British Showjumping Classes - What do I enter?

[SWE]

Can anyone help me understand how BS classes work?

I've just registered and am looking to do a 90cm and 1m soon, but don't know if I should be entering the BN & disco, or the 90cm open and 1m open?

What's the difference, I am guessing the BN and Disco qualify you for 2nd rounds/then champs??? Is that right??? and the Open classes are just one off classes? Or is it based on how many points the horse has... or?

Sorry totally clueless!

(neither me or horse have ever registered before)

 

[doodle]

The open classes are exactly the same course (I have seen then do all the BN and then the open as separate classes as well as all together) but for horses that have won too much money (or is it points now?) to do the BN or discovery classes. You are right that the open classes don’t qualify for second rounds so if you and horse are new to BS then do the BN and discovery.

 

[blood_magik]

It’s done by how many points your horse has. There are point limits (usually says on the schedule) for each class.

You can qualify for second rounds in the ‘standard’ class section - British Novice, Discovery, Newcomers - but not in the open section.

British novice is for horses with less than 125 points. Discovery is less than 225

 

[dixie]

If your horse has no or little points then you would enter the Br Novice and Discovery.
If he/she has points over the levels Blood Magik says then you need to enter the open classes. The open classes will have more experienced horses competing in generally.

 

[SWE]

Ace thank you all!

 

[SmallSteps]

Aye, points table here: https://www.britishshowjumping.co.u...g Horse League Points Table - 2017 REV 13.pdf (whole rule book here https://www.britishshowjumping.co.uk/_files/MH2019V1JanOV1.pdf)

If you do the clear round then it's usually the BN first eight fences so you can do that first if you want to. BN & Disco nearly always single phase, as is unaffiliated, so first six fences first round second six fences are the jump off. You can also jump on a ticket before affiliating if you want a soft start

At the risk of making it sound a bigger deal than it is, I started to jot down some differences in affiliated:
- it's a little bigger and wider than the unaff equivalent, BN max width in the first half (first six fences) is 1m, jump off (second half) is 1m high, 1.10m wide inc a double, Disco max width is 1.15m in first round, 1.10m high, 1.20/1.25m wide in JO etc. etc.
- Once your bell goes you have 45 seconds to start, this is ages so don't panic if you haven't had this unaff - you can see the display clock. We're currently drawn order
- Whip has to be a baton (and there's a usage limit). There's also tack and boot rules.
- You can't warm up bigger than the class (I must not rant about this, I must not rant about this...)
- Two stops, "disobediences" or circles (not three) is elimination. You can get eliminated for outside assistance even if not requested (e.g. if someone shouts at you from the side)
- Water trays show up more often
- Open horses run alongside the novice horses but usually will be placed separately (so don't worry if everyone looks faster)
- Double clears count even if you don't win it, so you get points for double clears, four double clears in each novice class to qualify for the second round (BN, Disco, Newc, Fox)
- There's a national amateur series that's really popular at 85cm, 95cm, 1.05cm, 1.10cm which again you can qualify by collecting double clears, and similarly blue chip and scope qualifiers at similar heights, if you jump below 1.10m you go do the bronze league and potentially jump at HOYS...

 

[SWE]

Thanks for so much info I really appreciate that!

Oh thats interesting I thought Discovery was 1m! Is that in the JO then that it can go upto 1m10?

 

[doodle]

First round is 1m. The jump offs go up 10cm.

 

[blood_magik]

There’s 10cms leeway at the course builders discretion so British novice can go up to 1m, discovery to 1.10m, newcomers to 1.20 and fox to 1.30m.

You can’t go higher than the max height of your class in the warmup. There’s usually tape on the wings showing it but now that there’s someone doing the fences for you, they should be able to keep you right.

you shouldn’t really get a water tray until 1.05m although I’ve seen a few in discovery over the years. Mostly at bigger shows though.

 

[SmallSteps]

There’s 10cms leeway at the course builders discretion so British novice can go up to 1m, discovery to 1.10m, newcomers to 1.20 and fox to 1.30m.

You can’t go higher than the max height of your class in the warmup. There’s usually tape on the wings showing it but now that there’s someone doing the fences for you, they should be able to keep you right.

you shouldn’t really get a water tray until 1.05m although I’ve seen a few in discovery over the years. Mostly at bigger shows though.

I’m a bit scared to post this but I disagree with all your points, sorry bm *smiles in a friendly we‘re all just trying to help please don't shout way*
- There is a certain amount of course builder’s discretion (only 80% to max height, can drop 10cm in bad weather), but max height is max height. Having said that as we said the jump off is 10cm bigger (i.e from fence 7 in single phase) so you can put a 1.10m fence in the JO of a Disco, but you don’t have the discretion to do it in the first round (my first post is badly phrased on this!)
- I think this must be a regional difference, using tape on wings, because I’ve heard it as an idea but never seen it. To put more precision on my earlier answer tho you can go slightly (10cm) higher than the jumps in the arena in the warm up (so for a single phase BN you could warm up over 1.10m) and god knows there‘s always someone who thinks the aim is to check scope - but the jump person is a volunteer not a steward and won‘t keep you right. Point being just because they've built something doesnt mean you have to jump it, sometimes it takes a bit of confidence to insist you want it smaller
- Afraid water trays are optional from 85cm, compulsory in Newcomers, not a big show or 1.05 thing but it is fairly common to jump a BN/disco without one. They’re a good thing in smaller classes though, don‘t be put off

Before I got so technical, a point I forgot in my earlier thoughts on aff/unaff difference - time faults! Required speed is pretty slow at lower levels but there is a time allowed for the first round so do take the route the course builder had in mind. Lovely clears with time faults are always a little sad

 

[SWE]

I’m a bit scared to post this but I disagree with all your points, sorry bm *smiles in a friendly we‘re all just trying to help please don't shout way*
- There is a certain amount of course builder’s discretion (only 80% to max height, can drop 10cm in bad weather), but max height is max height. Having said that as we said the jump off is 10cm bigger (i.e from fence 7 in single phase) so you can put a 1.10m fence in the JO of a Disco, but you don’t have the discretion to do it in the first round (my first post is badly phrased on this!)
- I think this must be a regional difference, using tape on wings, because I’ve heard it as an idea but never seen it. To put more precision on my earlier answer tho you can go slightly (10cm) higher than the jumps in the arena in the warm up (so for a single phase BN you could warm up over 1.10m) and god knows there‘s always someone who thinks the aim is to check scope - but the jump person is a volunteer not a steward and won‘t keep you right. Point being just because they've built something doesnt mean you have to jump it, sometimes it takes a bit of confidence to insist you want it smaller
- Afraid water trays are optional from 85cm, compulsory in Newcomers, not a big show or 1.05 thing but it is fairly common to jump a BN/disco without one. They’re a good thing in smaller classes though, don‘t be put off

Before I got so technical, a point I forgot in my earlier thoughts on aff/unaff difference - time faults! Required speed is pretty slow at lower levels but there is a time allowed for the first round so do take the route the course builder had in mind. Lovely clears with time faults are always a little sad

Thank you!! Last question I think... I saw a local show centre post a picture of an open water fence, do you know what height these are allowed to be introduced from? Rather than just a water tray under a 'normal' fence...

 

[greenbean10]

Thank you!! Last question I think... I saw a local show centre post a picture of an open water fence, do you know what height these are allowed to be introduced from? Rather than just a water tray under a 'normal' fence...

I think these only come into play at Fox level (1.20) and even then it tends to be for seconds rounds and bigger shows (I think!). Whether I'm wrong or right about that, there's no way you'll get one in a BN or Disco class!

 

[SWE]

I think these only come into play at Fox level (1.20) and even then it tends to be for seconds rounds and bigger shows (I think!). Whether I'm wrong or right about that, there's no way you'll get one in a BN or Disco class!

I was pretty sure that would be the answer but nice to remove all doubt from the mind ?

 

[SmallSteps]

Yeah, you’re not allowed an open water at BN & Disco. Here’s that link to the rule book again: https://www.britishshowjumping.co.uk/_files/MH2019V1JanOV1.pdf

the table that summarises, heights, waters etc is on page 205ish