The sport of equestrian eventing - is a ridden sport which combines
dressage, cross-country and show-jumping.
Modern equestrian eventing has two main competition formats, the one
day event (ODE) and the three day event (3DE). Equestrian eventing has
also been known as Militaire, Horse Trials, or Combined Training.
The three lowest eventing levels are:- Intro; Pre-Novice and Novice.
The lower levels require no qualifications and subject to the age of the
rider and the height of the horse, you only have to be a member of british
eventing or hold a british eventing day ticket to enter.
Beyond this, you need a certain number of clear rounds at each level
before you can move up to the next level.
You can enter a british eventing competiton on a day ticket if you don't
want to commit to full membership. A sort of try before you buy scheme.
There are also training day tickets available.
The roots of equestrian eventing are based in a comprehensive cavalry
test requiring riders to master several ridden disciplines
It originated in the military and the purpose was to create a competition
where officers and horses could be tested for any challenge that might
occur on or off duty. It also provided a base comparison for training
standards between the cavalries of different countries.
The first modern eventing competition was held at the 1912 Olympic Games
in Stockholm (SWE). It lasted for five days and the order of tests was
quite different from today’s international eventing competitions.
Speed and endurance came first, followed by a rest day; then the steeplechase,
jumping and dressage.
The two types of modern eventing competition
with steeplechase
Both modern competitions comprise three distinct tests: Dressage, Cross-Country
and Jumping and they take place on separate consecutive days, with the
competitor riding the same horse throughout.
However, the with steeplechase competition, includes the steeplechase
and the roads & track in the full cross-country phase.
without steeple chase in the Cross Country phase.
The without steeplechase competitions includes the same three phases,
but the Cross Country test does not include Phases B & C (steeplechase
and roads & tracks).
Phase A, (Roads & Track warmup), before the Cross Country Obstacle
Test, is also optional.
The modern event can take place over one, two or three days.
The Dressage test always takes place first and either the Cross Country
or Jumping can be the last test.
Mandatory registration of all horses and riders competing in FEI Eventing
competitions was introduced on 1 January 2003, and competitiors in British
Eventing (BE) competitions need to be members or hold a day ticket
The Olympic Games
The Olympic Games take place every four years in a bissextile year. The
Games of the XXVIII Olympiad took place in Athens, Greece in 2004. It
was the first time that the format without steeple chase was used. The
next Olympics are to be held in 2008 in Beijing, China and then in London,
England in 2012.
The FEI World Equestrian Games
The FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) are held every four years in the
even years between the Olympic Games. The last edition of the WEG was
organised in Aachen, Germany in 2006. Preparations for the next WEG are
well under way and it is to be held outside Europe for the first time,
in Kentucky, USA in 2010.
FEI World Cup™ Eventing
The FEI Eventing World Cup™ is a linked series for individuals,
the goal of which is to develop the sport throughout the world. It is
organised as a three-star level CIC qualifiers and a three-star level
Final that began in August 2002. The 2006 Final was held in the Swedish
city of Malmo. For more information on FEI World Cup™ Eventing,
visit the official website: www.feiworldcup.org
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