Wednesday, March 31, 2010

When I Say "Rolex", I'm Not Talking About Your Grandfather's Watch...

For all you people out there who have absolutely zero idea about what eventing is...let me break it down for you...
As taken from the Rolex Kentucky 3 Day Event Page... www.rk3de.org
What is eventing anyways?!
English and French are the official languages of the Federation Equestre International (FEI), the International governing body of the sport and the concise and descriptive French term for competition. "EVENTING" is Concours Complet d'Equitation, or, complete equestrian competition. The use of acronyms is universal today and throughout the world an International 3 day event is know as a CCI (concours complet international). To indicate the level of difficulty, the FEI uses 'stars' on a scale of 1 to 4. The CCI**** is the highest level of competition in the sport.
ABOUT EVENTING
DRESSAGE - is on the first day of competition and it tests the gaits, suppleness and obedience of the horse through a series of prescribed movements. While judging the dressage test on the first day is based on specific criteria understood in detail only by experienced judges and riders, it is basically an evaluation of beauty of movement and obedience. Anyone can judge these characteristics and the spectator's opinion often agrees with the judges. The number of competitors may require that dressage be held over 2 days but, it remains the first competition day.
CROSS-COUNTRY - is on the second day of competition and proves the speed, stamina, courage, boldness and jumping ability of the horse and the rider's knowledge of pace and use of the horse across country. Horses jumping over solid (THEY DON'T FALL DOWN) obstacles designed and constructed to represent what might be found on uncharted grounds, virtually flying over ditches, leaping up and down banks, dropping in and galloping through water, prove examples of athletic prowess and trust between man and animal, that can be seen in no other sporting event. While a rider walks the course beforehand, the horse doesn't see any of the course until it leaves the start box.
STADIUM JUMPING - on the third day of competition provides the final test of the horse's athletic ability, conditioning and training. The jumping test in a stadium arena on the third day of competition is again simply a matter of jumping obstacles cleanly. Its significance is that it comes the day following the cross country course jumping at speed and clearly illustrates the horse's willingness to listen to its rider. It must now move at a more sedate pace and not touch the obstacles, which are not solid and will fall down. A single rail knocked down can make the difference between winning and finishing far down in the placings.

Is Rolex on my Embarcadero...realistically, I doubt it, but you never know do you...?

No comments:

Post a Comment