Eventing

The Olympic sport of Eventing, often called the Triathlon of Equestrian sports, combines the three disciplines of Dressage, Cross Country, and Show Jumping into one competition. Eventing has its roots as a calvary test. It tries the horse’s ability to be submissive, brave, and careful, but most importantly athletic and trusting of his rider. Riders must be able to bring about these qualities in their horses. It is perhaps the most demanding Equestrian sport.

Governing Bodies

The International governing body of Eventing, like all Internationally recognized Equestrian sports, is the Federation Equestre International (International Equestrian Federation, FEI). In the United States, the national governing body of all nationally recognized equestrian sports is the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). Within the USEF is the United States Eventing Association (USEA) which over sees all Events within the United States. Our country is broken down into Areas of states; each state has it's own association; and each state is broken down into Chapters. Our Chapter in Colorado is the Central Colorado Chapter, which is in Area IX.

National Competition

Events governed by the National federations are called Horse Trails. All phases are held over one, two, or three days, and are sometimes not in the traditional order of Dressage, Cross Country, and Show Jumping. Almost always riders are competing strictly for themselves, though sometimes Horse Trials offer Team Competitions. The six levels offered by the USEA are Beginner Novice, Novice, Training, Preliminary, Intermediate, and Advanced. At Training level and below, the Dressage tests, Cross Country fences and complexes, and Show Jumping courses are all relatively simple. These levels serve to prepare horses and riders for the higher levels. In order to compete at Preliminary level and above specific qualifications must be met. Preliminary level is an introduction to higher level competition, and the Intermediate and Advanced levels are the ultimate test of horse and rider. The United States' National Championship, held each fall for all levels, is known as the American Eventing Championships.

International Competition

Events governed by the FEI are known as Three Day Events. They are conducted over three days and in the traditional sequence of Dressage, Cross Country, and Show Jumping. In order to compete at the International levels, the horse and rider combination must first qualify at National levels. There are two different types of Three Day Events. The easier of the two is abbreviated as CIC, or CICO for team, which is simply an Internationally ranked Horse Trails. The only differences between the National Horse Trials and the CIC is that the International Dressage tests are slightly more complicated, and a jog the morning after Cross Country must be passed with no sign of lameness. The CCI, or CCIO for team, is as hard as it gets in Eventing. Not only is passing a jog after Cross Country required, but also before competition begins, as well as the vet check immediately following Cross Country. Aside from these soundness and fitness expectations of the jury and veterinarians, the Dressage, Cross Country, and Show Jumping reach the peak of technicality and size. At both CIC and CCI Three Day Events there are four levels being One, Two, Three, and Four Star, each corresponding relatively closely with the National levels. Preliminary is similar to One Star, Intermediate to Two Star, and Advanced to Three Star. Not including the Olympics, Pan American Games, Equestrian World Cup, or World Equestrian Championships, there are only four Four Stars in the world each year.

The Phases

Dressage
The Dressage phase is an exact sequence of movements ridden in an enclosed arena of 20x40 meters for National Intermediate or lower level Horse Trials or 20x60 meters for International or National Advanced Horse Trails. The test is judged by one or more judges who are looking for each movement of the test to be performed to the horse and rider's best ability. At the end of the test, the judge looks at the overall picture and scores the horse's gaits, impulsion, and submission, as well as the rider.

In addition to the requirements of the test, the challenge is to demonstrate that a very fit horse, capable of completing the Cross County phase on time, also can perform well in the Dressage ring. Tests start with simple walk, trot, and canter, and move to extended, medium, and collected gaits, as well as lateral movements such as half pass, leg yield, haunches in, and shoulders in, as well as flying changes and counter canter as the levels advance. Each movement in the test is scored individually on a scale from 0 to 10, with a score of 10 being the highest possible mark. If the rider forgets the test and performs the wrong movement, points are deducted. If three errors, falls, or the pair leaving the arena occures before the test is completed, it results in elimination. To arrive at a score, the scores from all of the movements and the collective marks are added together, then subtracted from the possible perfect total, giving a penalty score. The goal of the dressage test is to recieve and carry forward the lowest possible penalty score.

Cross Country
Cross Country requires horse and rider to be remarkably fit, athletic, brave, smart, and most importantly trusting of each other. This phase consists of approximately 12-20 fences at lower levels, or 30-40 at the higher levels, placed on a long outdoor course. These fences consist of very solidly built natural obstacles (telephone poles, logs, stone walls, brush, fences, etc.) as well as various obstacles such as ponds and streams, ditches, drops and banks, and complexes or combinations involving several jumping efforts - based on objects that would commonly occur in the countryside. Of course as the levels get higher, so increases the size and technicality of the fences and complexes, and the speed at which the course is to be completed. Sometimes options are given with the easier obstacles requiring a longer track, taking up more time than the more difficult, faster option. This phase is timed, with the goal to be as close to the optimum time as possible without going over. 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. If the horse refuses too many times, the rider falls, or the horse falls the result is elimination. The penalties for disobediences on cross country are weighted severely relative to the other phases of competition to emphasize the importance of this phase.

Show Jumping

The last phase, Show Jumping, tests the technical jumping abilities of the horse and rider, including carefullness, suppleness, obedience, fitness, bravery, and athleticism. In this phase 12-16 fences are set up in a ring. These fences consist of elements that can be knocked down, unlike Cross Country obstacles. The courses are made up of brightly colored rails, standards, planks, gates, flower boxes, and walls. Fences can be verticals, oxers, or triple bars. Sometimes extra tests of bravery such as liverpools (meant to resemble a ditch or water jump) or open water are seen in higher level courses. Riders must consider different tracks to each of the fences to, for example, save time, or set the horse up for the next fence. If the horse and rider are not in adequate shape or do not have the training and ability, then they will knock down the rails, incurring penalties. Refusals are also penalized, and if occuring multiple times result in elimination. This phase is also timed, with penalties being given for every second over the required time. A fall of rider or horse results in elimination. In addition to normal jumping abilities, Event Show Jumping tests the fitness and stamina of the horse and rider, after the demanding cross country phase.

Awards

The National championships in the United States are the American Eventing Championships held each fall. There are few International championships being the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships, Olympics, World Cup, World Equestrian Championships, and Pan American Games. The winner is the horse and rider with the fewest penalties. Ribbons and prizes are usually presented while mounted, before the winners "ride for ribbons" around the arena.