What is eventing?Eventing, also referred to as horse trials or occasionally the archaic term "combined training," is a three-phase test of a horse-and-rider pair's precision, agility, speed, strength, endurance, bravado, and heart. It is one of three Olympic equestrian sports and enchants competitors around the globe due to its thrilling difficulty. The eventing phases originated as a military test and later became an international phenomenon. In eventing, scores are calculated as penalty points against the pair; as such, a low score is best.
In the dressage phase of a horse trial, a pair is asked to perform a series of movements at the walk, trot, and canter on the flat, generally in a 20x40 or 20x60 meter arena. The dressage test emphasizes precision, strength, and tactful communication between rider and horse and at the highest levels can include difficult maneuvers such as the half-pass and the pirouette. Dressage is always the first phase of competition, and the dressage score is the base score off of which the pair's final score is built.
The cross-country phase of a horse trial is revered by many as the most exciting phase, and for good reason. In a cross-country test, a horse-and-rider pair navigates a winding track in an open field, often through wooded areas, conquering intimidating obstacles such as solid fences, ditches, drops, banks, and water complexes. The cross-country phase is a true test of speed and bravery, and mistakes in the cross-country field are the most heavily penalized of the three phases. Cross-country generally takes place after dressage, and is often in stark contrast as many riders choose to adorn themselves and their mounts with bright colors.
Stadium jumping is generally the final phase of a horse trial, designed originally to test whether a pair was still serviceable after a long, hard day of riding in the cross-country field. In the stadium, the pairs navigate a winding course of rail fences, often including very tight turns, large oxers, and a distracting environment, with the main focuses being on agility and speed. Stadium is less heavily penalized than cross-country, but it is still very important to perform well in order to achieve the best possible score.
At its highest levels, the vast majority of eventing horses are warmbloods and thoroughbreds, but a wide range of breeds can be seen performing with great success at trials. To read more about eventing, visit the following links:
WikipediaUnited States Eventing AssociationInternational Equestrian FederationIs RVCTA based off any real-world eventing associations?The RVCTA derives its levels and high-point procedures from the United States Eventing Association (
USEA), which encompasses thousands of eventing pairs around the country. The name and procedures, however, take after local associations such as the Greater Houston Combined Training Association (GHCTA) in hopes of presenting as a friendly and welcoming place for our members.
Do RVCTA competitions differ from RVEC horse trials?RVCTA trials are based off the RVEC competitions, using many of the same calculations and forms. However, there are some notable differences. RVCTA trials base their times off of average times for courses at each level to promote realism, and it becomes harder and harder at each level to complete cross-country and stadium jumping clear. As well, barn bonuses are nonexistent, as most barns at RVCTA are specialized in eventing anyhow. As well, the system of filler horses is unique to RVCTA.
How are the level markers next to my horse’s name determined?Most adult horses will begin their career at RVCTA with an (N) for novice - they have no further qualification and are only eligible to compete at this level. Occasionally, a horse comes in with wins on its record from RVEC schooling and invitational horse trials or good placements in futurities - in this case, they may instead by marked (T), (P), or (I), depending on their achievements.
At RVCTA, a horse is always identified by the highest level at which it could compete at any point in its life. Over the years, horses become too old to compete at the highest levels - however, they will always retain the level marker of the highest level they qualified for. As such, a horse that is twenty-five years old may only compete up to beginner novice, but if it once qualified for advanced, it will keep the (A) marking.
Horses under four will be marked (X) until they either win a schooling competition at RVEC, place in the top three in a cross-country, dressage, or stadium jumping futurity, or compete in their first novice-level competition at RVCTA, in which case they will be designated the appropriate marker.
What do the different abbreviations mean for eliminations?RVCTA has four different types of elimination, each of which are listed below.
R - Retired. A horse is retired if it sustains an injury severe enough to merit elimination from competition.
TE - Technical Elimination. Technical eliminations pertain to breaches of rules, including refusals, extreme disobediences, and riding off course.
MR - Mandatory Retirement. While in real-life eventing, mandatory retirement can appear in a number of situations, for the purposes of RVCTA only a horse fall is justification for mandatory retirement.
SCR - Scratch. A rider may scratch a horse before a phase for any reason, be it an injury, illness, or personal reason.
Why can't I register a name for my horse at RVCTA?Unlike breed and color-breed associations, RVCTA cannot register horses as purebred or of mixed-breed. As such, while it is in-theory possible for us to register names for horses, it seems a little far-fetched, especially since RVCTA is truly meant to be a secondary association.
Do RVCTA injuries differ from those at regular RVEC competitions?In RVCTA horse trials, injuries are still fully possible, but they differ from those of standard RVEC competitions in a few ways. For one, injuries acquired at RVCTA shows cannot disqualify a horse from competing in invitationals, nor can they incur any sort of mandatory reprieve from training or showing for any duration of time. As well, the maximum vet fee for injuries acquired at RVCTA horse trials is 500c, per horse, per trial.
