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Ascott-Under-Wychwood Horse Trials (2): what riders need to know [H&H VIP]


  • Get the lowdown on this fixture from Eventing magazine's horse trials guide — including what riders say about the event, plus vital statistics

    Date: Friday 5 — Sunday 7 June 2015

    Organisers: Chris and Janet Badger
    Contact: 01993 832083; info@crownfarm.co.uk
    Location: Oxfordshire

    Entries open: 24 April
    Ballot date: 16 May at 12 noon
    Entries close: 20 May

    Link to Ascott-Under-Wychwood entries: www.britisheventing.com/ascott-under-wychwood

    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

    BE100 Open: 84%
    BE100: 89%
    BE90 Open: 79%
    BE90: 81%
    BE80(T): 73%

    Download part one of the horse trials guide for just £1.49: Eventing horse trials guide part one

    Buy Eventing magazine’s April issue for our full horse trials guide detailing every event from July to October 2015 or purchase a digital copy of the guide here.