| Author | Message | ||
     Diane Phillips |
I do not have any views on whether 3 or 5 stage marathons are better apart from "oh god another walk to try and get". It is not only trying to find stewards that could present organisers a problem but what about the distance that they've got to find. Some marathons (both club and nationals) have probably got shorter due to the restrictions on where we are allowed to go. We are all very grateful to all the landowners that allow us across their land but we are also at their mercy! | ||
| Fiona Powell |
Wearing my event organiser's hat, yes, I'd like to see where we could put on a five-section marathon without too much extra effort. Yes, we'd have to rope in some extra stewards and it's more for the course-builder, TD, scorer and score-collector to do... I think it's something we could ask our club members about... As a competitor, I remember it being fun. I've only ever driven two (I think) in twelve years, and found it interesting and differently challenging. The fast trot, section C, was around 10 minutes - not a killer - but it did need a very fast trot! | ||
| Carole Redgrave |
With only 2 seasons under my belt my opinion probably doesn't count for much but having done Long Distance Riding way back in the 70's, the marathon to me seems like a bit of a walk in the park. I always struggle to finish Sec A without coming in too early and usually have to walk in between obstacles in Sec E so , yes, I agree that times should be faster. I competed at Escrick this weekend and even had a job to finish Sec C without coming in too early- I was so glad that there was no minimum time for Sec E as we also finished that well ahead of schedule- still pulling like a train- we could have done another section had there been one! Perhaps I am lucky to have such a naturally athletic horse but I do believe it is the years of training an animal for Long Distance that are paying off now. I would love more challenging marathons. | ||
| Christopher Priestley |
The over-influence of the dressage score in final placing of results can be solved purely by arithmetic: half the scores! To blame this scoring issue purely on the three v five section marathon is not valid: top international drivers have been pretty hot at dressage and marathon for many years before this change. The motivation to move from five sections to three sections was, in my humble understanding, an economic rather than sporting decision. It partly follows from eventing’s own reduction of competition B, from a full endurance phase that included roads and tracks and steeplechase to a single cross-country phase. Their sport – one you can consider to be the mother sport of our own – was under pressure to reduce costs and resources needed to organise events, with much of it coming from the Olympic movement Having talked to a Dutch carriage driving journalist about the move to three section marathons I was informed that the enthusiasm for such a reduction in the Netherlands was also economic – though as much to do with the time and money required to get horses five section fit as for it is to finding and stewarding venues big enough to take five sections. And I think that is a valid point: Not everyone in driving has the luxury of money to buy dressage horses OR the luxury of time to spend two - three hours a day on road work! The marathon is a test a fitness, but it is also a test of skill, boldness and the partnership between horses, drivers and backsteppers - it is not a pure endurance test, if it were we’d have a 50km road and tracks phase only. All sports are that are successful are so because they are codified and that code runs through all countries and all levels. To make up unique rules as we go along to suit ourselves is a practice that would ultimately be detrimental to our sport. We need to follow the FEI rules all the way. If we don’t like them, then we need to lobby to have them changed for all countries. The future of the sport depends on unity. | ||
| Janet Pilling |
"At National level NO we need to play the FEI 3 stage competition so that we are prepared for International competition" - realistically how many of us aspire to International level? If the 'Advanced' classes were used as selection classes then theirs could be a three section all season - the rest of us could do whatever we choose and have great fun at the same time. I would love the challenge of a 5 - section, I am one of those competitors who walks a huge chunk of sec E however I generally time it so that we walk in the last 500m - that is a challenge in itself. "The other thing I think we should do particularly at the National Championships is to put the advanced classes through a trot up before the competition starts thus aligning the event more to a CAI event" - and we would need stewards/judges (and a vet probably) for this job putting more pressure on organisers. | ||
| Patti Atkinson |
Why an outright NO? If a horse (pony) is fit enough for a 5 section they are certainly fit enough for 3 so why would this be of detriment to the few people who have international capabilities?. Obtacles shouldnt be any different. And I am not suggesting that all events should be 5 sections - just most nationals and those clubs that can. I believe that horses (ponies) on a marathon over 5 sections actually have a better recovery rate than on a 3 section. The fast trot 'gets the adrenaline going' and seems to enable the horse (pony) to utilise its glycogen store more effectively. Also 2 walks and 10 min halts seem to help better respiration recovery. I started competing with a clydesdale cross (some years ago now!) and she had a better recovery rate after 5 sections than after 3. (No, I am not a vet - there is no science just personal experience.) | ||
| Martyn Willis |
At National level NO we need to play the FEI 3 stage competition so that we are prepared for International competition. If clubs wish to put on 5 stage events that is for them and their members. I know of clubs who at times are unable to raise more than one steward for an obstacle let alone find 4 more for the start/end of section. I would however suggest that we should look at in an effort to increase the importance of the marathon stage, by increasing section A and E speeds by 1KpH. this might reduce the number of turnouts seen walking between the obstacles which is normally because they have lots of time in hand. The other thing I think we should do particularly at the National Championships is to put the advanced classes through a trot up before the competition starts thus aligning the event more to a CAI event. | ||
| Patti Atkinson |
Should the UK organise 5 section marathons? Following on from the percentage thread - would a lot of the discussion be made redundant if marathons were tougher again? At last years conference I think it was agreed that a 5 section should be organised. It didnt happen at national level but the North East have just done one at Escrick. PLEASE can we have some more? (AND PLEASE dont use the argument that you need more stewards - yes you do - but only 4 more!) |