Date: 20th May 2017
Running order of Divisions: CIC3* Friday. CIC2* & CIC1* Saturday
Arena: 220’ x 280’ All Weather
Starters/Clear Rounds:
CIC1* – 26/ 16 plus 1 with time faults (65%)
CIC2* – 20/7 plus 1 with time faults (40%)
CIC3* – 11/6 (55%)
As the Course Designer states in the Evaluation Report there was a fairly easy change from the 3 Star course to the 2 Star course, giving some different lines. The difference between the 2 Star and 1 Star, was the removal of the last fence of the 2 Star, which was a related line and a liverpool oxer. The liverpool was moved to the vertical at fence 10 for the 1 Star.
I liked the way the triple bar was used in the 1 and 2 Star as a ‘set up’ for the triple combination. This line was away from the in-gate, which would have added to the difficultly. While this would be suitable for this level of Event, such a line away from an in-gate is not preferable for lower Divisions.
When the triple bar was used in the 3 star (fence 7) it was very much un-related to any other obstacle, and therefore being one of the easiest obstacles to jump it was somewhat a ‘free’ jump. It would have been more influential, within the overall concept of the course, if it were made into an oxer for that Division.
The 3 Star had 9 verticals compared with 6 spread fences. The Course Designer noted this on the Evaluation Sheet and was due to the amount of jump material available. Ideally, a minimum of 24 pairs of wings are required to ensure that a suitable course, for Divisions up to 3 Star, can be built.
When the course was changed for the 2 Star both combinations ended up with verticals at the ‘A’ element, thus asking the same question. Changing the direction of the double in the 2 Star meant that the oxer had to be completely rebuilt. A time saver in these circumstances, when the combination is an oxer/vertical, is just to move the back pole and wings of the oxer to the original vertical, thus ending up with an oxer/vertical in the opposite direction. The distance stays the same and the situation of the two verticals at ‘A’ is resolved.
Richard Jeffery
USEF Eventing Show Jumping Course Advisor
Fair Hill International Horse Trials Results - Click Here