POINT OF VIEW
By Liz Cornell
Just How Important Has the Dressage Phase Become in Eventing?
I
n the sport of eventing, competitors at every level have to perform a dressage test as the first phase of each competition. In the dressage arena, the horse must demonstrate rhythmic gaits, suppleness and obe- dience as accurate figures and fluid transitions are per- formed in front of one or more judges. This kind of con- trolled performance is often a difficult task for many ener- getic and fit event horses, as they are fully aware that the excitement of galloping cross-country is coming soon. Over the past two decades, the dressage tests have
evolved to become more technical and demanding, espe- cially at the top of the sport. For example, half-passes, fly- ing changes, walk pirouettes and narrow counter-canter serpentines dominate today’s three- and four-star tests. A quick glance at leaderboard statistics for the last four
years of the CCI4* Rolex Kentucky event demonstrates just how important the dressage performance of a top event horse has become.
CCI4* Rolex Kentucky Events Year
Final Top Three 2015 2014 2013 2012
1) Fischerrocana FST with Micheal Jung (GER) 2) Wesko with Tim Price (NZL)
2) Veronica with Lauren Kieffer (USA)
3) Ballynoe Castle RM with Bruce Davidson Jr. (USA) 1) Quimbo with Andrew Nicholson (NZL)
2) Seacookie TSF with William Fox-Pitt (GBR) 3) Calico Joe with Andrew Nicholson (NZL)
1) Parklane Hawk with William Fox-Pitt (GBR) 2) Arthur with Allison Springer (USA) 3) Otis Barbotiere with Boyd Martin (USA)
How much more difficult are the dressage tests today at the three- and four-star levels as compared to two de- cades ago? GM: Certainly the technical challenges of the move-
ments in the tests have increased. There are now more flying changes, and they are placed during difficult movements, such as during a five-loop serpentine with counter-canter. I find that even though your horse has to be going at the equivalent of Third or Fourth level dressage, the eventing
We reached out to two four-star champions for their
insights regarding the challenges of the dressage disci- pline in today’s eventing. Californian Gina Miles runs Gold Medal Eventing in
Earlier Rankings after Dressage Fourth
3) La Biosthetique – Sam FBW with Michael Jung (GER) 1) Bay My Hero with William Fox-Pitt (GBR)
Tied for First Tied for First
Second Third
Tenth Third
Tied for 11th Second
Second First
Tied for 16th
San Luis Obispo. She won the individual silver at the 2008 Olympics on Irish Sport Horse McKinlaigh. Prior to that she earned Pan-Am gold and bronze medals in 2007, a bronze medal at the 2003 World Cup Final and numerous other championships, including the 2007 and 2008 USEA Advanced Horse of the Year. When we caught up with Gina, she was on route to a dressage show with a group of students. Clayton Fredericks is Australian who settled with his family in Ocala, Florida in 2012. He brings to North Amer- ica a long list of accolades which include FEI World Cup champion in 2005 and 2008, individual silver and team bronze at the 2006 World Equestrian Games, 2007 Ken- tucky Rolex winner, team silver medal at the Hong Kong Olympic Games in 2008 and was a member of Austra- lian’s Olympic team in 2012. Currently Clayton is also Canada’s eventing team coach, preparing for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Clayton says that he’s partic- ularly excited about his current course- design work for the new Ocala Jockey Club eventing venue, a 900-acre facil- ity where the FEI has approved its first event to be held Thanksgiving week- end 2016, offering CCI*, CCI** and CIC*** divisions.
dressage tests are not as easy as the straight dressage tests where, let’s say, the flying changes are set up to be per- formed after a half pass. If you look back, the shape and frame of the upper level event horse has become rounder with a better-developed topline. The quality of the training has improved, and bet- ter dressage scores need to be achieved. In straight dressage scoring, your horse needs to earn above 70%, closer to a 75%, in order to place at the top of the eventing leaderboard.
Warmbloods Today 37
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