Walk the Europeans cross-country course in pictures

European Eventing Championships cross-country course — (Image credit: credit unknown)

Fence 1

Fence 2

Fence 3

Fence 4

The first real question at fence four

Fence 5

A slope runs up to this log and then downhill on the landing side.

Fence 6

Finding a line for this fence will likely involve splashing through the edge of the water fence in front of it. Horses pass back through this water later in the course (24).

Fence 7

Fence 8ab

Over the first triple brush (a) and then it's a sweeping left bend and uphill run to the second triple brush (b).

Fence 9

This is positioned at the far end of the course.

Fence 10

Fence 11ab

The white rails at a are followed by a white corner at b.

Fence 12

Fence 13ab

Horses negotiate the house on an angle followed by the chest behind it, landing in the first water.

Fence 14

Fence 15ab

These coloured rails are located in the main arena.

Fence 16a

Out of the main arena and back into the water, negotiating this brush first.

Fence 16bcd

The skinny is bc, followed the brush corner (d) in the background. The three fences are on a sweeping right-hand bend.
There is a long-winded alternative available with all four elements separated and involving a step up to colourful skinny rails followed by a white corner.

Fence 17 and 18

Both elements are wide and positioned on a turn, but separately numbered so any riders who circle in between won't be penalised — providing they didn't present at the b element first.

Fence 19

Fence 20

At this stage, horses are back at the far end of the course for the second — and final — time. They run up and down a mound before going up a second mound where the colourful fence 20 is positioned.

Fence 21

Fence 22

Fence 23

Fence 24abc

The final water question involves jumping in over the log and swinging left to negotiate the step up and brush you can see on the left-hand side of the image. There is an alternative step out with no brush immediately behind it, instead riders will need to waste time riding around to it. You can see the alternative c in the background of this image.

Fence 25

Fence 26

Fence 26 is followed by a sweeping right-hand bend to 27. There are obstacles cleverly placed to prevent riders being able to cut their lines too much between the two obstacles.

Fence 27

Fence 28ab

The final question and it demands horses and riders to still be alert and switched on as any deviation from their line will be expensive at this late stage.

Fence 29

Fence 30

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Aimi was responsible for Horse & Hound’s showing, pointing and veterinary pages, as well as assisting with eventing content. Aimi also edited Horse & Hound’s popular occasional magazines, Ask The Vet and Ask The Trainer. She is the former deputy editor of Eventing magazine. She left Horse & Hound at the end of 2017 to take on new challenges in the publishing industry and is now editor at Your Horse.