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H&H’s Pippa Roome: ‘British Eventing’s national championships at Hartpury are great for riders, but how can we draw the public in?’

*Opinion*
Pippa Roome Pippa Roome

    • H&H eventing editor’s Pippa Roome shares her thoughts on recent tragedy, the national championships at NAF Five Star Hartpury and Defender Burghley entries

    I can’t start this column without acknowledging the indescribably sad passing of Sarah Yorke in a cross-country fall at Aston-le-Walls on 8 August.The thoughts of the whole eventing community are with her family and friends, as well as the Aston team and medics.

    Any fatal accident makes every person who rides cross-country think about their decision to do so. This one, at BE100 level for a rider who had a good record, will hit grassroots competitors particularly hard. But in the end, the huge joy, excitement and fulfilment many take from the sport makes them decide to continue.

    I’m not eventing at present, but I made that decision time and again when I was competing. Even with some health issues now that mean any accident could be particularly complicated, I still choose to do another quite dangerous sport in skiing. I love it and, for me, the risk versus benefit stacks up, which is what every individual has to calculate.

    Meanwhile we must continue to push for ongoing safety improvements so the number of such falls decrease, while accepting that riding horses can never be risk-free.

    Drawing a crowd

    I hear that NAF Five Star Hartpury, which again hosted the five British national eventing championships as well as three international classes, is a great event for riders, which is important and kudos to the organisers.

    It doesn’t have the same draw for spectators as Gatcombe did and I saw someone on Facebook the week after the event asking if anything would replace Gatcombe and if the novice championships are still held.

    British Eventing has a long-term commitment to hosting these national championships at Hartpury. To grow them again, it would be good to see them better publicised to spectators and offering elements beyond the sport to draw people in.

    By contrast, I was at the 150th Dublin Horse Show last weekend, where the crowd is huge, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, from Mexican waves during the puissance to gasps as Irish riders jump the Nations Cup.

    The Royal Dublin Society, the membership organisation that runs the showground, is engaged in a €52m (£45m) regeneration project, including redeveloping the historic Anglesea Stand all along one side of the arena. That stand was therefore out of commission this year, which must have led to an unimaginable mountain of changes and planning for organisers, but is scheduled to be back next year.

    A clear Burghley favourite

    Ros Canter’s appearance on the Defender Burghley entries list after the announcement of her pregnancy and withdrawal from Agria European Eventing Championship selection will prompt plenty of discussion over the next few weeks.

    Will she start or run cross-country? Burghley is two weeks before the Europeans. And of course, if she does withdraw, the knock-on effects in a solely individual event are far less than in a team situation where other riders’ plans would be affected.

    Data analytics experts EquiRatings put Ros and Lordships Graffalo at a 51% chance to defend their Burghley title successfully. I thought the 36% win chance given to them at Badminton this spring was huge in a sport with as much jeopardy as eventing, although they were clear favourites – and that win and a smaller field at Burghley will have fuelled that percentage growing.

    But 51% feels wild, much as I can’t see anyone arguing against the fact she’s the out-and-out front runner for the title – if she runs. If she withdraws, that’s a seismic change in the predictions and it becomes a very open field.

    Ultimately, that very personal decision belongs to Ros alone, in consultation with her loved ones. I wouldn’t judge her whatever she does.

    ● Who do you think will win Burghley? Write to hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

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    Pippa Roome
    Pippa Roome

    H&H magazine editor and eventing editor
    Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
    Pippa Roome

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