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Eventing is a great sport for riders who are interested in variety. The combined events—dressage, cross-country riding, and show jumping—are sometimes known as the triathlon of equestrian sports. |
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Although the dressage and show jumping portions have rules similar to those of the individual sports, they are less rigorous in eventing. The focus is more on the endurance aspect of the cross-country portion of the sport. The cross country portion consists of four phases: |
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1) The Roads and Tracks Phase is
the warm-up part of the event. In this phase, the horse and rider walk and trot a
distance of about 3.5 miles. |
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3) The Second Roads and Tracks Phase is essentially a 7-mile cool down before the final phase. 4) The Cross-Country Gallop can vary from 2.5 to 5 miles, and involves jumps over many obstacles (up to 45!) that are up to 4 feet high. |
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Eventing is regulated by the rules of the Fėdėration Équestre Internationale (FEI). The FEI defines several classes, including the Novice Class. Novices participate only in the cross-country phase over a route that is about 1.5 miles in length and involves approximately 15 obstacles with a maximum height of 2 feet 11 inches. Olympic eventing is also governed by the rules and regulations of the FEI. Since the FEI recognizes a number of competition classes, they have specifications for novice competitors as well as advanced riders and horses. Equestrians who wish to compete in eventing should be familiar with these rules |
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The Cross Country portion of eventing is typically held on the second day of a 3-day contest. Dressage events are usually held on the first day, and show jumping on the third day. The horse is subjected to a veterinary inspection before the jumping event to demonstrate a good recovery from the rigors of the Cross Country ride. Horses who are judged to be exhausted or dehydrated , unsound or injured are eliminated from further competition. |
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Scoring is based on points accumulated from faults, such as balking [spooking] at a jump, knocking off a fence rail, or tipping an obstacle. The rider with the lowest point score wins. Missing a jump, doing jumps out of order or in the wrong direction, and taking more than one fall are examples of faults that will result in elimination. |
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In Olympic and World Championship competition, the total mileage to be covered on the speed and endurance phase can be up to twenty miles. The cross-country phase is the phase that appeals most to spectators and riders alike. It is the ultimate challenge to prepare a horse for this rigorous test. Unlike other sports, where only the human will and body are pitted against the clock, in eventing, or combined training, two minds and bodies have to work as one. As an additional attraction, eventing is the only high-risk Olympic sport that permits men and women to compete as equals. There are no separate divisions. Some of the top riders in the world today are women from many nations. |
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