Refunds & Cancellation

Effective for all tickets purchased for EQ FEST 2027, including General Admission, VIP Festival Tickets and Andrew Hoy Masterclass experiences.

EQ FEST is a major live equestrian event involving extensive planning, venue commitments, staffing, production, performers, riders and third-party suppliers. By purchasing a ticket or lesson, you acknowledge and agree to the following refund, cancellation and ticket transfer conditions.

Our policy is designed to provide clarity and consistency for all ticket holders while recognising that exceptional circumstances can arise.

1. FESTIVAL TICKETS

General Admission & VIP Festival Tickets

All General Admission and VIP Festival ticket purchases are considered final.

  • Refunds will not be provided for a change of mind, change of personal circumstances, inability to attend, travel arrangements, accommodation arrangements or other personal reasons.

  • If a ticket holder is no longer able to attend, they are welcome to privately sell or transfer their ticket to another person.

  • Any private resale or transfer must be arranged directly between the original ticket holder and the new purchaser.

  • EQ FEST does not facilitate, manage or take responsibility for private ticket resales, including payment arrangements, disputes, fraudulent transactions or the validity of tickets purchased through unauthorised sellers.

  • The original ticket holder and purchaser are responsible for ensuring that any ticket transfer is completed correctly and that the new ticket holder receives the relevant ticket and event information.

  • Please note that if a refund is approved, the original Shopify payment processing fee is non-refundable and will be deducted from the refund amount. This fee is calculated as a percentage of the total order value, plus any applicable fixed transaction fee.

EQ FEST accepts no responsibility or liability for any loss, dispute or issue arising from a private ticket resale or transfer.

Event Cancellation or Significant Changes

In the unlikely event that EQ FEST is cancelled, postponed or significantly altered, EQ FEST will communicate directly with ticket holders regarding the available options.

Where an event is cancelled or significantly changed, refunds or other remedies will be provided in accordance with the Australian Consumer Law and any other applicable legal requirements.

Where only part of the event is affected or cancelled, any applicable partial refund or other remedy will be assessed based on the nature and extent of the changes, the components of the event affected and applicable consumer rights.

2. ANDREW HOY MASTERCLASS

Private & Group Lessons

Private and Group Lesson bookings for the Andrew Hoy Masterclass are limited-capacity experiences. Each booking secures a dedicated lesson allocation, rider position and associated event resources.

For this reason, all lesson bookings are considered final, and refunds will not ordinarily be provided for cancellations or changes of mind.

Exceptional Circumstances

EQ FEST understands that circumstances can arise which prevent a horse or rider from participating.

Where a horse is injured, becomes unwell or is otherwise medically unfit to participate, EQ FEST may consider a refund or transfer request on a case-by-case basis.

  • All requests must be submitted in writing to the EQ FEST team (info@eqfest.com.au).

  • Requests must clearly outline the circumstances preventing participation.

  • Supporting veterinary documentation or other relevant evidence may be requested.

  • Approval of any refund or transfer will be at the discretion of EQ FEST, subject to applicable consumer rights.

Cancellation Within Seven (7) Days of the Event

No refunds will ordinarily be provided for Private or Group Lesson cancellations made within seven (7) days of the scheduled event.

An exception may be considered where:

  • A suitable replacement rider can be sourced from the EQ FEST waitlist.

  • The replacement rider is ready and able to take the allocated position.

  • The original booking can be successfully reassigned.

Where a replacement rider is secured, a 20% administration fee will be deducted from any approved refund to cover the costs associated with processing the cancellation and reallocation.

If a suitable replacement cannot be secured, the original booking will remain non-refundable, subject to any rights available under Australian Consumer Law.

Lesson Transfers

Requests to transfer a lesson booking to another rider must be submitted in writing and approved by EQ FEST.

Any approved transfer is subject to availability, suitability for the allocated lesson and the requirements of the Masterclass. A transfer is not confirmed until written approval has been provided by EQ FEST.

3. EVENT CHANGES, WEATHER & UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES

EQ FEST is an outdoor and live equestrian event and may be affected by circumstances outside the organiser's reasonable control.

These may include, but are not limited to:

  • Severe or extreme weather conditions.

  • Venue or facility restrictions.

  • Government directions or restrictions.

  • Safety concerns affecting horses, riders, spectators or event personnel.

  • Illness, injury or unavailability of a featured participant.

  • Other unforeseen circumstances affecting the delivery of the event.

EQ FEST reserves the right to make reasonable changes to the event schedule, program, running order, activities, demonstrations, workshops or other operational arrangements where necessary.

Where possible, EQ FEST will endeavour to provide alternative arrangements or suitable replacements to minimise disruption to ticket holders.

Where changes constitute a cancellation or significant change under applicable consumer law, the relevant refund or other remedies will be provided in accordance with those requirements.

4. REFUND REQUESTS & PROCESSING

All refund, cancellation and transfer requests must be submitted in writing to the EQ FEST team.

Requests must include:

  • Full name of the ticket purchaser.

  • Booking reference or ticket order number.

  • Type of ticket or lesson booking.

  • A clear explanation of the request and relevant circumstances.

  • Any supporting documentation where applicable.

Approved refunds will generally be processed to the original payment method used at the time of purchase, subject to the requirements of the ticketing provider and applicable law.

Processing timeframes may vary depending on the payment provider and ticketing platform.

5. AUSTRALIAN CONSUMER LAW

Nothing in this policy is intended to exclude, restrict or modify any rights or remedies available to consumers under the Australian Consumer Law or other applicable legislation.

Where a consumer is entitled to a refund, replacement or other remedy under applicable law, those rights will take precedence over the terms of this policy.

6. ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS

By purchasing a ticket or booking a Private or Group Lesson for EQ FEST 2027, the purchaser acknowledges that they have read, understood and agreed to the terms and conditions outlined in this Refund, Cancellation & Transfer Policy.