The eventing World Championships cross-country course at Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, for this week’s event (15-18 September) has been designed by Giuseppe della Chiesa.
It is 5,600m long and the optimum time is 9min 50sec.
Check out our pictures of all the fences on the the eventing World Championships cross-country course.
Fence 1: Longines Time To Start
Fence 2: Albino’s Water Trough
Fence 3: Hayrack
Fences 4 and 5: IGA Picnic Tables
This combination offers a choice of narrow picnic table at both the first and second element.
Fence 4 options
Fence 5 options
Fence 6: Strzegom Triplebar
Fence 7abc: KEP Italia Slide
The direct route involves jumping the log at fence 7a on the lip of the Slide, then the two arrowheads at the bottom of the slope (fences 7b and 7c).
Fence 7a direct route
Looking down to fences 7b and 7c on the direct route
Ireland’s Padraig McCarthy walks the direct route down the Slide
Fences 7b and 7c on the direct route
Fence 7c on the direct route
The long route involves jumping an easier log as fence 7a, then curving round the steep hill and either jumping two different arrowheads as fences 7b and 7c or making a loop back to jump one arrowhead, which is fence 7bc.
Fence 7a on the long route
Fence 7b on the long route
Fence 7c on the long route
Fence 7bc on the other long route
Fence 8: Fir Wood Oxer
Fence 9ab: Angled Brushes
Fence 9a
Fence 9b
Fence 10: Triple Bar
Fence 11abcd: Fischer Brush and Corners
The direct route consists of a shoulder brush (fence 11ab), then a turn to two right-handed corners (fence 11c and 11d)
Fence 11ab on the direct route
Fence 11c on the direct route
Fence 11d on the direct route
The long route consists of a shoulder brush situated away from the direction of travel (fence 11a), then a triple brush arrowhead (fence 11bc) and a final corner (fence 11d).
Fence 11a on the long route
Fence 11bc on the long route
Fence 11d on the long route
Fence 12: Arturo’s Kennel
Fence 13: Wilberry Wonder Pony Table
Fence 14: Intesa San Paolo Belvedere
Fence 15: Goldspan Farm
Fence 16abc: MIM Clip Complex
Fence 16
Fence 16bc on the direct route
Fence 16b on the long route
Fence 16c on the long route
Fence 17: Intesa San Paolo Oxer
Fences 18 and 19abcd: SAP Vertical and Sunken Road
There are three routes through this complex.
Fence 18a on the direct route
Fence 19abc on the direct route
Fence 19d on the direct route
The slightly longer route involves a wider line and an extra jumping effort.
Fence 18 on the slightly longer route
Fence 19a on the slightly longer route
Fence 19bc on the slightly longer route
Fence 19d on the slightly longer route
The longest route does not involve jumping a ditch at all, but it takes riders well off the fastest line at fence 18.
Fence 18 on the longest route
Fence 19ab on the longest route
Fence 19cd on the longest route
Fence 20: Intesa San Paolo Wall
Fence 21abcd: Longines Hydroconquest Combinations
The direct route consists of a skinny on an island (fence 21a) then two angled shoulder brushes after the water (fences 21bc and d)
Fence 21a on the direct route
Fence 21bc on the direct route
Looking over fence 21bc to fence 21d on the direct route
Fence 21d on the direct route
The longer route consists of a different arrowhead on the island (fence 21a), then a loop round to two shoulder brushes (fence 21b and 21cd) on an easier angle than on the direct route.
Fence 21a on the long route
Fence 21b on the long route
Looking over fence 21b to 21cd on the long route
Fence 21cd on the long route
Fence 22: Vittorio’s Moles Tunnel
Fence 23: Trakehner
Fence 24abcd: Longines Hydroconquest Combinations
The direct route consists of a big log into the water (fence 24ab) and then a corner in the water (fence 24cd).
Fence 24ab on the direct route
Looking over fence 24ab to fence 24cd on the direct route
Fence 24cd on the direct route
Riders on the long route jump a rolltop (fence 24a), then go round the island to two boats (fences 24bc and fence 25d).
Fence 24a on the long route
Fences 24bc and 24d on the direct route
Fence 25: Thor’s Kennel
Fence 26ab: Intesa San Paolo Brush
Everyone jumps this fence 26a, then there are two options for fence 26b.
Fence 26b on the short route
Fence 26b on the long route
Fences 27 and 28: KEP Italia Open Oxers
Riders have a choice of two similar oxers at fence 27, with one offering a slightly tighter line.
Fence 28
Fence 29abcd: Pratoni Horses
There are three main routes through this final complex. The direct route consists of just two jumping efforts.
Fence 29abc on the direct route
Fence 29d on the direct route (this is also fence 29d on the slower routes)
This slightly slower route requires riders to jump two angled horses (fence 29a and 29bc) before 29d.
Fence 29a on the slightly slower route
Fence 29bc on the slightly slower route
The longest route involves jumping a horse at fence 29ab, then looping back left-handed to fence 29c, which is jumped on a line to the final element (fence 29d).
Fence 29ab on the slowest route
Fence 29c on the slowest route
Fence 30: Finish
You might also be interested in:
Three horses held and one withdrawn at eventing World Championships first trot-up
World Eventing Championships: who is going to bring home the medals?
How to watch the eventing World Championships: your essential guide
Bluffer’s guide to the World Eventing Championships – the jumps, the scoring and more
Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout the World Eventing Championships with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Check back tomorrow for the riders’ reaction to the eventing World Championships cross-country course. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report (on sale 22 September) including opinion from Mark Phillips and ground jury president Christina Klingspor.
