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Barbara Miller competing on Mighty Ambitious at the Morven Fall Horse Trials in 2014.


goals any more than any other type of competition I can go to, like a dressage show, combined test or jumper show. I would go just to get my horse out in a competition-type environment in general and working on the pieces of what is needed to event. I say this, however, as someone in Area II with access to close-by and high-quality recognized and un- recognized horse trials to choose from. My situation might be different if this type of competition could fill in gaps in my local horse trials schedule or if I could only compete at far away, multi-day horse trials that required significant time off work. Then these DX competitions might provide a close-by alternative.


Q: Critics fear that the DX format, especially if it is award- ed points and a leader board, could draw resources and competitors away from traditional horse trials. Do you agree? JB: I think that creating a series, with prize money like


Wellington, would start a revolution, changing the sport. I have mixed feelings about it. I think it’s really great and there’s a place for it, and it would get a lot of people inter- ested. You also run the risk of completely caging your sport. If there are a bunch of $75,000 shows, a lot of people would be interested in that. That being said, I’m dedicated to our sport as it is. But I think it’s a great concept and as it is now, it doesn’t take anything away from our sport whatsoever. It’s also shorter so it’s a lot less stress on the horses. Of course it would change the sport, and that’s what people have to think about and be comfortable with. They’ve been doing eventing derbies in California for


ages, and people use them like they would a dressage show or a jumper show—it’s all practice. It’s fun to give people a chance to try new things.


Daniel Brown does course building at his family’s Full Gallop Farm in Aiken, SC.


DB: On a technical and training level, I do have some


reservations. Combining show jumping and cross country, while done in jumper derbies all over, can have its issues. Show jumping is ridden in one specific metronomic canter with little variance and with a great deal of measured dis- tances. Cross-country is about not having a measured dis- tance, flat-out galloping, terrain, real water, ups and downs, re-balancing after an imperfect jump and big, bold jump- ing. One is about controlled and consistent riding, and the other is literally the exact opposite. What can you do when you and your horse have to think on your feet? Can you find a line after a long gallop? Can you see the distance? Can your horse? Combining the two, while fun to do on a small scale and occasionally, may not be a good combination for teaching horse and rider a full complement of skills. There can also be a potential hazard if the jumps and questions begin to become substantial. Show jumping a cross-country jump is probably not a good idea for a young rider on an ongoing basis. What does it teach them, and can what they learn become dangerous? If that is their only focus and then they decide to ride real cross-country, I can see it causing problems. BM: While I see them as a fun competition to do, I don’t see the need for having them as a recognized USEA compe- tition. They already exist as a format and option and don’t need USEA recognition in my opinion. Such recognition, along with a leader board, seems to unnecessarily divert USEA resources. I also would not like to see competing in this type of competition become an end in and of itself in the eventing community, which is what I am concerned may happen with recognition, points and a leader board. WW: With the leader board, they’re trying to come up with a structure so that you get more points than you


Warmbloods Today 47


Courtesy Daniel Brown


Ralph Cocco @GRCPhoto.com


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