Aldon International 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: Thursday 22 – Sunday 25 October 2015
Organiser: Tessa Mackenzie-Green
Contact: 01308 862537; tessamg@btinternet.com
Location: Somerset
Entries open: 17 September
Ballot date: 1 October at 12 noon
Entries close: 12 October
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Link to Aldon (2) entries: www.britisheventing.com/aldon-2
How to get there
Grid reference ST553145. Aldon is on the A37 south of Yeovil at the 30mph limit just a short distance from the A303.
What the organisers say
Autumn Aldon sees the addition of a CIC2* to our already busy end-of-year schedule.
The Yeovil rugby club continues to be the social centre of the event, where showers are available and meals and drinks are served throughout the weekend.
The popular long-format, three-day BE100 will continue, with the cross-country start moving back towards its traditional place. The steeplechase will also return to its traditional area.
All cross-country courses are designed and built by Adrian Ditcham. The going is consistently good on the Aldon sandy soil. The autumn tracks are different to those in the spring and are likely to run in the opposite direction.
New for 2015 will be that both showjumping rings will be on the main showground. The showjumping is designed by Allan Dunning.
What the riders say
Dressage & showjumping — “The dressage warm-up and arenas are on the rugby pitches which provided very good, flat going.” “The showjumping arena is huge and lovely to ride in surrounded by tradestands, with an adjacent warm-up which was of a good size.” “There was
another BE100 showjumping ring and warm-up in the next field by the start of the roads and tracks for the three-day, which was not so grand, and quite undulating. I felt a bit sorry for those people!” “Some of the other arenas are a long way from lorries but they
are always big, technical tracks here.”
Cross-country — “Completely contrasting scenery — beautiful, rolling parkland with magnificent viewing right across the ‘bowl’ where the main action took place, with separate catering wagons.” “Aldon has very steep hills and requires a fit horse, particularly at the end, which was quite tough.” “There are two waters and the three-day event was more difficult than the normal BE100.” “The fences were well built and the ground was fantastic. “The three-day event was perfect for a horse ready to upgrade to novice.” “In the intermediate you had to go fast to make the time.” “There are some challenging skinnies out of the water and off a step going downhill, and you need a horse with good brakes!”
Percentage of cross-country clears 2014
OI: 87%
I: 69%
CCI*: 69%
CIC*: 88%
CICYH*: 100%
ONU18: 82%
N: 73%
BE100 Pony: 87%
BE100 Open3DE: 75%
BE100Open: 93%
BE1003DE: 83%
BE100: 82%
Download part two of the horse trials guide for just £1.49: Eventing horse trials guide part two
