| My trip to European DECUS coincided with the Burghley Horse Trials, the
other four star CCI that takes place in the U.K. every September
(Badminton is the other event). So I managed to make it up to Stamford
in Lincolnshire for the Speed and Endurance day last Saturday (September
12th)
Seventy seven riders completed the dressage test, of whom thirty were
international riders from Australia, Belgium, Bermuda, France, Germany,
Holland, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and
three from the United States. A number of competitors participated in the
Barcelona Olympics as team members or alternates. Of course, none of the
Olympic horses were taking part.
After dressage, Pippa Nolan riding Metronome was in first place with
47.80 points, Didier Courreges from France on Robin des Bois V second
with 49.40 and Paddy Muir riding Archie Brown was third on 50.60.
Dorothy Trapp riding Molokai was highest placed U.S. rider in 16th =
position with 56.20 points. Further down the list were "name" riders
like Eric Horgan, Lucinda Green, Eddy Stibbe, Blyth Tait and Andrew
Nicholson.
Sixteen of the cross country obstacles in the thirty fence Phase D were
new this year. The course was designed by Captain Mark Phillips and
contained some unusual fences. The first was Fence 9, the Waterloo
Gondolas, a brush fence in the approximate outline of gondolas, tall and
narrow at each end and wide and lower in the middle. One large gondola
could be jumped as a single obstacle with a drop on the far side or two
smaller ones could be jumped as an in and out. The Water Cascade
immediately followed as Fence 10. As its name implies water was
cascading down from the top rail as a kind of curtain of water being
circulated by mechanical pumps off on the side. Surprisingly only one
horse took exception to this fence. Other fences were more traditional
with a variety of routes through them. The more direct quick way often
involved jumping a corner where several competitors found their horses
preferred to duck out to the side and then had to take the longer easier
route through the fence. As is now quite common in British cross country
courses one of the jumps (27 - the Remy Glass and Bottle) was in the
middle of the show jumping arena. Less active spectators could sit in
the stands, watch this fence and the rest of the course on closed
circuit TV on an enormous screen at one end of the arena.
Optimum time for the 6840 metre course was 12 minutes which only one
competitor achieved, Brynley Powell riding Spiderman III, despite
optimum conditions of good footing and cool temperatures. While there
were no disasters (as at Badminton this year) and about half the
competitors completed the course with only time penalties, quite a few
riders had refusals and more than a few falls, none serious. The
positions at the end of the day were considerably different from the
beginning.
Charlotte Hollingsworth riding The Cool Customer moved up to first place
from ninth after dressage with 61 penalty points. Brynley Powell went
from 46th to 2nd with 61.80 points, Blyth Tait from New Zealand on Delta
moved from 45th to 3rd with 63.20 and Dorothy Trapp for the U.S.A riding
Molokai moved into fourth place from 16th= with 67.80. Pippa Nolan
retired Metronome on course and Didier Courreges had a fall from Robin
des Bois V. Paddy Muir with Archie Brown had a refusal as well as 31.6
time penalties. Sixty four of the seventy six horse who started on Phase
A completed Phase D, with eleven horses retired and one eliminated on
course.
I started the day with my Camcorder recording the first horses starting
Phase A, Roads and Tracks, and then went over to the Steeplechase
course, Phase B. The Steeplechase course was twice around a loop of five
fences for ten jumps overall: more commonly a steeplechase course has
eight jumps - twice round over four fences. After recording each steeple
chase fence being jumped, I made it back to the beginning of Phase D,
cross country, just as the first competitor set out. I then moved around
the course videoing a couple of competitors jumping, or failing to jump,
each obstacle. I made it to the last fence 30 in time to see the last
two riders complete the course.
I did not go back for the final day of stadium jumping. According to the
Daily Telegraph, overnight rain turned the show jumping arena into a bit
of a quagmire. Blyth Tait and Delta had one rail down, but Brynley
Powell and Spiderman III had two down so Blyth moved up to second place
while Brynley dropped to fifth. Despite having the last fence down
Charlotte Hollingsworth kept her first place with The Cool Customer with
66 penalty points. Of Dorothy Trapp and Molokai there was no mention so
I don't know what happened here.
|
| One more time, coming to European DECUS has allowed me to extend my
trip to Europe and sample some of the horse activity here, mostly in
the U.K. This time it was the U.K. National Dressage Championships.
Last Sunday, (25 September, 1994) I went to Addington Manor in
Buckinghamshire, north west of London, for the last day of the two day
championships. Unlike the U.S., because of much smaller distances, each
European country can hold single face to face (hoof to hoof ?)
competitions which really do bring the best in the country together.
Competing and training internationally is much easier as well and many
of the top competitors do particpate in other countries' shows. This
U.K. Champioship was for all levels form Novice to Grand Prix. The
non-FEI levels are different between countries but, for these
championships, these competitions were held on the Saturday. On Sunday,
the Prix St George, Intermediare and Grand Prix competitions were held
simultaneously in adjacent rings.
After 20 odd years of being held at Goodwood House in Southern England,
the Championships moved this year to Addington. Addington is somewhat
less "aristocratic" environment (the main ring at Goodwood being in
front of the stately home), the facilities are somewhat better. The
competitions were all out of doors although Addington does have two
modern full size indoor rings, one of which was being used for the
temporary stabling. Each outdoor ring has a raised bank at one end
and/or down one long side upon which seating is arranged for
spectators. I was able to sit directly on the centre line of the
"International Arena" above A for the duration of the Grand Prix. For a
fee spectators could rent headphones through which expert commentary on
the competition was given. Since I was busy with my video camera I did
not get a headset but from the occasional giggles coming from the
audience the commentary can't have been entirely serious!
A cross section of the "names" in British Dressage took part, many of
whom have been in international competition. I had asked some of the
people at the British Dressage Supporters Club stand (there was a
trade stand area as at all major shows) who was worth videotaping. They
made quite an accurate prediction of the results. Only one of the top
ten performances (#7) isn't on my tape.
The Piaffe and the Pirouette gave most competitors trouble. This was
clearly not Germany! David Hunt's horses looked most strange in the
Piaffe with very jerky hind leg movements. I overheard spectators
behind me speculating on what training "method" he had used. Just to
prove that it doesn't matter at what level you ride, you can still make
basic mistakes, one rider was eliminated for carrying her whip into the
ring.
Final placings were as follows:
Rider Horse %Score
1 Emile Faurie Virtu 71.5%
2 Jane Bredin Cupido 68.5%
3 Ferdi Eilberg Arun Tor 67.6%
4 Laura Fry Quarryman II 67.0%
5 Alan Doxey Royal Star 64.1%
6 Joanna Jackson Mester Mouse 63.1%
7 Carol Parsons Vashkar 62.7%
8 Dr. W. Bechtolsheimer Giorgione 62.2%
9 Jennie Loriston-Clarke Catherston Dazzler 62.0%
10 Alan Doxey Xenephon 61.7%
|