Fiona Hobby, riding 11-year-old Royal Colours (right), won the Lincoln JumpCross Eventer’s Challenge on 26 June at Grange Farm Wittering, taking home £3,000.

For the fourth year running the challenge offered the biggest prize in JumpCross, with a prize-fund of £8,500 and prizes to sixth place.

The event continued to attract stars such as Oliver Towend, Piggy French and Clayton Fredericks.

JumpCross involves cross-country style riding over obstacles such as water and combinations, but all the fences can be knocked down, incurring a 20sec time-penalty. Refusals carried a 50sec penalty and riders could add or deduct 40sec from their score depending on whether they cleared the joker fence.

The riders competed in timed rounds in the morning and afternoon. Scores from the two rounds were then combined, determining the winners.

Mark Kyle had won the event for the previous two years, so Fiona was delighted with first this year.

She said: “It was a great competition and a wonderful day. The prize-money is excellent and I couldn’t be more pleased. Royal Colours is a careful horse and loved the track, JumpCross is a brilliant sport.”

Oliver Towend riding Pepper Anne (left) finished second, claiming £2,250.

JumpCross regular Oliver said: “The course provided a great opportunity to tackle a number of water crossings and was very well thought out. Pepper Anne went really well and it was a great day all round.”

Zoe Adams riding Satonamillion took third place and £1,500, improving on fourth last year. This horse recently contested the Hickstead speed derby.

The JumpCross young riders challenge was also part of the event, with £1,000 worth of prizes. Young riders all over the country had qualified for the event, with Rachel Dinwoodie riding Ringwood Abi claiming first.

Rachel said: “To win the £350 first prize was just amazing and I would like to thank the organisers for putting on such a brilliant competition.”

Rachel went on the win the team challenge when her score was combined with that of Eventer Challenge contestant Daniel Delsart.

Jim Bowen, managing director of sponsor Battles, concluded: “The Lincoln JumpCross Eventer’s Challenge was a fantastic day and we are really pleased to be able to give something back to our customers. This is our fourth year supporting the event and we look forward to it being an annual event.”

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JumpCross is inviting equestrian centres, farms and landowners to apply to become sites for the popular sport.

Since its launch nine years ago JumpCross has grown to become an established discipline with numerous sites throughout the UK, Belgium, France and Denmark.

JumpCross is similar to cross-country competition, except over knock-down jumps (see picture).

A training scheme has been developed plans are underway for the 2012 JumpCross Young Riders Challenge Final.

Robin Dunlop of JumpCross says: “JumpCross is now extremely popular, we already have 17 sites in this country that are up and running but we would like to see JumpCross develop even more.”

He said JumpCross offers landowners the ideal opportunity to diversify and to develop a new and exciting business.

A typical JumpCross track measures 1800m – 2200m and ideally the course runs over eight to 10 acres and includes water features, hills and typical cross-country terrain.

Said Robin: “We would be delighted to hear from anyone interested in establishing JumpCross sites around the country.

For further information on setting up a JumpCross site, contact Sue Proctor on 01780 782356 or visit www.jumpcross.com

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Calling nervous jumpers! How do you fancy riding across country without having to deal with tricky jumps?

It may sound crazy, but apparently there’s a market for riders who eschew fences who still fancy cross-country.

Enter JumpCross Basics, a new competition allowing you to ride a cross-country course, tackling water, inclines, wooded areas and wide-open spaces, without leaving the ground.

JumpCross, which was founded by Robin Dunlop in 2003, involves jumping showjump-style obstacles in a cross-country setting and earning penalties for knockdowns.

But in Basics you ride through jump wings with no poles, to an optimum time.

JumpCross spokesman Nigel Baker said: “Thirty per cent of riders in the UK don’t want to jump, but some still like the idea of doing cross-country.

“This way, you can get your confidence before you jump and learn about rhythm and balance.”

Basics will be offered at all 12 JumpCross centres across the country and competitions will soon be introduced.

For more information, visit www.jumpcross.com or tel: 01780 782356.

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (14 July, 2011)

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Irish event rider Mark Kyle won the Lincoln JumpCross Eventer’s Challenge at Grange Farm, Wittering, on Tuesday, 21 June.

Riding his World Equestrian Games horse Step In Time II, Mark (right) headed the class for the second year running, taking home the £3,000 first prize.

This was the third year this challenge has taken place and it offers the biggest prize in JumpCross, with a total prize-fund of £8,500. Angus Smales won it in its inaugural year in 2009.

In JumpCross, horse and rider do a timed round across the country, tackling obstacles such as water as in traditional cross-country riding, but all the fences can be knocked down. Riders receive a 20sec penalty for each fence down and 50sec for a refusal.

At the end of the course is a joker fence, about 6in higher than the rest, and riders can choose whether to take this on or not. Those who clear it have 40sec taken off their time, but anyone knocking it down has 40sec added.

This was a two-round competition, with scores from both rounds contributing to the riders’ final placing.

Mark said: “It was a great competition and a wonderful day. Having won last year it was brilliant that we were able to repeat our success and take home the excellent prize-money.

“I really enjoyed the event, the course was well designed and Step In Time is an excellent jumper so this type of competition really suits him.”

Jo Chipperfield, riding Judy Curtis’s 10-year-old grade B showjumper On Your Marks (left), finished second after two clear rounds. This was Jo’s third year competing at the Lincoln JumpCross Challenge.

Jeanette Brakewell and the 10-year-old chestnut gelding Hope Cove (right), owned by Liz Golby, put in a good performance to finish third.

Robin Dunlop of JumpCross said: “The Lincoln JumpCross Eventer’s Challenge is now well established in the calendar. It was a great day, with top class competition and we are very grateful for the support from Lincoln.”

Throughout the day money was raised for Macmillan Cancer Support and, thanks to a well-supported raffle and auction, £2,000 was raised.

Jim Bowen (left with Mark Kyle), managing director of sponsor Battles, who own the Lincoln range, said: “The Lincoln JumpCross Eventer’s Challenge was a fantastic day and we are really pleased to be able to give something back to our customers. This is our third year supporting the event and we look forward to it being an annual event.”

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Angus Smales took home the biggest prize ever offered in JumpCross when he won £2,500 in the inaugural Lincoln JumpCross Eventer’s Challenge last Tuesday.

“JumpCross is a new sport to me and I will certainly be coming back. It is great fun and really tests both the horses and rider,” said Angus, pictured right receiving his prize from Anna Clarke, equine commercial manager of Lincoln’s parent company Battles and Battles’ chairman Jim Bowen.

“The organising team must be thanked for all their hard work on the ground, it was perfect and all credit to Robin [Dunlop, organiser and course-designer] and his team. JumpCross is easy to understand, is exciting and great for spectators — it would make brilliant TV coverage.”

Angus rode Patti Bulman’s It’s A Jackpot (pictured left in action at the competition), a 10-year-old who recently finished 25th in the CCI** at Houghton with a double jumping clear.

In JumpCross, horse and rider do a timed round across the country, tackling obstacles such as water as in traditional cross-country riding, but all the fences can be knocked down. Riders receive a 20sec penalty for each fence down and 50sec for a refusal.

In this challenge, which attracted a host of top names competing for a total prize-fund of £5,000, the fences were 3ft 6in to 3ft 9in.

There were also two optional joker fences, about 6in higher than the other fences, which could earn riders a 40sec penalty or a 40sec time reduction, depending on whether they knocked them down or cleared them.

Angus was fourth after the first round, which was headed by Ireland’s Mark Kyle, on Step In Time II. But in the second round Angus successfully cleared the joker twice and had just one other fence down to move up to top spot.

Clayton Fredericks was second on Mr Miller, with Mark finishing up third.

An annual event

Robin Dunlop, who first had the idea for JumpCross and hosted this competition at the sport’s headquarters, Grange Farm, Wittering, was delighted with how the event went.

“When we started JumpCross nine years ago we had the top names try it to see if it was safe, and this is the first time we’ve asked them back,” he said. “The sponsors, Battles [Battle, Hayward & Bower, parent company of the Lincoln range] used it as a corporate entertainment day, inviting 200 guests.”

Robin plans to make this an annual event: “It was a good fun day and the riders all want to come back. It was nice to see them all so relaxed, sitting on the grass watching each other’s rounds, which they don’t really get a chance to do at a normal event.”

RESULTS

1st Angus Smales on It’s A Jackpot (GB)

2nd Clayton Fredericks on Mr Miller (AUS)

3rd Mark Kyle on Step In Time II (IRL)

4th Paul Sims on User Friendly (GB)

5th Julia Crowson on Rookie (GB)

6th Oliver Townend on ODT Sonas Rovatio (GB)

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The increasingly popular sport of JumpCross is introducing a fourth level of competition to encourage less experienced riders to get involved. The fences in Intro classes will be set at an average height of 2’3″ with riders competing as individuals, instead of being part of a two-man team.

JumpCross brainchild Robin Dunlop explains: “Intro JumpCross has been developed to give riders and horses looking for a less intimidating alternative to solid cross-country obstacles a way into the sport. We also think it will be ideal for those who need to gain confidence in their ability to ride across country.”

The JumpCross team is hopeful that a combination of Intro training and competition will help rider progress to compete in Group 3 team events, which take place as a over 2’9″ courses against the clock, and beyond.

“By combining the Intro competitions with the support and expertise provided on our training days, we hoped riders will gain the confidence and desire to take themselves, their horse and a team-mate to compete at the next level,” continues Robin.

The JumpCross team is also celebrating gaining a new sponsor for the 2004 season in the form of Verm-X, a non-chemical method of internal parasite control.

Philip Ghazala, director of Verm-X Ltd says: “Jump Cross and Verm-X are both relatively new and innovative new ways of looking at existing ideas and appeal to a wide audience ranging from pleasure riders to professionals.”

The sport of JumpCross, in which riders compete over knock-down fences situated on natural terrain against the clock, began at Grange Farm, Peterborough in 2001. It is now being held at five locations around Britain with plans for further expansion.

For more information visit: www.jumpcross.com

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JumpCross is a team sport over patented knock-down fences across natural terrain against the clock. It combines the skills and accuracy required for show jumping with the thrill of riding cross-country.

The idea of Robin Dunlop and the Grange Farm EC team, the sport is suitable for both professional and amateur riders, enabling them to compete against each other.

“We hope JumpCross will interest a whole new group of people – both riders and spectators,” explains Robin. “The sport has received the thumbs up from top professionals, including Jeanette Brakewell, who helps at our training days, and Karen Dixon, who regularly commentates for us.”

Each JumpCross team is made up of two riders, who compete around the course individually against the clock. The two riders’ total times, including penalties, are added together to make a team score.

Successful teams in Group 1 (1.14m fences) can walk away with £500 for a win, £300 for second place and £200 for third, which makes the £70 team entry fee more easily swallowed. Prize-money and entry fees are less in the other classes.

All the courses are around 2km in length and use natural features, such as water, ditches and hills to make the 25 knock-down fences more challenging.

Each fence down adds 20secs to the rider’s time, while a refusal carries a 100sec time penalty. Two refusals are allowed at each fence before the rider must go on to the next, with a rider being eliminated for a total of six refusals on the course.

“We like to encourage everyone to try and complete the course, although if we feel a rider is unsafe we will stop them on the way round,” says Robin. “The high penalty for a refusal is designed to discourage riders from galloping around the rest of the course to make up time after a stop.”

JumpCross has 0.83cm, 1m and 1.14m classes, called Group 3, Group 2 and Group 1 respectively. There are sections for minis (7-11yrs), juniors (12-15yrs), and seniors (16yrs and over). Senior riders must compete on horses over 148cm, while juniors can ridehorses or ponies of any height.

Riders must have a JumpCross licence and licence-holder (similar to a medical card holder in eventing) before competing. The licence, which is designed to encourage loyalty to the sport, costs £30 for adults and £20 for juniors and lasts for 12-months.

In addition to competitions, a series of training days at locations around the country fulfils the desire to learn and improve while providing the opportunity to have a “taste” of what JumpCross is all about.

“The training days enable riders to try JumpCross without the pressure of competition or having to invest in a licence,” explains Robin. “It also allows riders to hone their skills in preparation for competition.”

The sport is taking place at the following venues during the 2003 season:

JumpCross Headquarters

Grange Farm,

Wittering Grange,

Wansford,

Peterborough, PE8 6NR

Contact: Robin Dunlop

Tel No: 01780 782356

e-mail: office@jumpcross.com

Strathearn Eventing

Hilton House

Methven

Perth

Scotland PH1 3QX

Contact: Sarah Houlden

Tel No: 01738 840263

e-mail enquiries@strathearneventing.co.uk

Plumpton College

Ditchling Road

Lewes

East Sussex, BN7 3AE

Contact: Geoff Gregory

Tel No: 01273 890454

e-mail oonagh.meyer@plumpton.ac.uk

Foxfield Farm

Fowlemere Road

Melbourne

Nr Royston

Herts SG8 6EZ

Contact: Gillian Head

Tel No: 01763 263143

e-mail foxfieldfarm@hotmail.com

Brechin Castle Equestrian

Maulesden

Brechin

Scotland DD9 6RL

Contact: Tim Bennett

Tel No: 01356 623262

e-mail tim@bcequestrian.com

For more information on JumpCross contact (tel: 01780 782356) or visit www.jumpcross.com

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