By Elizabeth McQuillan
Those non-horsey folk allocated tickets for a horse-related sport during the 2012 Olympics might feel a tad disappointed, but it can be quite exciting. Honest.
You might think that dressage is as exciting as watching paint dry, but consider for a moment the harmony required between horse and rider to achieve the movements – and how subtle the signals are.
Not convinced? Then try show jumping. Here it is about skill, speed and agility, with a hoof knocking a pole enough to lose you a medal. If that doesn’t sail your boat, then go to watch the cross-country phase – spectators with a pulse usually enjoy that.
Better still, go to see an elite-level eventing competition, which encapsulates the three disciplines of show jumping, dressage and cross-country riding, with points accumulated or lost over the three phases. It is generally held over three days (four for the Olympics), with a particular discipline on each day.
Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden and the USA secured their opportunity to compete in the Olympic team eventing at qualifiers in Kentucky last September.
"We have had the most exciting build-up during the qualification period," said Catrin Norinder, Olympic director at the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), "with Canada, Germany, Sweden and the USA qualifying for team places alongside host nation Great Britain in all three Olympic equestrian disciplines.
"There are still composite team places for two disciplines to secure and of course it's all to play for with the individual riders. We're building up to a thrilling 100-year anniversary for equestrian sport in the Olympics, when 200 riders and horses will compete for individual and team gold, silver and bronze medals in eventing, dressage and jumping."
With a strong British team in with a good chance of a medal, and an opportunity to watch horse-and-rider combinations tackle – at speed – 45 humongous great solid jumps made from trees, it will make for an exciting few days of sport.
Beginning in France in 1902, eventing became an Olympic event in 1912. Entry to the sport was originally limited to members of the military, but the Helsinki games of 1952 saw the rules relaxed to allow the civilian fraternity a pop at the medals.
The other bonus with eventing is that you need a big grassy space for all those enormous jumps and galloping horses – the happy consequence being that there are usually castles, stately homes and ancient parklands attached to the estates that hold the events. That’s generally true, even for the little courses where Pony Club kids thrash around.
That makes going to eventing competitions good for picnics and looking around stately homes and gardens. Less good when it has chucked it down with rain for a week.
The latter explains the rather ubiquitous uniform of horsey folk attending such events – waterproof boots (Hunter wellies or Dubarry boots, depending on available cash), warm/waterproof tweed shooting-style coats, ankle-length waterproof coats and truly horrid waxed hats for the rain to run off with every head-tilt.
If you do attend on a rainy day, approach the event as though attending a music festival: expect poor toilet facilities (hankies in pockets recommended) and mud-seepage, and accept that you will have to forage around muddy fields for food from sundry vans selling dreadful bacon rolls and chips. Snogging strangers and taking drugs is less prevalent. I digress.
Take the 2012 Olympics. Here the horses can thunder along the rather royal Greenwich Park – location of the Royal Observatory, home to Greenwich Mean Time and site of blue-blood recreation dating back to 1433.
Should the eventing at the Olympics not be on your radar, however, why not experience eventing and cross-country riding competitions a little closer to home, and explore some grand venues in the process:
● Auchinleck Eventing – 21–22 April
Near Cumnock in Ayrshire, Auchinleck Estate hides the ruins of a medieval keep within its woods. Nearby are the ruins of the 16th-century incarnation and the restored 18th-century Auchinleck House, built by Lord Auchinleck, James Boswell, in the late 1700s. The Scottish classical-style mansion was designed by one of Scotland’s most famous architects, Robert Adam.
● Central Scotland Eventing, Scone – 28–29 April
The rightful home of the celebrated Stone of Destiny and crowning-place of the King of Scots, Scone Palace is definitely worth a day out. The 100 acres of the palace grounds were landscaped by the 3rd Earl of Mansfield in 1805.
● Hopetoun Horse Trials – 28–29 July
Designed by William Bruce, then altered and extended by William Adam, Hopetoun House is one of the finest examples of 18th-century architecture in Britain. There are 150 acres to explore, and the event itself has food available from the farm shop, with artisan cheeses and breads.
● Blair Castle Horse Trials – 23–26 August
Attracting in excess of 40,000 visitors, this is one not to miss. With a diverse range of equestrian pursuits, a huge tented shopping village and lots of rural demonstrations, it will appeal to the entire family. Blair Castle is the ancient seat of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl. The earliest known part of the present castle dates from 1269, but the architecture has evolved through each era and is worthy of a tour.
● Olympic Eventing takes place at Greenwich Park, 28–31 July, with two medal events and 75 participants.
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