Date: 8TH April 2017
Running order of Divisions: CIC3*, CIC2*, CIC1*
Arena: 300ft x 250ft, All weather
Starters/Clear Rounds:
CIC3* – 19/12 plus 2 with time faults (74%)
CIC2* – 20/10 (50%)
CIC1* – 24/10 plus 1 with time faults (46%)
I am sure those competitors going onto Rolex would have appreciated the atmosphere of this enclosed arena. From my own experience, this arena is not the easiest to design in as it is almost square, and the high arena walls make it feel much smaller. However, I understand for the World Equestrian Games a temporary, larger all weather main arena, is to be constructed on the Derby Field.
We are seeing more clear rounds than in the past few weeks with this course designer . This could be down to two factors. This is the third week that some competitors have jumped his courses. With well-designed courses over the past two weeks, this could encourage horses to improve in their jumping and riders confidence in the questions the course presented.
In addition, at Tryon they have a professional ring crew and very adequate equipment to water and drag the arena, along with excellent footing. With these drags and watering taking place between each Division, and the crew raking around the jumps after each horse, the conditions could not be better. Once riders experience this, they will expect it to be the norm, and other Events will be encouraged to step up their ring maintenance.
I have commentated in the past, that in some Divisions, the combinations have been jumped off the same lead. Although, it is not against the rules, it does ask the same question and does not produce a well-balanced course. Here with the vast amount of jump material available, the course designer was able to build a triple combination and two doubles. By changing the use of the doubles, along with the triple combination, they could be jumped off different leads, within the different tracks. With less material available this still could be achieved by just adding a vertical fence to another jump on the course, to form a second double, and then removing it for the next Division.
A good use is made of the triple bar, in the Three Star Division, by using it at ‘A’ of a double which leads into a line with a slightly shorter 5 stride distance after it.
Richard Jeffery
USEF Eventing Show Jumping Course Advisor
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