About Eventing/3-Day Competition
Eventing is an 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. Eventing is commonly seen as an equestrian triathlon, in that it combines different disciplines in one competition.
Dressage
The dressage phase (held first) comprises an exact sequence of movements ridden in an enclosed arena (usually 20 x 60 meters). 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.
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.
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.
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). Riders 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.
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 consists of 4 Phases, A, B, C and D. Phase A and C are 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 is 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 must be approved to continue by a vet who monitors their temperature and heart rate, ensuring that the horse is sound and fit.
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. International competitions offering the traditional format are rated in level by stars, with one being the lowest level, and four being the highest. CCI* is an international three day event offering Phases A-D at a relatively low level, where CIC*** would be an international three day event not offering steeplechase.
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.
The last phase, show jumping, tests the technical jumping skills of the horse and rider, including suppleness, obedience, finesse, 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.
The History of the 3-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, traveling 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 1800's, the French began raids militaires, which was the true forerunner to the three-day event.
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. The 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.
The Olympic eventing competition was originally open only to 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 the only Olympic sport in which men and women compete against one another.
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 called "combined training," due to the three different disciplines and types of training methods needed for the horse.
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 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 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.
The first CCI held outside of Britain on an annual basis was the Rolex Kentucky Three Day, held each year in Lexington since 1978.
In the United States, Eventing is broken down into the following levels:
Beginner Novice: X-C and Stadium fences 2 ft 7 in, ditch 4 ft, drops 3 ft 3 in, 300-350 m/min (meters per minute) on cross country.
Novice: X-C fences 2 ft 11 in, ditch 6 ft 7 in, drops 3 ft 11 in, 350 to 400 m/min; Stadium fences 2 ft 11 in
Training: X-C fences 3 ft 3 in, ditch 7 ft 11 in, drops 4 ft 7 in, 420 to 470 m/min; Stadium fences 3 ft 3 in
Preliminary: X-C fences 3 ft 7 in, ditch 9 ft 2 in, drops 5 ft 3 in, 520 m/min; Stadium fences 3 ft 7 in
Intermediate: X-C fences 3 ft 9 in, ditch 10 ft 6 in, drops 5 ft 11 in, 550 m/min; Stadium fences 3 ft 11 in
Advanced: X-C fences 3 ft 11 in, ditch drops 11 ft 10 in, 570 m/min; Stadium fences 4 ft 1 in
Beginner Novice through Advanced is recognized by the US Eventing Association (USEA), www.useventing.com.
