Date: 4th June 2017
Running order of Divisions: CCI2*, CIC2*, CIC1*
Arena: 250ft x 300ft
Starters/Clear Rounds:
CCI2* – 4/ 1(25%)
CIC2* – 2/1 with time faults (50%)
CIC1* – 4/1 (25%)
With very few starters the above percentages do not show a real picture. This lack of entries is a shame as the competitors were offered good, not too technical, show jumping courses with changes of technicality between each Division.
Both combinations were set on their own, with the triple away from the in-gate, which would have added to its difficulty. However, the distances were a little on the short side, as one would expect when built in this way, and therefore should have ridden fairly normal.
The double for the Two Star course was a vertical to an oxer and was set on a distance of 36’ 6”, which would be considered fairly long under normal circumstances. However, this was at the end of the course and going towards the in-gate, so a longer distance in this case was appropriate.
The use of these distances showed that the Course Designer understood the effect the in-gate has on combinations when positioned in this manner.
For the One star, the double, came earlier in the course at fence 4 and was reduced to two verticals at 25feet. This meant that both combinations for this Division only contained one oxer in total and competitors jumped vertical to vertical twice, which was a little repetitive.
The length of the Two Star was posted at 600m which is the maximum length allowed for an Eventing Show Jumping course. The Course Designer mentions in her Evaluation that in hindsight – which we all know too well – that the course could have benefited from a related line in the second half of the course. After fence 7 each fence was on its own, which meant that the competitors were doing four sweeps of the ring, with only one jump in each line. This would have helped to push the distance up to the maximum. Relating two of these fences would have reduced the distance and made the track more technical.
Richard Jeffery
USEF Eventing Show Jumping Course Advisor
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