Get the lowdown on this fixture from Eventing magazine's horse trials guide — including what riders say about the event, plus vital statistics
Date: Saturday 17 – Sunday 18 April 2015
Organisers: Chris and Janet Badger
Contact: 01993 832083; info@crownfarm.co.uk
Location: Oxfordshire
Entries open: 13 March
Ballot date: 25 March at 12 noon
Entries close: 8 April
Link to Ascott Under Wychwood (1) entries: www.britisheventing.com/ascott-under-wychwood1
How to get there
Off the A361 Burford to Chipping Norton road on the B4437 near Ascott-under-Wychwood.
What the organisers say
There’ll be a full day of BE100 on both Saturdays of our events; BE90 and BE80(T) on the Sundays
Steve Williams is our new showjumping course-designer. Charles Etherington-Smith will again design the cross-country courses, which will be similar to last year, but with some new fences and a different theme at the water. The track has been carefully prepared — the turf was ploughed up, all the stones crushed to dust, then the ground reseeded with special gallop grass seed — and will be agri-vated if necessary. The courses run over undulating terrain and through some woodland.
The tracks provide a suitable challenge for young horses and first-timers, and more experienced combinations. Most of the fences can be seen from the water jump.
We have a reputation for being a very happy event.
What the riders say
Dressage & showjumping — “For a small event with more of the lower-level classes, it pulls out all the stops.” “The dressage arenas are flat but watch for stones in the warm-up — much has been done to clear them, but one or two rogues remain. It’s not a big issue as there is plenty of space.” “The showjumping area shifts from event to event to ensure the best ground depending on the weather they’ve had. There is plenty of space in the showjumping ring for a young horse.”
Cross-country — “Good viewing course with plenty of variety for a young horse — much has been done to remove the twists in the track and the course now weaves its way up the hill and back again, making the most of the inclines.” “Took a BE90 first-timer — it rode well, but I wouldn’t recommend as a first-time course or for green horses in hindsight, although I learnt a huge amount.”
Percentage of cross-country clears 2014 (some sections cancelled)
BE100U18: 94%
BE100 Open: 92%
BE100: 82%
BE90 Open: 85%
BE90: 83%
BE80(T): 82%
Download part one of the horse trials guide for just £1.49: Eventing horse trials guide part one
Buy Eventing magazine’s March issue for our full horse trials guide detailing every event from March to June 2015 or purchase a digital copy of the guide here. The second half of the guide will be in our April issue (on sale 20 March) and online to buy digitally after publication