Ascott Under Wychwood Horse Trials (1): what riders need to know [H&H VIP]

BE rule changes 2023 — close up of hooves on grass

(Image credit: Steve Bardens)

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

Date: Saturday 17 – Sunday 18 April 2015

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.

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.”

TOPICS

Ascott Under Wychwood Horse Trials (1): what riders need to know [H&H VIP]

Date: Saturday 17 – Sunday 18 April 2015

How to get there

What the organisers say

What the riders say

Percentage of cross-country clears 2014 (some sections cancelled)