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Encyclopedia > Eventing

Eventing is an equestrian event which comprises dressage, cross-country and show-jumping. This event has its roots as a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding. It has two main formats, the one day event (ODE) and the three day event (3DE). It has previously been known as Militaire, Horse Trials, and Combined Training. A young rider at a horse show in Australia. ... An upper-level dressage competitor performing an extended trot Dressage (a French term meaning training) is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Olympics. ... A cross country competitor Cross country equestrian jumping is an endurance test, and is the second phase of the sport of eventing. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The cross-country phase. The rider will land from this drop fence before jumping into the water.

Image File history File links Saudade. ... Image File history File links Saudade. ... A drop fence is an obstacle commonly seen on the cross-country phase of eventing. ...

Governing bodies

The International governing body of the sport is the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) [1]. Individual countries have their own national governing bodies, including: The Fédération Equestre Internationale (commonly known as the FEI, or informally in English as the International Equestrian Federation) is the international governing body of equestrian (horse) sports. ...

The United States Eventing Association (USEA, formerly the USCTA)
British Eventing [2] (BE, formerly BHTA, the British Horse Trials Association)
The Equestrian Federation of Australia [3]
Eventing Ireland (EI, formally I.H.T.S, the Irish Hunter Trials Society [4]
Canadian Eventing [5]

The USEA (United States Eventing Association) governs the sport of eventing in the United States. ... British Eventing (BE), formally known as the British Horse Trials Association (BHTA), is the UKs governing body for the sport of eventing. ... The Equestrian Federation of Australia, or EFA, is the national governing body for equestrian sports in that country. ...

The phases

Eventing is commonly seen as an equestrian triathlon, in that it combines different disciplines in one competition. The three components of triathlon: Swimming, Cycling, Running A triathlon is an athletic event consisting of swimming, cycling and running over various distances. ...

Dressage

The dressage phase at a 3-day.

The dressage phase (held first) comprises an exact sequence of movements ridden in an enclosed arena (20x60m for International 3DE but usually 20x40 for ODE). The test is judged by one or more judges who are looking for balance, rhythm and suppleness and most importantly, obedience of the horse and its harmony with the rider. The challenge is to demonstrate that a supremely fit horse, capable of completing the cross country phase on time, also has the training to perform in a relaxed and precise manner. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (1488 Ã— 1116 pixel, file size: 574 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (1488 Ã— 1116 pixel, file size: 574 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... An upper-level dressage competitor performing an extended trot Dressage (a French term meaning training) is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Olympics. ...

At the highest level of competition, the dressage test may ask for half-pass, shoulder-in, travers, collected, medium and extended gaits, flying changes, and counter-canter. The tests may not ask for Grand Prix movements such as piaffe or passage. The half-pass is a dressage movement in which the horse moves forward and sideways at the same time. ... The shoulder-in is a dressage movement used to supple and balance the horse and encourage use of its hindquarters. ... Haunches-in (also called travers) is a lateral movement used in training of the horse. ... The flying change is a movement performed by a horse in which he changes leads at the canter. ... The counter-canter is a riding movement performed, as its name suggests, at the canter, which asks the horse to move on the outside lead. ... The piaffe is a high school dressage movement where the horse is in a highly collected and cadenced trot, in place or nearly in place. ... The passage is a movement seen in upper-level dressage, in which the horse performs a highly-elevated and extremely powerful trot. ...

Each movement in the test is scored on a scale from 0 to 10, with a score of "10" being the highest possible mark. Therefore, if one movement is executed terribly, it is still possible for a rider to get a good score if he reorganizes and does well in the following movements. The good marks are added together, minus any errors on course, and rounded to two decimal digits. The scores of all the judges (if more than one judge is present) are averaged to two decimal points. To convert this score to penalty points, the average is subtracted from 100 and the final figure is multiplied by 1.5.

All four feet of the horse exit the arena during the test: Elimination
The horse resists more than 20 seconds during the test: Elimination
Errors on course:
- 1st Error = minus 2 marks
- 2nd Error = minus 4 marks
- 3rd Error = elimination

Cross-country

Rider dropping into water on cross-country.

The next phase, cross-country, requires both horse and rider to be in excellent shape and to be brave and trusting of each other. This phase consists of approximately 12-20 fences (lower levels), 30-40 at the higher levels, placed on a long outdoor circuit. These fences consist of very solidly built natural objects (telephone poles, stone walls, etc.) as well as various obstacles such as ponds and streams, ditches, drops and banks, and combinations involving several jumping efforts - based on objects that would commonly occur in the countryside. This phase is timed, with the rider required to cross the finish line within a certain time frame (optimum time). Crossing the finish line after the allowed time results in penalties for each second late. At lower levels, there is a speed fault time, incurring penalties for horse and rider pairs completing the course too quickly. Penalties are also incurred if the horse refuses to jump a fence or if the rider falls off. The penalties for disobediences on cross country are weighted severely relative to the other phases of competition to emphasize the importance of courage, endurance and athleticism. Fitness is required as the time allowed will require a strong canter at the lower levels, all the way to a strong gallop at the higher events. Image File history File linksMetadata Xc_water_jump. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Xc_water_jump. ... A cross country competitor Cross country equestrian jumping is an endurance test, and is the second phase of the sport of eventing. ... Water is often seen on the cross-country course of an event. ... A bank is a type of cross-country obstacle found in the sport of eventing. ... A combination, when referring to an obstacle jumped by horses, is when two or more fences are placed within 1-3 strides of each other. ...

Horse trials, which may be held over one or two days, have only one phase of cross country. If the trial is held over the course of two days, dressage and show jumping are usually held the first day, with cross country on the second.

Recent years has seen the controversy of short and long format three day events. Traditionally, three day events had dressage, endurance and show jumping. Endurance day consisted of 4 Phases, A, B, C and D. Phase A and C were roads and tracks, with A being a medium paced warm up to prepare the horse and rider for Phase B, a steeplechase format at an extremely fast pace over steeplechase-style fences. Phase C was a slow-paced cool down coming off of Phase B, in preparation for the toughest and most demanding phase, D, or Cross Country. Before embarking on Phase D, in the "ten-minute box," horses had to be approved to continue by a vet, who monitored their temperature and heart rate, ensuring that the horse was sound and fit. The heart of the great racehorse Phar Lap. ...

Three day events are now offered in traditional format, with endurance day, or short-format, with no Steeplechasing (Phase B). Short format offers a shortened roads and tracks phase as a warm up for cross country. The 2004 Olympic Summer Games in Athens, Greece chose the short format, due to lack of facilities, time and financing, which sparked a large debate in the eventing community whether to keep Steeplechase or just offer Cross Country. Today, most events are run short-format, except for a few one-star competitions.

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2704x1260, 797 KB) William Fox-Pitt on Idalgo, Burghley, 2006 I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2704x1260, 797 KB) William Fox-Pitt on Idalgo, Burghley, 2006 I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ...

Scoring:

Refusal, run-out, or circle at an obstacle: 20 penalties
Second Refusal, run-out, circle at the same obstacle: 40 penalties
Third Refusal, run-out, circle at the same obstacle: Elimination
First fall of rider: 65 penalties
Second fall of rider: Elimination
Fall of horse (shoulder touches the ground): Mandatory Retirement
Exceeding Optimum Time: 0.4 penalties per second
Coming in under Speed Fault Time: 0.4 penalties per second
Exceeding the Time Limit (twice the optimum time): Elimination

A refusal is a term used in horse riding, when the horse does not jump a fence to which he was presented. ...

Other faults:

Competing with improper saddlery: Elimination
Jumping without headgear or a properly fastened harness: Elimination
Error of course not rectified: Elimination
Omission of obstacle: Elimination
Jumping an obstacle in the wrong order: Elimination
Jumping an obstacle in the wrong direction: Elimination
Retaking an obstacle already jumped: Elimination

Types of Obstacles:

See: Cross-country equestrianism and Indoor cross-country.

A cross country competitor Cross country equestrian jumping is an endurance test, and is the second phase of the sport of eventing. ... Indoor cross-country is a relatively new test of equestrian skills. ...

Veterinary inspection, or "Jog"

Before the last phase, horses are inspected by a vet to ensure that they have not incurred any injuries as a result of their exertions on the previous day. It is usually a very formal affair, with well-groomed and braided horses, and nicely dressed riders. It is also a very nerve-racking time, as the "pass" or "fail" determines whether the horse may continue on to the final phase.

Show jumping

Show jumping phase at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day.

The last phase, show jumping, tests the technical jumping skills of the horse and rider, including suppleness, obedience, fitness, and athleticism. In this phase, 12-20 fences are set up in a ring. These fences are typically brightly colored and consist of elements that can be knocked down, unlike cross country obstacles. If the horse and rider are not in adequate shape or do not have the technical skill, then they will knock down the poles, incurring penalties. This phase is also timed, with penalties being given for every second over the required time. In addition to normal jumping skills, eventing show jumping tests the fitness and stamina of the horse and rider, generally being held after the cross country phase. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 589 pixels Full resolution (2141 Ã— 1577 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 589 pixels Full resolution (2141 Ã— 1577 pixel, file size: 2. ...

Scoring:

Knocking down an obstacle: 4 penalties
First Disobedience (refusal, run-out, circle): 4 penalties
Second Disobedience in the whole round: 8 penalties
Third Disobedience in the whole round: Elimination
First Fall of rider: Elimination
Fall of horse: Compulsory Retirement
Exceeding the time allowed: 1 penalty per second
Jumping an obstacle in the wrong order: Elimination
Error of course not rectified: Elimination

The winner is the horse and rider with the fewest penalties. Ribbons and prizes are usually presented while mounted, before the placegetters take a lap of honour around the arena. A refusal is a term used in horse riding, when the horse does not jump a fence to which he was presented. ...

The history of the three day event

First called the "Militaire," the Three Day Event has its roots as a test for horses used as cavalry mounts. The predecessor to eventing originally began as a form of endurance riding, without jumping or galloping. Such competitions included a ride in 1892, travelling a 360 mile distance from Berlin to Vienna (the winner completed the ride in 71 hours and 26 minutes). However, these competitions did little to prepare horses and riders for actual combat, and so around the end of the 1800s, the French began raids militaires, which was the true forerunner to the three-day event. Not to be confused with Golgotha, which was called Calvary. ... Horse gaits are the different ways in which a horse can move, either naturally or as a result of specialized training by humans. ... This article is about the capital of Germany. ... â€œWienâ€ redirects here. ...

The Olympic beginning

Eventing competition that resembles the current three-day were first held in 1902, but were not introduced into the Olympic Games until 1912. Dressage originally demonstrated the horse's ability to perform on the parade ground, where elegance and obedience were key. Cross-country began as a test of stamina, courage, and bravery over difficult terrain, important for a charger on long marches or if the horse was asked to carry a dispatch across country. The stadium jumping phase sought to prove the horse's continuing soundness and fitness after the difficult cross-country day. Equestrianism made its Summer Olympics debut at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. ... An upper-level dressage competitor performing an extended trot Dressage (a French term meaning training) is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Olympics. ... A cross country competitor Cross country equestrian jumping is an endurance test, and is the second phase of the sport of eventing. ... Show jumping is a form of competition in which horses are jumped over a course of fences, low walls, and other obstacles (e. ...

The Olympic eventing competition was originally open only to male military officers in active duty, mounted only on military charges. In 1924, the event was open to male civilians, although non-commissioned Army officers could not participate in the Olympics until 1956. Women were first allowed to take part in 1964, and equestrian sports are one of the only Olympic sports in which men and women compete against one another.

Format

The original format, used in the 1912 Olympics, was spread over several days:

Day 1: Endurance Test- 55 km (33 miles) of roads and tracks (with a time allowed of 4 hours, giving a speed of approx. 230 meters per mintue) immediately followed by 5 km of a flagged cross-country course at a speed of 333 meters per minute. Time penalties were given for exceeding the time allowed, but no bonus points were given for being fast.
Day 2: Rest Day
Day 3: Steeplechase test of 3.5 km with 10 plain obstacles, at a speed of 600 mpm, with time penalties but no time bonus points
Day 4: Jumping Test, which was considered easy by most of the spectators
Day 5: Dressage Test

The Paris Games in 1924 introduced a format very similar to the one of today: with Day 1 Dressage, Day 2 the Endurance Test, and Day 3 the Jumping Test. The Endurance Test has changed the most since that time. Originally, bonus points could be earned for a fast ride cross-country (less than the optimum time). This helped competitors make up for a poor dressage ride, with a clean, fast cross-country ride. This system, however, was dropped in 1971. The format for the endurace test occurred as below: A steeplechase race The steeplechase is a form of horse racing (primarily conducted in the United Kingdom, United States, and Ireland) and derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a church steeple, jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many... The Games of the VIII Olympiad were held in 1924 in Paris, France. ...

Phase A: Short roads and tracks (with 5 penalties per 5 seconds over time)
Phase B: Steeplechase, decreased in speed from 600 mpm to 550 mpm (with 10 penalties added per 5 seconds over the time, 3 bonus points per 5 seconds under time)
Phase C: Long roads and tracks (with 5 penalties per 5 seconds over time)
Compulsory Halt (now the 10-minulte halt)
Phase D: Cross-country (with 10 penalties added per 5 seconds over the time, 3 bonus points per 10 seconds under time)
Phase E: 1¼ mile run on the flat (with 5 penalties per 5 seconds over time).

(Note: Phase E was abolished in 1967.)

In 1963, the 10 minute halt was introduced, to occur after the completion of phases A, B, and C. It took place in a marked out area (the 10-minute box), where the horse was checked by two judges and one veterinary official who would make sure the horse was fit to continue onto phase D. If the horse was unfit, the panel would pull it from the competition.

The format of the sport underwent major changes in 2004 and 2005, with the creation of the "short" or "modified format," which excluded phases A, B, and C from endurance day. The primary reason for excluding these phases was that the Olympic Committee was considering dropping the sport of eventing from the Olympics because of the cost and large area required for the speed and endurance phase with a steeplechase course and several miles of roads-and-tracks. To prevent the elimination of the sport from the Olympics program, the "short format" was developed by the FEI. The last Olympic Games that included the long, or "classic", 3-day format was the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, while Rolex Kentucky, the Badminton Horse Trials, and Burghley Horse Trials ran their last long format three-day in 2005. The short format is now the standard for international competition, such as the Olympics and World Equestrian Games. The Rolex Kentucky Three Day is an eventing competition held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. ... The Badminton Horse Trials is a three-day event, one of only four elite international four star, CCI****, events as classified by the FEI. Badminton takes place in May each year in the park of Badminton House the seat of the Dukes of Beaufort in Gloucestershire, England. ... A competitor in the 2004 Horse Trials shows good form over one the early cross-country fences The Burghley Horse Trials is an annual three day event held at Burghley House near Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. ... The World Equestrian Games are the world championship for Equestrianism, administrered by the FÃ©dÃ©ration Equestre Internationale. ...

The change in format has brought about controversy. Many want the continuation of the classic format, believing it is the "true test of horse and rider". Others believe the classic format is superior because it teaches horsemanship, due to the extra preparation needed to condition the horse and the care required after the several miles of endurance day. However, some upper-level riders claim to prefer the short format, as they believe it saves wear-and-tear on their horses and allows the horse not only to compete in more three-day events each season, but decreases the chance of injury to the horse. This claim has not held true in several recent studies that compared injuries sustained in classic and in short format competitions over equivalent courses. Further, some research indicates that horses are more stressed by the short format than by the careful warmup inherent in the classic format. Regardless, many upper-level riders prepare their horses for the short format using the same conditioning and training as for the long format. The short format has also been widely urged by breeders of heavier, warmblood type horses. The long format has remained very, very popular at the Preliminary, or one star, level in the United States, and with riders who feel it maximizes horsemanship.

Penalty point system

In 1971, the penalty point system was first introduced into eventing. This system converts the dressage score and all jump penalties on cross-country and show jumping into penalty points, with the horse and rider with the fewest number of points winning the event. Different weight is given for each phase, with the cross-country — the heart of eventing — being the most important, followed by the dressage, and then the show jumping. The intended ratio of cross-country:dressage:show jumping is theoretically 12:3:1. Therefore, an error in cross-country counts heavily. This prevents horses that are simply good in dressage (for example) from winning the event with a poor cross-country test.

In 1971, the following penalty system was instituted:

Phase A and C: 1 penalty per second over the optimum time
Phase B: 0.8 penalties per second over
Phase D: 0.4 penalties per second over

In 1977, the dressage scoring was changed, with each movement marked out of ten rather than out of six. This increased the maximum number of dressage marks from 144 to 240. This number later increased to 250 marks in 1998, after additional movements were added. To keep the correct weight, a formula is used to convert good marks in dressage to penalty points. First, the marks of the judges (if there is more than one) are averaged. Then the raw mark is subtracted from the maximum points possible. This number is then multiplied by 0.6 to calculate the final penalty score.

Show jumping rules were also changed in 1977, with a knock-down or a foot in the water awarded only 5 penalties rather than ten. This prevented the show jumping phase from carrying too much weight, again, to keep the ratio between the phases correct.

Non-Olympic competition

In its early days, the sport was most popular in Britain, and the British gave the competition a new name, the "Three-Day Event," due to the three day time span of the competition. In America, the sport was also called "combined training," due to the three different disciplines and types of training methods needed for the horse. In the United Kingdom, "combined training" competition includes only the dressage and show jumping phases.

The first annual, Olympic-level event developed was the Badminton Horse Trials, held each year in England. First held in 1949, Badminton was created after a poor performance by the British Eventing Team at the 1948 Olympic Games, with the purpose of being a high-class preparation event, and as extra exposure for the military horses, who very rarely had the chance to compete. Initially, only British riders were allowed to compete (although women were allowed, despite being banned from riding in the Olympics), but the competition is now open to all. To this day, Badminton is one of the most prestigious events to win in the world. The Badminton Horse Trials is a three-day event, one of only four elite international four star, CCI****, events as classified by the FEI. Badminton takes place in May each year in the park of Badminton House the seat of the Dukes of Beaufort in Gloucestershire, England. ...

The second three-day competition to be held at Olympic level each year was the Burghley Horse Trials, first held in 1961. Burghley is longest running international event. A competitor in the 2004 Horse Trials shows good form over one the early cross-country fences The Burghley Horse Trials is an annual three day event held at Burghley House near Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. ...

The first CCI held outside of Britain on an annual basis was the Rolex Kentucky Three Day, held each year in Lexington since 1978. The Rolex Kentucky Three Day is an eventing competition held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. ...

Importance of dressage training

In the early years, the dressage phase was fairly inconsequential in determining the final standings. It was quite possible for a horse to have a terrible dressage test, then run a clean cross-country and stadium, and still finish near the top of the standings. Since then, correct dressage training has become increasingly important should a horse and rider wish to finish in the ribbons. After the 2000 Olympic Games, the FEI hired British eventer and dressage rider, Christopher Bartle to write new dressage tests for the upper level events, which would include a greater deal of collection. This has since raised the bar even further in the dressage phase. The Fédération Equestre Internationale (commonly known as the FEI, or informally in English as the International Equestrian Federation) is the international governing body of equestrian (horse) sports. ... Christopher Bartle is a British equestrian who has had great success in both dressage and eventing. ...

Additionally, the cross-country phase has become more technical, asking the horse to be adjustable and supple through combinations. A horse can no longer just be brave and athletic, but must have a good deal of dressage training should his rider wish to successfully negotiate odd distances or bending lines at a gallop. A combination, when referring to an obstacle jumped by horses, is when two or more fences are placed within 1-3 strides of each other. ...

Safety

Leg protection: show jumping boots on the lefts legs, more protective galloping boots for cross-country on the right legs.

Over time, course design has become increasingly more focused on the safety of the horse and rider. Fences are built more solidly than in the earlier days, encouraging a bold jump from the horse, which actually helps prevent falls. The layout of the course and the build of the obstacles encourage the horse to have a successful run. This includes a greater use of precision fences, such as corners and skinny jumps, that are very good tests of the rider's ability and the horse's training, but allow the horse to simply run around the jump if the rider misjudges it. Safety measures such as filling in the area between corner-shaped jumps on cross-country or rails of a fence help prevent the entrapment of the legs of the horse decrease the number of serious falls or injuries. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 Ã— 1536 pixel, file size: 6. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 Ã— 1536 pixel, file size: 6. ... A corner, also called an apex, is an obstacle seen on the cross-country phase of eventing. ...

The newest improvement in cross-country safety is the frangible fence, which uses a pin to hold the log of an obstacle up. Should a horse hit the obstacle, the pin breaks and the obstacle falls to the ground. This technique helps to prevent the most dangerous situation on cross-country: when the horse hits a solid fence between the forearm and chest, and somersaults over, sometimes falling on the rider. This type of fall has caused the death of several riders, as well as horses.

Leg protection for horses has also improved. Very little was used in the early days, even on cross-country. However, it is now seen on every horse at almost every level. Boots have increased in technology, and include materials that either help absorb shock or are very hard and strong to prevent a serious injury.

Rules protecting riders have improved as well. Riders are now required to wear a safety vest (body protector) during cross-country, as well as an ASTM/SEI or ISO approved equestrian helmet with fastened harness when jumping. Eventing was one of the first sports to require the use of a helmet with harness when jumping. ASTM International is an international voluntary standards organization that develops and produces technical standards for materials, products, systems and services. ... The Software Engineering Institute (SEI) is located in the Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA. They publish books on software engineering for government and military applications and practices. ... ISO has many meanings: Iso is the stem of the Latin transliteration of the Greek word Î¯ÏƒÎ¿Ï‚ (Ãsos, meaning equal). The iso- prefix in English derives from this and means equality or similarity. ... A rider with a modern GPS style ASTM/SEI approved safety helmet. ...

Other notes

From the beginning, event horses had to carry a minimum weight of 165 lb (75 kg) (including rider and saddle) during the endurance test. This rule was dropped in 1997.

International competition

Burghley is one of the most prestigious international events.

International events have specific categories and levels of competition and are conducted under the rules of the FEI. CCI (Concours Complet International, or International Complete Contest) is one such category and defines a three-day event that is open to competitors from any foreign nation as well as the host nation. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (956x688, 129 KB)A competitor clears one of the easier, early fences at Burghley 2004. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (956x688, 129 KB)A competitor clears one of the easier, early fences at Burghley 2004. ... The Fédération Equestre Internationale (commonly known as the FEI, or informally in English as the International Equestrian Federation) is the international governing body of equestrian (horse) sports. ... The Concours Complet International, or CCI, is a rating for the equestrian sport of eventing. ...

CCI : International Three-day event (Concours Complet International)
CIC: International One-day event (Concours International Combiné)
CCIO: International Team Competitions (Concours Complet International Officiel). Includes the Olympics, the World Championships, the Pan Am Games, and other continental championships

The levels of international events are identified by the number of stars next to the category; there are four levels in total. A CCI* is for horses that are just being introduced to international competition. A CCI** is geared for horses that have some experience of international competition. CCI*** is the advanced level of competition. The Concours Complet International, or CCI, is a rating for the equestrian sport of eventing. ... The Eventing World Championship, or the eventing competition in the World Equestrian Games (WEG), began in 1966. ...

The very highest level of competition is the CCI****, and with only six such competitions in the world (Badminton, Burghley, Kentucky, Adelaide, Luhmuhlen Horse Trials, and the Pau Three Day Event) it is the ultimate aim of many riders. The Olympics and World Championships are also considered CCI****. The Badminton Horse Trials is a three-day event, one of only four elite international four star, CCI****, events as classified by the FEI. Badminton takes place in May each year in the park of Badminton House the seat of the Dukes of Beaufort in Gloucestershire, England. ... A competitor in the 2004 Horse Trials shows good form over one the early cross-country fences The Burghley Horse Trials is an annual three day event held at Burghley House near Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. ... The Rolex Kentucky Three Day is an eventing competition held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. ... Adelaide International Horse Trials is an annual three-day event held in Gawler, Australia. ... The LuhmÃ¼hlen Horse Trials are an annual equestrian eventing competition held in LuhmÃ¼hlen, Germany. ... The Eventing World Championship, or the eventing competition in the World Equestrian Games (WEG), began in 1966. ...

One, two and three star competitions are roughly comparable to the Novice, Intermediate and Advanced levels of British domestic competition, respectively, and to the Preliminary, Intermediate, and Advanced levels of American domestic competition, respectively.

Domestic competition

Eventing rules and the recognized levels in various nations are similar, but not always identical. While rules usually follow the FEI to some degree, history and tradition of various nations has also influenced competition rules within a given country. The Fédération Equestre Internationale (commonly known as the FEI, or informally in English as the International Equestrian Federation) is the international governing body of equestrian (horse) sports. ...

In addition to recognized events that prepare the best riders for international competition, many nations also offer eventing for beginner, youth, and amateur riders through organizations such as Pony Club, 4-H or other riding clubs, where most riders begin their competitive careers. At the most elementary levels, fence heights begin at around 2ft, and generally do not exceed 3f, 6 inches. Monash Pony Club, located in Melbourne, Australia The Pony Club is one of the most popular young equestrian organisations in the world; it is a club for children and young adults until they turn 21, with an optional extension to 25 years of age. ... Sign announcing 4-H membership on a ranch in Larimer County, Colorado. ...

USA

In the United States, Eventing is broken down into the following levels, all which are recognized by the USEA and are run in accordance to their rules: World map showing the location of Usea Map of Usea USEA (United States of Euro-Asia) is a fictional continent from the Ace Combat series of video games. ...

Beginner Novice: X-C fences: 2 ft 7 in, 14-18 efforts XC, ditch 4 ft, drops 3 ft 3 in, 300-350 m/min (meters per minute) on cross country; Stadium fences: 2 ft 7 in, 9-11 efforts.
Novice: X-C fences 2 ft 11 in, 16-20 efforts, ditch 6 ft 7 in, drops 3 ft 11 in, 350 to 400 m/min; Stadium fences 2 ft 11 in, 9-11 efforts.
Training: X-C fences 3 ft 3 in, 20-24 efforts, ditch 7 ft 11 in, drops 4 ft 7 in, 420 to 470 m/min; Stadium fences 3 ft 3 in, 10-12 efforts.
Preliminary: X-C fences 3 ft 7 in, 24-28 efforts, ditch 9 ft 2 in, drops 5 ft 3 in, 520 m/min; Stadium fences 3 ft 7 in, 11-13 efforts.
Intermediate: X-C fences 3 ft 9 in, 28-32 efforts, ditch 10 ft 6 in, drops 5 ft 11 in, 550 m/min; Stadium fences 3 ft 11 in, 12-14 efforts.
Advanced: X-C fences 3 ft 11 in, 32-40 efforts, ditch 11 ft 10 in, drps 6 ft 7 in, 570 m/min; Stadium fences 4 ft 1 in, 13-15 efforts.

UK

British Eventing (BE) levels of eventing are as follows: British Eventing (BE), formally known as the British Horse Trials Association (BHTA), is the UKs governing body for the sport of eventing. ...

Introductory: maximum fence height 0.90 m
Pre-Novice: max fence height 1.00 m
Novice (comparable to the USEA's Preliminary level): max fence height 1.10m XC, 1.15m SJ
Intermediate Novice: max fence height 1.10 XC; 1.15 m SJ
Intermediate: max fence height 1.15 m
Advanced Intermediate: max fence height 1.15 m XC; 1.20 SJ
Advanced: max fence height 1.20 m

World map showing the location of Usea Map of Usea USEA (United States of Euro-Asia) is a fictional continent from the Ace Combat series of video games. ...

Australia

In Australia, where the Equestrian Federation of Australia governs eventing competition the levels are as follows: The Equestrian Federation of Australia, or EFA, is the national governing body for equestrian sports in that country. ...

Introductory: XC: fences maximum height 0.80 m ditch 1.40 m drops 1.0 m 400 m/min; Stadium fences: 0.8m
Preliminary: XC: fences maximum height 0.95 m ditch 2.00 m drops 1.2 m 450 m/min; Stadium fences: 0.95 m
Pre Novice: XC: fences maximum height 1.05 m ditch 2.40 m drops 1.4, 500 m/min; Stadium fences: 1.05 m
Novice: XC: fences maximum height 1.10 m ditch 2.80 m drops 1.6 m 520 m/min; Stadium fences: 1.15 m
Intermediate: XC: fences maximum height 1.15 m ditch 3.20 m drops 1.8 m 550 m/min; Stadium fences: 1.20 m
Advanced: XC: fences maximum height 1.20 m ditch 3.60 m drops 2.0 m 570 m/min; Stadium fences: 1.25 m

Ireland

The Irish levels, governed by Eventing Ireland are as follows:

Intro: X-C - max height with spread 0.90m, max spread at highest point 1.00m, max spread at base 1.50m, max spread without height 1.20m, max spread over water 2.0m, max drop 1.20m. Stadium - 0.90m
Pre-Novice Training CNCP*: X-C - max height with spread 1.10m, max spread at highest point 1.40m, max spread at base 2.10m, max spread without height 2.80m, max spread over water 3.05m, max drop 1.60m . Stadium - 1.00m
CNC* CNCP**:X-C - max height with spread 1.10m, max spread at highest point 1.40m, max spread at base 2.10m, max spread without height 2.80m, max spread over water 3.05m, max drop 1.60m . Stadium - 1.10m
CNC**: X-C - max height with spread 1.15m, max spread at highest point 1.60m, max spread at base 2.40m, max spread without height 3.20m, max spread over water 3.65m, max drop 1.8m . Stadium - 1.20m
CNC***: X-C - max height with spread 1.20m, max spread at highest point 1.80m, max spread at base 2.70m, max spread without height 3.60m, max spread over water 4.0m, max drop 2.0m . Stadium - 1.25m

Canada

The Canadian levels, under the rules of Canadian Eventing, are as follows:

Entry (equatable to USEA Beginner Novice)
Pre-Training (equatable to USEA Novice): XC: fences maximum height 0.91 m ditch 1.50 m drops 1.10 m; Stadium fences: 0.96m
Training: XC: fences maximum height 1.00 m ditch 1.80 m drops 1.40 m; Stadium fences: 1.05 m
Preliminary: XC: fences maximum height 1.10 m ditch 2.80 m drops 1.60 m; Stadium fences: 1.15 m
Intermediate: XC: fences maximum height 1.15 m ditch 3.20 m drops 1.80 m; Stadium fences: 1.20 m
Advanced: XC: fences maximum height 1.20 m ditch 3.60 m drops 2.00 m; Stadium fences: 1.25 m

The horse

In the lower levels, it is possible for any breed, if well-trained and conditioned, to do well in eventing. Thoroughbreds and part-thoroughbreds currently dominate the sport at top levels because of their stamina and athletic ability, although many warmbloods and warmblood-thoroughbred crosses also do well. In the UK, Irish sport horses have been popular for many years. // This page is a list of horse and pony breeds, and also includes terms used to describe types of horses that are not breeds but are commonly mistaken for breeds. ... Thoroughbred race horses The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known as a race horse. ... Warmbloods are a group of sport horse breeds and the term simply distinguishes this type of horse from the cold bloods (draft horses) and the hot bloods (Thoroughbreds and Arabians). ... Shear H20, an Irish Horse successful in eventing. ...

Because larger horses are favored, animals with some draft horse breeding are being experimented with, notably the Irish Draught and Clydesdale crossbreds. However, smaller horses can also excel; for example, in the 2007 Rolex Kentucky Three Day CCI competition, the third place competitor was a 14.1 hand gelding that was a cross of Thoroughbred, Arabian and Shetland pony breeding.^[1] Two pairs of Shire horses and a pair of Suffolk Punches A draft horse, draught horse, or harness horse is a large, strong horse bred for heavy work rather than speed. ... Irish horses are renowned for being the best hunters in the worldand none more so than those produced by crossing Thooroughbred with Irish Draught. ... Clydesdale draft horse at the Maryland State Fair The Clydesdale is a breed of draft horse named after and derived from hard-working farm horses of Clydesdale (now Lanarkshire), Scotland. ... The Rolex Kentucky Three Day is an eventing competition held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. ... A hand (or handbreadth) is a unit of length measurement, usually based on the breadth of a male human hand and thus around 1 dm, i. ... The Arabian horse is a breed of horse with a reputation for intelligence, high spirit, and outstanding stamina. ... A Shetland pony with its heavy winter coat beginning to shed Shetland ponies are small horses, that are very strong for their size. ...

An event horse must be very rideable to succeed, as a horse that will not listen to a rider on the cross-country phase may end up taking a fall at a jump. The horse should be calm and submissive for the dressage phase, with good training on the flat. For cross-country, the horse must be brave, athletic, and (especially at the higher levels) fast with a good galloping stride and great stamina. The horse does not have to possess perfect jumping form, but should be safe over fences and have good scope. The best event horses are careful over jumps, as those who are not tend to have stadium rails knocked down on the last day. The horse also needs to have sound conformation and good feet. See Equine conformation ... The horse hoof is the distal phalanx of the III digit of the four limbs of Equus species, and it is covered by complex horny structures. ...

Riding attire

Riding attire varies between all three phases. Dressage and show jumping require very conservative attire, following the traditional turnout for each of those disciplines. Cross-country is much less formal, with many riders wearing clothing of personalized colors.