About Eventing

Horse Trials, more popularly known as ‘Eventing’ provides a competition, which is the equestrian version of the modern pentathlon, requiring courage, determination and all round ability on the part of the rider and systematic training of the horse.

Eventing is generally regarded as being the most demanding of all equestrian sports.
The competition was originally designed to test the obedience, stamina, courage and fitness of cavalry horses, and became an Olympic sport in 1896.

It is a sport in which the UK and Ireland are highly successful on the world stage and is one of the few in which women and men compete on equal terms. Each event includes professionals and amateurs (pro-am) where world-class champions compete against amateurs.

THE RULES EXPLAINED

CIC [FEI International One Day Events] are usually run over 2 days of competition with the Dressage and Show Jumping being on the first day and the second day being devoted to the Cross Country!

DRESSAGE
Dressage is the first phase, and the skills needed for dressage form part of the basic training of any horse. These skills are just as important in the jumping arena and on the cross-country course. For this reason, dressage is a vital part of Eventing.

Each horse and rider perform a series of set movements in front of judges [The Ground Jury], who mark the test in good points, which are then converted to penalty points. This means that the lower the score, the better the horse and rider have performed.

Experienced riders will maximise the horse’s strong paces, and ride every movement with total accuracy, to gain as many marks as possible, to give them a good start to the overall competition.

The good marks - from 10 to 0 - are awarded by each judge to a competitor for each numbered movement of the Dressage Test, and together with the collective marks, are added together, deducting any penalties for errors of course, or test.

For each judge the percentage of maximum possible good marks obtainable is then calculated. The percentage is obtained by dividing the total good marks of the judge (minus errors of test and / or course) by the maximum good marks obtainable, and then multiplying by 100. The score is then rounded off, to two decimal places. This value is shown as the individual mark for that judge.

Adding together the % for each judge, and dividing by the number of judges, always rounding the result to two decimal points, obtains an average percentage for the competitor. In order to convert this average percentage into penalty points, this figure is subtracted from 100 and multiplied by 1.5. This result is the score - in penalty points - for the test.

Show Jumping
Show Jumping is the second phase of the CIC competitions at Ballygraffan.

Penalties are incurred each time a fence is knocked down, there is a refusal or for exceeding the time allowed to complete the course.

The technical difficulty of the show jumping has recently increased, since the dressage and cross-country phases are now technically more demanding than in the past!

Show Jumping Penalties:

Cross Country
Cross Country is the third, and final phase, of the CIC’s at Ballygraffan, and tests the speed, fitness, training and courage, of both horse and rider.

At Ballygraffan the horses will run in reverse order of their placing after the dressage and show jumping phases, which means that the combination in the lead at this point will be last to go, providing a really exciting climax to each competition!

The Cross Country courses at Ballygraffan consist of up to 25 fences [some of which are combinations], which test the competitor’s courage, skill and judgement in many different ways. Competitors are scored over each fence, accumulating penalty points for each error, as well as penalties for exceeding the time limit.

Each horse and rider is only allowed to stop twice at a fence and is eliminated from competition for the third refusal at that fence, as well as for a total of 4 refusals over the course. A rider will be eliminated on the 2nd rider fall, and a horse fall also means elimination!

Cross Country Penalties:
Faults are only penalised if they occur while a horse is jumping, or attempting to jump, a numbered obstacle

Dangerous riding
The Ground Jury, in accordance with FEI General Regulations, may penalise the competitor with 25 penalties.

Assistance: In principle, the rider must complete the competition without any help from a third party. However, if he has a fall or dismounts, it is permissible to catch his horse, adjust his saddlery, help him remount or hand him any of his equipment. His whip, headgear or spectacles may be handed to him, even if he does not dismount.

These penalties are cumulative – the lowest score is the winner!