Eventing in numbers: 771 twitter followers, 100% British winners and a 2,382-mile drive
Yes, it's time for eventing in numbers again — and this week we have six fixtures to analyse, with 88 sections of fun
Dates: 13-19 April, seventh week of the 2015 season
The basics
Number of British Eventing (BE) fixtures: six (Sapey (1), Belton, Bovington (1), Eland Lodge (1), Ascott under Wychwood (1), Dalkeith (1))
Number of BE sections run this week: 86
Number of FEI sections run in Britain this week: two
Event with most sections: Dalkeith — 17 sections
Number of BE sections run so far this year: 484
Number of combined BE and FEI sections run so far this year: 493
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Number of BE fixtures run so far this year: 31
Best dressage scores
Sapey: 18, for Bettina Hoy and Monte Classico, who won BE100 section E with a clean sheet, 14.5 penalties ahead of their nearest rival
Belton: 20.2, for Will Furlong and Pioneer Silvie, winners of the under-21 open intermediate
Bovington: 19.5, for Bridget Burbidge and Redpath Eucanfly in BE100open section C. They went on to finish fourth after eight showjumping faults
Eland Lodge: 18, for Darcey Wilkinson riding Queens Toxica in BE90 section A, who finished seventh with 8.8 cross-country time-faults
Ascott under Wychwood: 18.3, for Madeleine Barr and Get Set Autumn Star in BE100open section C, but they then retired across country
Dalkeith: 20, with the honours shared by Lucinda Crawford and Turbo Toy (winners of open novice under-18 section F) and Samantha Eaton on Victor Hugo II, who withdrew before showjumping
Speedy gonzales
3: number of pairs who beat the 6min 20sec optimum time in the advanced sections at Belton, all from section N (third-placed Wills Oakden and Greystone Midnight Melody, plus two horses ridden by Charlie Clover (pictured) — Kings Rock and A Pair Of Monkeys)
2: number of pairs who beat the 6min 20sec Grantham Cup optimum time at Belton — fourth-placed Padraig McCarthy on Simon Porloe and 11th-placed Georgie Spence and Wii Limbo (read more about the secret weapon which helped Georgie attain the time in Eventing magazine, out Friday, 24 April)
3: number of pairs who beat the 5min 23sec optimum time over the novice course at Eland Lodge — winner Direct Puissance (Izzy Taylor), fourth-placed Stormhill Birkin (Julia Birkin) and Silvermine, sixth with Anna Garside
2: number of pairs who beat the 4min 55sec optimum time over the novice track at Bovington — Jo Rimmer on Diamond Bobby, fifth in section E, plus Charlotte Billson on Killycloghan Classic Melody, who finished one place lower. Seventh-placed Sarah Helfer (Chilly Boy) also finished in the time, but received 2.8 “too fast” time-faults
And also…
10: number of riders who received “too-fast” time-penalties in the BE100/BE100open sections at Bovington
100: percentage of British winners of Dalkeith
6: number of nationalities respresented on the winners’ roll at Sapey — in contrast to Dalkeith. They were Italy, Germany, Ireland, Australia, Britain and Austria
54: percentage of starters in the BE80(T) section M at Ascott under Wychwood who went clear acrosss country
19th: highest placing in BE90 section A at Eland Lodge which did not come with a showjumping clear
70: percentage of the top 10 in the Grantham Cup who were male. The three female top-10ers were Kitty King, Bettina Hoy and Caroline Powell
Further afield
8: number of horses who have now been accepted into Badminton from the waiting list
771: number of twitter followers Ben Hobday’s Mulrys Error has — and he’s been accepted into Badminton from seventh on the waiting list this week. Follow him at @Mr_Mulry
$50,000: increase in the prize fund at Kentucky this year, up from $250,000 to $300,000 (about £200,000). The event starts on Thursday
2,382: number of miles driven by British rider James Alliston, together with fellow West Coast rider and Rolex rookie John-Michael Durr, with their horses from James’ base in San Ramon California to the Kentucky Horse Park
Full report from Belton in H&H this week, out Thursday, 23 April 2015
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Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.