Speed at BE

[Lolo]

This follows on from the posts about stopwatches...

Most people it seems use them to get under the time, and this got me wondering about the penalties awarded for going too much under the time. At PN and below I can understand why, if you're going too fast, you need penalising, but once you've got to Novice surely you knw how best to ride and jump your horse XC? If he covers the ground well, and goes best when he's allowed to open up more then why should you be penalised for going 'too fast' when if you'd hooked your way round it would have been as safe nor as comfortable?


Basically, I'm asking in a roundabout way if the more severe penalties for going too fast are as neccessary at the 'higher' levels of eventing?

 

[connie1288]

I have only had time penalties once for going too fast in a novice, not a moment i am proud of, it was in a JRN at Little Downham, I cut every corner and really pushed her, coming over the last few fences I knew i had gone too fast, as I told the JRN coordinator before the results even came up.
I think that time penalties are needed so that people who might not necessarily have the training from pros know that it really isnt good to be going that fast.
Just my opinion though.

 

[MagicMelon]

I think the speed for BE novice is very hard to get, I am yet to get under the time. I think to get under, you would be going dangerously fast.

 

[kerilli]

i don't think i've ever heard of anyone getting time penalties for going too fast above Novice level. the time at Int and A is pretty difficult to get usually, even on a quick efficient experienced horse.
people riding in a good rhythm won't get that far under the time even at novice unless they are on a very experienced fast horse and really going for it, imho. being close to the time doesn't really mean "hooking your way round" unless you are on something capable of winning the Grand National at a canter!
i think the penalties for going too fast are a necessity as a deterrent, really, otherwise people might decide to try to go round as fast as possible to get "fastest time of the day" just to prove a point.
at the higher levels it is different, some riders such as Francis Whittington are routinely very fast xc but never in a chancy way, purely by having his horses schooled well enough to keep coming to the fences in a great rhythm.