Eventing

Eventing is an equestrian 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 (1DE) and the three day event (3DE). It has previously been known as The Military, Horse Trials, and Combined Training.

Contents:
1 Governing bodies
2 The phases
2.1 Dressage
2.2 Cross-Country
2.3 Veterinary Inspection
2.4 Show Jumping
3 The History of the Three Day Event
3.1 The Olympic Beginning
3.2 Formatting
3.3 The Penalty Point System
Governing bodies:
The International governing body of the sport is the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI). Individual countries have their own national governing bodies, including:
The United States Eventing Association (USEA, formerly the USCTA)
British Eventing (BE, formerly BHTA, the British Horse Trials Association)
The Equestrian Federation of Australia
The phases:
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 40 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, haunches-in, 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.

All four feet of the horse exit the arena during the test: Elimination
The horse resists more than 20 seconds during the test: Elimination
Errors on course:
1st Error = minus 2 marks
2nd Error = minus 4 marks
3rd Error = minus 6 marks
4th Error = Elimination

Cross-Country:
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 - based on objects that would commonly occur in the countryside. The course is usually several miles long. This phase is timed, with the rider required to cross the finish line within a certain time frame (optimum time). Crossing the finish line after the allowed time results in penalties for each second late. Penalties are also incurred if the horse refuses to jump a fence or if the rider falls off. The penalties for refusals or falls on cross-country are so severe that it is extremely difficult to finish in a top position if the rider suffers such fate. Fitness is required as the time allowed will require a strong canter at the lower levels, to a steady gallop at the higher events.

Unlike 1-day events, 3-day events also include Phases A, B, and C along with Cross Country (Phase D). Phases A and C, Roads and Tracks, are several miles long and usually ridden at a trot to make the time. Phase B, Steeplechase, is a very fast gallop over several Steeplechase-like fences. All four phases together require an extremely fit horse at the top level of the sport. Before embarking on Phase D horses must be presented before a vet who checks that they are sound and their heart rate has recovered sufficiently whilst in the "ten-minute box".

Scoring:
Refusal, run-out, or circle at an obstacle: 20 penalties
Second Refusal, run-out, circle at the same obstacle: 40 penalties
Third Refusal, run-out, circle at the same obstacle: Elimination
Fifth Refusal, run-out, circle on the entire Cross-Country course: Elimination
First fall of rider: 65 penalties
Second fall of rider: Elimination
Fall of horse (shoulder or hip touches the ground): Mandatory Retirement
Exceeding Optimum Time: 0.4 penalties per second
Exceeding the Time Limit (twice the optimum time): Elimination

Other Faults:
Competing with improper saddlery: Elimination
Jumping without without headgear or a properly fastened harness: Elimination
Error of course not rectified: Elimination
Omission of obstacle: Elimination
Jumping an obstacle in the wrong order: Elimination
Jumping an obstacle in the wrong direction: Elimination
Retaking an obstacle already jumped: Elimination

Veterinary Inspection:
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 the horses braided and well-groomed, and the riders dressing up. It is also a very nerve-racking time, as the "pass" or "fail" determines whether the horse may continue on to the final phase.

Show Jumping:
The last phase, showjumping, tests the technical jumping skills of the horse and rider, including the suppleness, obedience, and jumping ability of the horse, as well as their fitness. In this phase, 12-20 fences are set up in a ring. These fences are brightly colored and consist of poles set in shallow cups. 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 showjumping tests the fitness of the horse and rider, generally being held after the cross country phase so the horse and rider will both be tired.

Scoring:
Knocking down an obstacle: 4 penalties
First Disobedience (refusal, run-out, circle): 4 penalties
Second Disobedience in the whole test: 8 penalties
Third Disobedience in the whole test: Elimination
First Fall of rider: 8 penalties
Second Fall of rider: Elimination
First fall of horse: Mandatory Retirement
Exceeding the time allowed: 1 penalty per second
Jumping an obstacle in the wrong order: Elimination
Error of course not rectified: Elimination

The winner is the horse and rider with the fewest penalties. Ribbons and prizes are usually presented while mounted, before the placegetters take a lap of honour around the arena.

The History of the Three 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, travelling a 360 mile distance from Berlin to Vienna (the winner completed the ride in 71 hours and 26 minutes). However, these competions did little to prepare horses and riders for actual combat, and so around the end of the 1800's, the French began raid 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 Olympics 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 was 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-commisioned Army officers could not participate in the Olympics until 1956. Women were first allowed to take part in 1964.

Formatting
The original format, used in the 1912 Olympics, was spread over several days:
Day 1: Endurance Test- 55 km (33 miles) of roads and tracks (with a time allowed of 4 hours, giving a speed of approx. 230 meters per mintue) immediately followed by 5 km of a flagged cross-country course at a speed of 333 meters per minute. Time penalties were given for exceeding the time allowed, but no bonus points were given for being fast.
Day 2: Rest Day
Day 3: Steeplechase test of 3.5 km with 10 plain obstacles, at a speed of 600 mpm, with time penalties but no time bonus points
Day 4: Jumping Test, which was consided easy by most of the spectators Day 5: Dressage Test

The Paris Games in 1924 introduced a format very similar to the one of today: with Day 1 Dressage, Day 2 the Endurance Test, and Day 3 the Jumping Test. The Endurance Test has changed the most since that time. Originally, bonus points could be earned for a fast ride cross-country (less than the optimum time). This helped competitors make up for a poor dressage ride, with a clean, fast cross-country ride. This system, however, was dropped in 1971. The format for the endurace test occurred as below: Phase A: Short roads and tracks (with 5 penalties per 5 seconds over time)
Phase B: Steeplechase, decreased in speed from 600 mpm to 550 mpm (with 10 penalties added per 5 seconds over the time, 3 bonus points per 5 seconds under time)
Phase C: Long roads and tracks (with 5 penalties per 5 seconds over time)
Compulsory Halt (now the 10-minulte halt)
Phase D: Cross-country (with 10 penalties added per 5 seconds over the time, 3 bonus points per 10 seconds under time)
Phase E: 1 1/4 mile run on the flat (with 5 penalties per 5 seconds over time).
(Note: Phase E was abolished in 1967.)

In 1963, the 10 minute halt was introduced, to occur after the completion of phases A, B, and C. It took place in a marked out area (the 10-minute box), where the horse was checked by two judges and one veterinary official who would make sure the horse was fit to contiune onto phase D. If he was unfit, the panel would pull the horse from the competition.

The "modified" or "short format" is today the norm for international competition, with the Badminton Horse Trials and Burghley Horse Trials running their last "long format" three-day in 2005. The fate of the Rolex Kentucky Three Day is still being discussed. However, all Championship and Olympic Events will be held short format, wothout phases A, B, or C.

The Penalty Point System:
In 1971, the penalty point system was first used. This system converts the dressage score and all jump penalties on cross-country and show jumping into penalty points, with the horse and rider with the fewest number of points winning the event. Differing weight is given for each phase, with the cross-country--the heart of eventing--being the most important, followed by the dressage, and then the show jumping. The intended ratio of cross-country:dressage:show jumping is theoretically 12:3:1. Therefore, an error in cross-country counts heavily. This prevents horses that are simply good in dressage (for example) from winning the event with a poor cross-country test.

In 1971, the following penalty system was instituted:
Phase A and C: 1 penalty per second over the optimum time
Phase B: 0.8 penalties per second over
Phase D: 0.4 penalties per second over

In 1977, the dressage scoring was changed, with each movement marked out of ten rather than out of six. This increased the maximum number of dressage marks from 144 to 240. This number later increased to 250 marks in 1998, after additional movements were added. To keep the correct weight, a formula is used to convert good marks in dressage to penalty points. First, the marks of the judges (if there is more than one) are averaged. Then the good marks are subtracted by the maximum number possible. This number is then multiplied by 0.6 to find the final penalty score.

Show jumping rules were also changed in 1977, with a knock-down or a foot in the water costing only 5 penalties rather than ten. This prevented the show jumping phase from carrying too much weight, again, to keep the ratio between the phases correct.