Tell me everything I need to know about single phase show jumping

[abb123]

I haven't show jumped competitively for almost 15 years (retired horses, focus on dressage etc) but I now have a young horse that loves to jump and I am itching to get back out show jumping.

My horse has done some small clear rounds with me and has done the beefy 90cm clear round at Kelsall a few times with a pro so she is well up to doing some actual competing.

My only worry, which is slightly ridiculous, is that I have no idea how the single phase aspect works! It always used to be two phase when I was last doing it!

I don't want to add to the general stress of our first competition by looking like an idiot with no clue so please tell me everything I need to know!

My numpty questions: How do yo know what the second bit is? Do the jumps have special markers on? Do you get the 'jump off' course in advance? or is it just jump again as fast as you can? Do they make it really clear that you need to jump again or do you have to go and ask?

I am going to go and watch a class tomorrow and try and figure it out and see if I can ask someone. I don't know anyone who show jumps any more - they are all dressage or eventers!

TIA

 

[criso]

There are three possibiities

Table A7 Jump first round only. Clear rounds are brought back to jump a second round which may involve some alterations to the course and fences raised.

2 phase. Both first round and jump off are already in the ring. If you go clear, you go into the jump off without stopping. A bell or horn is used to tell you not to go onto the next bit if you've had faults. Jumps usually include some of the first round jumps but occasionally have jumps slightly higher that were not part of the first round. It will say somewhere jumps 1 to 9 first round, 10 to 1 5 jump off or similar

1 phase. Similar in layout to 2 phase but all riders go onto the jump off bit even if they had faults in the first round.

 

[greenbean10]

Single phase is actually the easiest of the lot to understand and the simplest if you are competing! It's also the best value for money haha.

You walk and jump the whole course (normally 12-14 jumps). There are timers to go through that will tell you where the jump off starts (the same as the start and finish timers), but it's usually just after fence 6 or 7. So you just keep going!

Every rider does the whole course even if you have a pole / refusal in the first section (of course, if you have 2 refusals you are eliminated).

So yes the first half of the course just try to go clear - although you can still get time faults if you go too slowly but very unlikely at low level BS / unaffiliated.

Then once you go through the timers after jump 6 or 7 you could pick up the pace a bit and ride your jump off! I like to walk the turns I'm going to do in the jump off but I also have in my head that if I have a pole in the first section I may as well go the long way.

To be honest, for your first couple of shows I wouldn't try going fast in the second section - just aim for a double clear.

 

[abb123]

Oh Fab! That sounds much easier than I had in my head! Thank you!!

So if it says single phase then I can just treat it as if it is a clear round. That sounds way easier and more convenient than having to wait around for a jump off.

I am definitely going to not go fast in the second section lol. My horse is extremely lazy and only perks up when she sees the jumps so I am not sure we will keep her enthusiasm for the whole of the round something to work on

 

[greenbean10]

Oh Fab! That sounds much easier than I had in my head! Thank you!!

So if it says single phase then I can just treat it as if it is a clear round. That sounds way easier and more convenient than having to wait around for a jump off.

I am definitely going to not go fast in the second section lol. My horse is extremely lazy and only perks up when she sees the jumps so I am not sure we will keep her enthusiasm for the whole of the round something to work on

Yes just think of it as a clear round! It's very easy to understand and once you see the course laid out it'll be clear where the jump off starts. Your horse sounds like lots of fun. Good luck!

 

[abb123]

Perfect!

She is a lot of fun and very opinionated. She finds dressage extremely boring and she cannot be bothered to go forward (hence why we don't do it anymore despite actually being very good at it..) but put her in front of a beefy jump and she suddenly finds the go button - only to the other side of the jump though, she then tries to stop and eat the grass! We will have to keep our competing to surfaces only

She has taken me from being terrified to jump a 10cm pole to happily jumping 80cm+ spreads at home and she was happily jumping 110cm+ with the pro. I can't wait to get going with her!

 

[RachelFerd]

All covered above - the only thing i'd note with single phase is to be mindful of what you enter height wise - eg. if you enter a BN, the first 6/7 fences will be 90, the next 6/7 will be closer to 1m. When I'm moving up a level I somtimes seek out an A7 class if I can, so that I can jump a complete round at the intended height.

 

[abb123]

ooh thanks for that tip. So A7 classes are like the old two phase way of doing it?

 

[criso]

ooh thanks for that tip. So A7 classes are like the old two phase way of doing it?

A7 is the old way but 2 phase is something different. It's where you go straight onto the jump off but only if you're clear. They ring a bell to tell you to stop.

Also worth noting that qualifiers like Sunshine tour insist on it being up to height and can also be up to 10cm higher than the advertised height in the jump off. However at some venues especially indoors, they don't always have space for different fences so the jump off is then jumps from the first round in a different order

 

[greenbean10]

All covered above - the only thing i'd note with single phase is to be mindful of what you enter height wise - eg. if you enter a BN, the first 6/7 fences will be 90, the next 6/7 will be closer to 1m. When I'm moving up a level I somtimes seek out an A7 class if I can, so that I can jump a complete round at the intended height.

I knew there was something I’d forgotten to mention!

 

[abb123]

oo that sounds more complicated.. Think I will stick with the single phase clear round easy for me heights till I get used to i! I'm going to start at 70cm and then if it goes up to 80 then that is no bother as happy jumping that at home. I'm ok jumping 90cm so by the time I get to jumping 80cm classes that should e ok too.

It is me that needs the confidence not the horse!!

 

[greenbean10]

oo that sounds more complicated.. Think I will stick with the single phase clear round easy for me heights till I get used to i! I'm going to start at 70cm and then if it goes up to 80 then that is no bother as happy jumping that at home. I'm ok jumping 90cm so by the time I get to jumping 80cm classes that should e ok too.

It is me that needs the confidence not the horse!!

Yes that sounds perfect. Also once you’ve jumped 7 jumps at 70cm you’ll hopefully have found your groove and rhythm so may not even notice the jumps going up a hole or 2!

 

[abb123]

The horse wont notice a height increase thats for sure

 

[criso]

2 phase is straightforward, just keep jumping unless someone tells you to stop. In some ways it's easier as you only go onto the jump off bit if you've gone clear, one phase you can carry on even if you struggled with the first round.

Venues do vary in whether they build up to height, how complex/ technical the courses are so sometimes worth doing 2 classes, one at a height lower as a warm up. Useful if you don't have facilities at home to put together a full course.

 

[Leandy]

So if it says single phase then I can just treat it as if it is a clear round. That sounds way easier and more convenient than having to wait around for a jump off.

It is but I do miss the olden days with a separate jump off. Then there was some excitement and anticipation at the end for both the competitors and spectators. It was also much more transparent who has won and how the placings went. As only an occasional showjumper, I find it very difficult to work out how well anyone is doing with the new system! Its not like dressage where the scores go up for all to see during the class so you can keep track, everyone jumps and then they announce results at the end, which is easy to miss if you aren't around and paying attention.

 

[criso]

I used to like the old jump off too as it was quite tactical depending on the draw order and you went into the ring with a jump off mindset.

However some people argue that going into the jump straightaway means your horse is already settled and going forward and you get through the classes quicker meaning less hanging around for everyone.