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Bicton One Day Event |
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A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE EVENT The Bicton One Day Event is an official horse trial in the British Eventing calendar. Each horse and rider combination has to complete three different exercises ("tests", or "phases") and is competing against up to forty or so other horses of a similar standard in a "section". The winning horse and rider combination is the one with the fewest penalties of all the entrants in its section. Bicton's is known as a One Day Event as all three phases can be completed in one day, as opposed to the Three Day Event such as Badminton which traditionally includes additional phases of roads and tracks and steeplechase. Horses which have reached a particular standard ("grade") compete against others of a similar grade, in a "class", which is a competition of a certain style being run at the event. The entrants into a class are divided by the organisers of the event into the manageably-sized sections referred to above. Bicton runs over three days in order to accommodate classes for horses and riders of very different abilities.
A One Day Event is a comprehensive test of all round horsemanship, and involves almost every activity of which the horse is capable. The competition is scored entirely on a penalty basis, and the three tests – Dressage, Show Jumping and Cross Country – must be completed by every competitor. The penalties incurred for each test are added together and the competitor in each section with the lowest total penalty score is the winner. As horses do well in the lower classes they win "points" and move up to the next grade/class, and so on to the top of their ability. The classes range from the starting grade for horses (as distinct from ponies) which is Intro, through Pre-Novice, Novice, Intermediate and ultimately to Advanced. There are also Open classes of various standards, and variants of the competitons for riders aged under 21 or under 25. Riders do not restrict themselves to horses of a particular grade because, of course, the teaching, training and advancement of a horse is one of the joys of being involved in the sport. So riders bring on young horses and may well see them through all the stages from Pre-Novice to Advanced - or even Olympic. The top riders may therefore be riding horses in several classes on any - or even all! - of the days of an Event.
BRITISH EVENTING RULES The Bicton One Day Event will be conducted in accordance with British Eventing's Rules for One Day Events, copies of which may be obtained from the national umbrella organisation for the sport, British Eventing, Kenilworth CV8 2RN.
All riders except Juniors, Pony Riders and Day Ticket holders in Pre-Novice must be aged 16 or over on the date of the competition. All riders and owners must be full members of British Eventing. All horses must be sound and free from illness. All horses must exceed 148cms without shoes, except horses/ponies in Pre-Novice, which must be at least 142.2cms, and may only compete in a Horse Trial from the beginning of the calendar year in which the horse reaches the age of 5. No horse may compete twice in any one event.
A hard hat must be worn by anyone, whether or not a competitor, riding anywhere at or in the vicinity of a BE One Day Event.
DRESSAGE The test is ridden in a rectangular arena and involves performing sequences of movements at walk, trot and canter. Each movement is awarded from 0 to 10 marks by the judge and these are converted to penalties by subtracting them from the maximum obtainable. Although competitors sometimes earn maximum marks for individual movements, no one has ever scored a maximum for the complete test, so it is safe to assume they will all incur penalties in this first phase. In order to make Dressage exert the correct influence in the competition, the total penalties are then converted to a percentage, to which a standard coefficient is applied.
SHOW JUMPING
In a One Day Event show jumping is usually the second phase, but it may, as in a Three Day Event such as Badminton or Burghley, be the final phase. The course consists of 8 to 12 obstacles and the Time Allowed is based on a horse moving at a speed of 325m per minute for Pre-Novice and Novice, 350m per minute for Intermediate and Open Intermediate, and 375m per minute for Advanced. The Time Limit is twice the Time Allowed. The principal Penalty is 4 points for a knockdown of a fence, and there are time penalties also for exceeding the Time Allowed.
CROSS COUNTRY
This is the third and most important phase of the One Day Event, in which the jumping potential, speed, courage and endurance of a well-schooled and fit horse is tested over a course of between 1600m and 4000m (approximately one to two and a half miles). Jumps are solid and imposing and intended to test the rider's confidence in his horse and to prove his judgement of speed over natural country. In each case jumping ability is critical. It is not a race, but speed and judgement of pace are very important because a fairly tight optimum time is set for each class, and penalties are incurred for going too slowly or too fast. The principal penalty is the Refusal, 20 points for the first Refusal, which occurs when the horse baulks at jumping a fence. This can occur for several reasons. Repeated Refusals suggest that there is something wrong and so three Refusals at one fence, or four on the course overall, mean Elimination and the rider must stop the round and return to the stables.
OPTIMUM TIME: This is calculated at a speed of 450m per minute for Pre-Novice, 520m per minute for Novice, 550m per minute for Intermediate and Open Intermediate, and 570m per minute for Advanced. The Time Limit is twice the Optimum Time.
UNAUTHORISED ASSISTANCE
Any intervention by a third party, whether solicited or not, with the object of facilitating the task of the competitor or of helping his horse, is considered unauthorised assistance and the competitor is liable to be disqualified at the discretion of the BE Steward.
Exception: after a fall or if a competitor dismounts, he may be assisted to catch his horse, to adjust his saddlery, to remount or be handed any part of his saddlery or equipment while he is dismounted or after he has remounted. Whips, headgear or spectacles may be handed to competitors without them having to dismount. Fence judges are allowed to call first/second refusal etc.
DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
Save for death or personal injury caused by the negligence of the Organisers or anyone for whom they are in law responsible, neither the organisers of any event to which these rules apply, nor any agent, employee or representative of these bodies accepts any liability for any accident, loss, damage, injury or illness to horses, owners, riders, spectators, land, cars, their contents and accessories, or any other person or property whatsoever, whether caused by their negligence, breach of contract or in any other way whatsoever.
RESERVATION OF RIGHT The Organiser has the right:
MOTORBIKES AND ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES
The use of motorbikes and all-terrain vehicles (other than by Bicton One Day Event Officials) is NOT permitted anywhere on the Event site.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
The Organiser of this event has taken reasonable precautions to ensure the health and safety of everyone present. For these measures to be effective, everyone must take all reasonable precautions to avoid and prevent accidents occurring and must obey the instructions of the Organiser and all the officials and stewards.
FLAGS ON CROSS COUNTRY COURSE
You may see flags being waved on the Cross Country Course, and this will be for the following reasons:
RED Doctor/Ambulance needed WHITE Fence Repair Team needed BLUE Veterinary Surgeon needed ORANGE Course is blocked
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