CCI4*Long & CCI4*Short Competitions
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Defender Bramham Horse Trials centres round the CCI4*Long and Short competition – the elite test of dressage, cross-country and showjumping at the highest level within the sport of eventing for the very best horses and riders in the world. Bramham is seen as they hardest 4* competition in the world and is often used to see if a rider/horse combination are capable of competing at 5*.
Wednesday and Sunday – First and Final Horse Inspection
Before the competition starts each horse is ‘trotted up’ in front of an inspection panel consisting of a vet and the Ground Jury (judges) to ensure the horse is healthy, sound and fit to compete. This is called the First Inspection and takes place on the Wednesday afternoon at the Front of the House. As soon as the clock strikes 4pm, the first horse will walk under the archway and the competition as begins.
Dressage is the first phase of the competition. Horse and rider must complete a ‘test’ of set movements between markers in a 20m by 60m arena. At regular intervals points are marked with letters so the riders and judges know where each movement is to be performed.
Bramhams dressage test is 4* Test A and consists of movements in walk, trot and canter and of varying complexity. Each test takes approx. 7 ½ minutes to complete.
The test is assessed by three judges (the Ground Jury) who each sit at different points of the arena. Each movement carries a maximum of 10 marks, with an additional mark out of 20 for overall impression.
The score for the three judges is then averaged and expressed in two ways, as a percentage (good marks), which enables spectators to see how well each competitor has performed; and as a penalty score (points lost). The penalty score is simply the difference between the percentage mark and 100, e.g. 65% gives 35 penalties. The lower the penalty score, the better, as this is carried forward to the following day. The Dressage phase is held over two days (Thursday and Friday).
Cross country is the most physically demanding and exciting phase of the competition. There are about 40 ‘jumping efforts’ on the course; obstacles can consist of a single fence or a combination of a number of different fences, e.g. 15A, B and C. The course must be completed at an average speed of 570 metres per minute; this speed, calculated with the length of the course gives the ‘optimum time’. This time is deliberately difficult to achieve and penalty marks are added at the rate of 0.4 for every second exceeding the optimum. A time limit of double the optimum time is also imposed – exceeding this time limit leads to elimination.
Penalty points for errors on the course are designed to have the greatest influence of the three phases on the overall competition.
Show Jumping: After the physical demands of cross country day, horses and riders must then demonstrate accuracy and agility in the jumping test by completing a course of show jumps up to 1.30m high and 2.30m wide. This requires both horse and rider to be extremely fit and calm. Penalties are picked up by knocking down the deliberately balanced fences, refusing to jump a fence or not completing the course within the optimum time. The competitors jump in reverse order, so the leader after the cross country is the last to jump, giving a nail-biting finish to the event. Many events are won or lost on this final day when the pressure is on in front of the Bramham Crowd.
Kitty King and Vendredi Biats
