Eventers - another question!

[kerilli]

with my ERA hat on again:
B.E. has asked us to canvass opinions on this one too:
“When preparing for Eventing are there any other competition formats you would you like to see regularly provided by BE or at BE venues? For example Combined Training (Dressage and Show Jumping combined) or Eventer Trials (Show Jumping and XC combined) or something else you would find useful? Would you like to see these proved as “training” competitions like JAS? Are such opportunities required all year round or only relevant at the start of the season etc? Please let us have your views.”

 

[MegaBeast]

I would like to see both, particularly in the Winter months ie Jan to March. Fun though JAS is (and I have never done one myself) I don't see it as a good preparation for a young horse where as combined training/eventer trials presented in the right way could be.

 

[Charem]

Some sort of 'clear round' style sj and xc would be good, prehaps the following day after the actual event (providing the ground is still rideable). It would give horses and riders who had problems the previous day a chance to rectify them without the pressure of the competition. Of course I understand that finding fence judges is difficult enough as it is

 

[Nicnac]

Both CT and ET would be useful as training sessions with feedback. An express eventing format with trainer would also be great so you get all 3 phases in a clinic type environment. This would enable those who work FT to practice all phases in one hit, especially if it were a weekend as precious holidays need to be kept for the 'season'.

Also preparation sessions across 3 phases for those of us who are less experienced & want to build confidence before next season would be useful.

 

[be positive]

A local venue run CT from 90- Novice, they are really useful at any time of year, either as prep or as a test at the next level up from your usual competition level, you can also do a CR at any height, again very handy without any pressure but knowing that the courses are correctly built.

 

[sabel]

Combined training at 90, 100 etc. would be fab! There is rarely any CT in my area and, if there is, it tends to be with SJ of 2'6"- 2'9".

 

[Sarah_Jane]

I would like to see more winter competitions and winter training with the emphasis on taking out to members away from the current popular central venues.

Saying this some of the centres themselves are now starting to cater for the eventers in the winter so be a difficult balance.

 

[willtowin]

I think Arena Eventing (dsg, sj, arena xc but not based on style) or Combined Training would be a great addition to JAS. I would like to see these kind of training events at the end of the season instead of starting in January so it's more year-round (eventing March-October, training events October-March) - not all of our horses will have a winter holiday and it's great for the babies especially to have these sorts of things.

 

[quizzie]

I am lucky enough to have a venue nearby that does combined training from 80 to Intermediate throughout the year, very useful for babies & more experienced horses.

Would love to have some arena-based XC too, but most of the combined SJ/XC ones I have seen seem to have a lot of fences crammed into small spaces which can be too confusing for inexperienced horses. I think there is definitely a place for training/clear round versions with enough space for the horses to assess the questions being asked.

 

[star]

Would just like to see more of anything really. It's odd paying yearly membership when there are only competitions to go to between March and October. I'm not counting JAS as there's only 2 local to me and any kind of style competition is not my cup of tea!

so yes to combined training definitely as these are the 2 elements that challenge us most but would also be interested in eventers challenge type event etc..

 

[Jnhuk]

Any of this winter training up north would be welcome!

Have to find this sort of training outwith BE at the moment

 

[jumpsforfun]

Another vote for CT, there is woefully little like that round our way (Herts / Essex). It would be invaluable through the winter but I could also see a real use for it year round as it would be educational for youngsters before heading out for BE mid-way through the season for example.

 

[rhino]

Would just like to see more of anything really.

Agree with this. Being north of the Border puts us at a disadvantage too.

 

[charlimouse]

I would love some competitions from November right through to end of March. I quite like the idea of the JAS and jump training going into the start of the season as it does make you hink about how your are riding as opposed to just getting round. However I think just after the events have finished they should cater for young horses who have maybe done a couple of events towards the end of the season, but want to aim for a full season next year (such as a 4yo who has done a couple of 4yo classes), or in my case i'm on a new horse so have alot to work on over the winter and he doesn't need a big holiday as hasn't done a full season. It would be nice if these weren't judged on style, but prehaps have a trainer in the warm up to help? I would like combined training competitions, and eventer trials which could run from 80 upwards.

The thing is JAS is a competition in itself, and there are several people at the finals who never event, but purely do JAS. I am not saying they shouldn't be there, but JAS is not always an ideal competition for a gangly green baby! Hence classes to cater for both these types of competitor would be nice.

 

[Gamebird]

I think this was mentioned on another thread but there would be a huge vote from me for CT featuring the FEI tests with appropriate SJing eg. 1*A with a 1.10/1.15 track etc.

 

[ArcticFox]

Arena eventing for me, esp if they also squeezed in Dr in the morning but arena eventing gives you a chance to jump rustic fences even if they may be working hunter jumps.

 

[ajn1610]

Both but I'd like an emphasis on XC. It's not difficult to find D/SJ/CT type activities over the winter but I'd love to be able to keep my XC 'eye in' in a realistic simulated comp atmosphere. It's tough to find HT/XC/ODE with properly and safely built tracks over decent ground. I'm lucky for schooling where I'm based but it's not the same as being at a party.

 

[Lennyfan]

CT where the SJ is actually at the height of the class (BE90 - 90cm, BE100 - 100cm, e.t.c) would be hugely useful. All of the CT round here seems to be a max of 80cm!

 

[georgiegirl]

Agreed BE organised combined training comps would be great as I'm another who doesn't really fancy the JAS - I don't particularly think the speed and style change in the middle of a round does horses much good and although you can simulate xc in an arena its absolutely nothing like the real thing - even the speed etc you will go is completely different

 

[BEVol]

I would like to see both, particularly in the Winter months ie Jan to March. Fun though JAS is (and I have never done one myself) I don't see it as a good preparation for a young horse where as combined training/eventer trials presented in the right way could be.

Agreed, importantly the entry fee also needs to be carefully considered. the recent offering by Aston Le Walls for show jumping and cross country was 50 pound to enter which put off a lot of people.

 

[MagicMelon]

I would like to see ANY of these sorts of events as we don't have any in my area. Think the closest is about a 4 hour drive away! I think I emailed BE a while back to ask about their indoor eventing thing they do over the winter and I think their reply was that the venue had to have warm up and the event indoors. Unfortunately up here we dont have venues that big that allow indoor warm up as well. I dont see why on earth they need this anyway, Ive warmed up outdoors for indoor BSJA in a blizzard before! As usual though us Northern Scots dont get nearly enough for our membership fees.

 

[squiz22]

I haven't read all the above responses but I think that more of both (Anything actually) would be good. Theres a real lack of options out of season and it would be good to combine who phases of eventing rather than just going out and doing dressage or jumping.

 

[fabscd]

There is one venue near me which offers CT through the winter with the classes at BE levels (80, 90, 100, Nov and possibly Int although not sure) This is great because it gives the chance to ride the dressage tests (markedly different from doing a BD test) and a SJ course set up BE style (again, pretty different to a BS course) More venues offering this would be great, anywhere else offering CT usually offers a Prelim and a Novice dressage test and jumping up to a max of 80cm which is fairly pointless when we are generally jumping a min of 90cm the rest of the time.

 

[SpottedCat]

Combined training but not at any price! I can do this unaff at a BE venue, to BE standards for £18 entry fee. If it were under the auspices of BE realistically £20 is my limit otherwise why bother? Jump training and JAS are both £££ IMO when I can do something similar but unaff for a fraction of the cost at decent venues locally. So BE have to make these things cost effective for me to be interested. Same goes for why I go unaff at BE venues before going BE - has nothing to do with records and everything to do with being able to run at the same standard as BE for a fraction of the cost and win better prizes to boot.

 

[Saratoga]

Agree with others regarding combined training with BE tests and proper SJ heights, BUT affordable! Having just had an email regarding BE training, and an hours lesson shared with 4 people for £48, that's not really what I call affordable....

 

[SpottedCat]

To my mind, the thing BE needs to concentrate on is 'what is the value we add which makes the higher entry fees worth paying?' - that's their key question that they need to spend some time and energy figuring out and communicating to people.

It used to be better run events over courses you knew were of a suitable standard etc etc - but they've lost that now, partly because we're losing the amazing 'one off' venues which made BE so special (Longleat, Highclere etc), and partly because people on the unaff circuit have just upped their game - they know where to find the right people to make sure something is run to BE standards, and they use them. So many 'competition centres' now exist that they have everything they need (including the experience of running BE) to run decent unaff.

The result is that for me, where I live, at the lower levels, especially on a horse which cannot qualify for anything, there is no added value to running BE for me. Equally, if I just want to put milage on a horse before going out and seriously trying to qualify for say the grassroots champs, I will do it unaff, because I have the same standard of event at half the price.

I will always do my first run of the season on a lower level horse unaff now because they are often wired and I'd rather spend £35 or £40 on them being a bit tense in the dressage (allowing me to do what I did once which is halt, make them behave, then carry on), than I would £70-£80 BE.

IMO BE have lost their USP and if they want to compete with the unaff events at the lower levels then they need to offer more - either by being competitive on price, or by offering amazing venues you can't compete at otherwise, or by making competitors feel special and having brilliant courses etc (like Hambleden does), or by giving people things to qualify for (even if we have the idiocy to have a horse with a few points).

The same holds true for the winter competitions they run - why would I spend £££ on JAS when I know there are JAS-specialists out there who will beat me when for a fraction of the cost I can go over the bridge to Broomes and run in one of their brilliant arena eventing competitions which also have a dressage test......

 

[Jnhuk]

Agree with others regarding combined training with BE tests and proper SJ heights, BUT affordable! Having just had an email regarding BE training, and an hours lesson shared with 4 people for £48, that's not really what I call affordable....

Agree also!

Just had the same email although for me, it is £35 for BE members with the being nearly hour and half away so don't think will be that keen to take part. Choice of training venues: Ayrshire, Lanarkshire or Aberdeen.

I organise a lot of training for a local riding club and we can get very decent trainers with less people at a decent local venue for a lot less.

Thanks for trying BE but no thanks to taking part due to distances and costs

 

[Horsemad12]

Combined training with BE tests and SJ at a relevant height.

Other than that no - we are well served for arena eventing already at prices lower than JAS.