Osberton & Young Horse Championships: What riders need to know *H&H VIP*

Osberton International Horse Trials Saturday 29 September 2012 Lycetts BE Young Horse Championships CIC YH* 3rd 454 BLISS III R: Hannah Bate

(Image credit: Real Time Imaging/Steve Dawe)

Date: Thursday 1 — Sunday 4 October 2015

The cross-country tracks run over the park with some stretches in the woods. The going is good whatever the weather and this event has always run when others have cancelled. The ground is light and sandy. A big new water complex will be built this year, for all classes. These are championship tracks for young horses, however, and are designed to ensure they are beneficial to a horse’s education.

Dressage & showjumping — “Dressage and showjumping both took place in the main arena for the CCI* and CCI2*.” “Good opportunity to experience big competition atmosphere with marquees, flags and spectators around the arena.” “Plenty of warm-up space, and the dressage arenas themselves start off perfectly flat, but will always be a challenge for later competitors due to the heavy, clay soil.” “The dressage was quite atmospheric for young horses but a good education.” “The warm-up was a little limited here for the young horse classes.” “The showjumping warm-up for the CCI* and CCI2* is not great. You can use the hacking and fields around to warm up on the flat, but the warm-up fences are in a corner near the main arena entrance and I always have a near miss with a tree’s low-hanging branches that you are forced to go round to present to a warm-up fence. The young horse classes’ warm-up has much more room, but their round takes place in the big arena next door to the main arena.” “This year the showjumping proved to be testing and many people came out with time-penalties.” “The showjumping was a strong test, as it should be in a championship.”

Cross-country — “The cross-country is run over parkland and woodland. It has great ground that can be run on in almost any weather.” “Plenty of warm-up space on the flat and a reasonable selection of fences for the warm-up.” “The course is great for first-timers at that level and young horses with plenty of black-flagged alternative routes, but is not to be underestimated.” “Plenty of questions that could catch riders out.” “The ground isn’t undulating so it suits big-striding horses.” “This year the time seemed to play a bigger role in the CCI2* than the CCI*.” “The warm-up for the four-year-olds was small and in my opinion insufficient.” “Good courses and an excellent test for youngsters, but the angled pheasant feeders were relatively confusing for the horses.” “The peaty ground copes well, but can be loose in areas.”

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Osberton & Young Horse Championships: What riders need to know H&H VIP

Date: Thursday 1 — Sunday 4 October 2015

How to get there

What the organisers say

What the riders say

Percentage of cross-country clears 2014