestrian Federation’s Talent Programmes. The rider will ideally have jumped successfully in classes at 1.40 metres and above.

Para Dressage Scholarship

To be eligible to make an application for the Para Dressage Scholarship the rider will have been on either a British Para Dressage (or the equivalent overseas National Federation) team or have been selected onto the British Equestrian Federation’s Talent Programmes. The rider will have ideally scored 70%+ in any Para CPEDI 3*in any grade.

How to apply

Please apply for scholarship in writing upon completion of your academy application. The letter needs to state why you would like to be considered for a scholarship, this must be supported with an evidenced based competition record relating to the horse that you propose to bring to the academy. Please send your application and supporting letter to The Academy Administrator, Hartpury university and hartpury College, Hartpury, Glos, GL19 3BE.

The final squad selections are announced the after all of the selection trials have taken place with the exception of any trial that is held at a later date due to veterinary issues and a written feedback form will be provided for each rider. Selection for the Elite Development Squad will be at the discretion of the Equine Academy Director.

If you don’t make it into our equine academy initially, there are still lots of opportunities to develop your riding whilst at Hartpury, including with Hartpury Equestrian Club and with formal riding and coaching sessions from our on-site specialists in your discipline or through visiting freelance coaches (self-funded).

Livery applications must be made separately to Academy applications and an academy place does not guarantee onsite livery. Please note, the demand for stabling is high and continuously exceeds our capacity, we therefore operate a waitlist for livery stables.

Applications for Student DIY livery open inline with accommodation (29 March for university students).

Meet the coaching team

Name:: Lizzel Winter
Title:: Academy Director

Lizzel’s successful competition career spans three decades and covers eventing to 5*star level, producing and competing successfully in dressage up to and including Grand Prix and showjumping on the national county circuit to 1.50 level.

Fellow of the British Horse Society (2005), Lizzel worked with the British Eventing Junior Championship Team from 2005-2010, helping them to 10 medals, including five golds. In 2011 Lizzel became the Training and Education Coordinator British Eventing developing coaches and qualifications across the sport. Alongside Gill Watson, Lizzel set up and runs the Bridging the Gap Training initiative supporting riders making the step to 4* and 5*competitions within Eventing. From 2011 to 2019, she took over as coach and manager for the Portuguese youth squads at European Championship level. In 2018, Lizzel was appointed Chef d’Equipe and National Coach for the senior Finnish Eventing Squad building towards the Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games.

Lizzel is a National Dressage Judge and an International Eventing Ground Jury member. Lizzel works with many private clients at advanced level, coaching at home and abroad, and is a qualified NLP practitioner and Coach Educator with 1^st For Sport qualified assessor and internal verifier working across several disciplines.

For me, it was all about succeeding in my sport and Hartpury is a great place to do that. The trainers and lecturers are all of the highest calibre, so I listened and learned as much from them as I possibly could.
Astier Nicolas Hartpury graduate and professional eventer. Double Olympic medallist at Rio 2016

Equine facilities

Hartpury’s world-class equine facilities are used not only for formal learning but also for work experience, including at our own commercial Equine Therapy Centre and in our events department, supporting our international showpiece events.

View our facilities

Related courses

Our range of courses offer you everything from an introduction to horse care and riding right through to a more in-depth knowledge of horse management, business, science and equitation.

View our equine courses