Organizer Tip Sheets To help you get your event off to a good start

Transcription

1 Maine Combined Training Association (MeCTA) Organizer Tip Sheets To help you get your event off to a good start Contents: Introduction Chapter 1 Location, location, location Chapter 2 General Organization Chapter 3 Dressage Chapter 4 Stadium Jumping Chapter 5 Cross Country (Please direct comments or questions to Wendy Bellows, wbellows@bigelow.org) Created by the Maine Combined Training Association (MeCTA) 1

2 Organizers Tip Sheets Introduction Welcome to organizing an event! Whether it is a 2-phase or 3-phase Horse Trials, these sheets should help you out. These organizer tip sheets are NOT meant to replace the USEF Rules For Eventing (distributed by the USEA). The USEA rule book is invaluable to you and every organizer needs to have one and READ IT. The rule book may be found on-line at and/or you can order a copy from them for about $7. There is also a whole section on the USEA site just for Organizers. Check it out! You can also find helpful info in the MeCTA Omnibus and web site, (please note that USEA does not recognize Elementary, so has no rules for that level of competition. MeCTA does.) Organizing an event can be a lot of fun and/or frustration as the event nears. These sheets will help an organizer make sure the ABCs of holding an event are covered. The #1 word of advice to any newcomer to organizing an event is to ASK QUESTIONS! Ask other organizers, the MeCTA board, Technical Advisors, and experienced riders any questions you may have and listen to suggestions they make. This will help immensely from small details to obscure things you may not have thought of. Most people are happy to assist, so take advantage of it to ask and learn! Good Luck! Chapter one Location, Location, Location The most basic criteria when thinking about a 2-phase or Horse Trials is the layout of the property on which you intend to hold the event. Here s what would be ideal: A separate location for each phase (specifics come later): Nice flat Dressage area(s): 40x 20 meters (that s 66 x 132 feet) for the ring, with room for the judge s trailer, and a warm up area at least that big with decent footing. A separate area for Show Jumping (stadium) and for the jumping warm up. The stadium arena should be generous (50x 80meters or equivalent is recommended) with adequate footing. It need not be absolutely flat, but you or your course designer must know how to design on non-level terrain. Do not try to hold stadium in a dressage arena-sized space! Jumping warm up must be in a location separate from dressage warm up. Created by the Maine Combined Training Association (MeCTA) 2

3 Cross-country should cover nice terrain with good footing. A well thought out course over at least ten acres is desirable. Cross-country needs either its own warm-up space or a different time for warm-up than stadium. It s important to keep dressage and jumping warm ups separate, for safety reasons. Plenty of space for parking: Many events attract 40+ competitors so you need to prepare at least for 30 trailers, maybe more. There will need to be space between the trailers for horses to be tied out, and the area needs to be dry and easily accessible. Trailers should be able to get on and off the property easily. If you have a limited parking area, you may want to limit the number of entries to your event. That should be stated in your Omnibus listing. There should be signs directing trailers and cars to parking (usually cars are in one area, trailers in another to help avoid damage to cars and horses). Grounds should be neat and tidy with limited hazards (such as old farm equipment, etc) around parking areas and anywhere the horses will be. Parking should be well away from each phase of the competition, but still within easy communication distance, if at all possible. Water and toilet facilities should be near by. Renting a Port-A-Potty or two is wise and placing them near parking will help keep competitors happy. There must be water available for horses. If that is absolutely not possible, it must be clearly stated in the Omnibus listing. Signs (with arrows) within 3-5 miles of the event are encouraged and make competitors very happy, since they ll know headed the right way! Technical Advisors - It s a good idea to have a Technical Adviser (TA). These are trained volunteers who are there to help the event run smoothly and fairly. They are familiar with the rules and can answer questions for you, competitors, even judges. A TA will be automatically assigned to any 3- phase Horse Trials, and may be requested by for a 2-phase. Please make requests in a timely manner. Scheduling of TAs is usually done in May or June! Personnel and Equipment Needs: Chapter Two GENERAL ORGANIZATION Event Organizer: the master-mind and final decision maker for the event Secretary: this person will manage all the entries, will either do or assist with the scheduling, and will deal with competitors problems (withdrawals, late entries, lame horses, etc, etc, ETC) This is the contact person listed in the Omnibus, and will receive all the mail, phone calls and s. The secretary must be present at the event and should have a specific location where competitors can find her/him to check in and get information. Judge(s): for Dressage and for Show Jumping. For MeCTA events, they need not be licensed, but it is important that the Stadium Judge is familiar with the rules of Eventing. Created by the Maine Combined Training Association (MeCTA) 3

4 Technical Advisor (TA): from MeCTA (will be assigned to automatically to 3-phase events, may be requested for 2-phase events. Ask early!) Score Keepers: if possible, get two people for this job. They should be comfortable working with numbers. It is essential that scorers have an understanding of how scoring is done before starting the job. Scores must be posted for competitors to view; they must be prepared to willingly correct things if competitors find errors. For Dressage: score keepers need to be able to score tests promptly. Each scorer should initial each test as the final score is calculated. This ensures that each test is double-checked. To calculate dressage scores for Eventing, add the Good Marks for each movement and the Collective Marks. Deduct any Errors of Test. Divide this number by the Maximum Possible Good Marks (usually 200 for Eventing tests). Multiply this number by 100 and round to 2 decimal places. That s the normal dressage percentage score. Now convert to Penalty Points by subtracting that number from 100 and round to 1 decimal place. That is the Eventing dressage score. For XC: many MeCTA events elect not to time the XC phase. If you do, be aware that calculating time penalties for XC can be confusing (because seconds are not decimal). Be sure your scorers are comfortable with this before they begin! For Stadium: if your judge knows the current* rules and penalty assessments, the scorers need only add up the points and combine them with the previous scores. If the scorers have to figure out the penalties, they ll have a lot more work to do. Figuring time penalties for this phase is less complex than for XC, but the same issue must be kept in mind (that seconds are not decimal). *do check the current MeCTA Omnibus for stadium scoring. USEA changes scoring rules often. MeCTA offers some simplified options. Score keepers need: Master score sheets: for the scorer s use. Make sure you have enough for each division to be on a separate sheet. Poster score sheets (& location): Scores are copied from the scorer s master onto these so competitors and spectators can see the scores. Calculators: at least 3 (score keepers may prefer to provide their own, but extras are always a good idea). Pens and Pencils: numerous, with erasers and white-out or tape to correct errors. And a quiet place to work. Distracted scorers make more errors. Emergency Medical Technician or equivalent: A properly equipped EMT, paramedic or other medical personnel with CPR certification and training or experience in pre-hospital emergency medical care must be on the grounds during all jumping. This is a MeCTA requirement. No EMT = no jumping, or your insurance coverage will be withdrawn. Veterinarian: there must be a vet on-call during the event. On the premises is preferable. Farrier: there should be a farrier on-call during the event. On the premises is preferable. Parking Director: ideally you ll have someone who can direct cars and trailers to the appropriate areas (and make sure they go there!). It is helpful if this person is also familiar with a tractor or other vehicle that might be necessary to pull out anyone who gets stuck Created by the Maine Combined Training Association (MeCTA) 4

5 Food: Competitors and spectators will thank you if they can get food on-site. Find a local club that might be willing to provide this concession. At the very least, you should try to be able to offer beverages (coffee, cocoa, water, juice). Photographer: optional, but usually a welcome addition if you can find someone willing. PA system and Announcer: optional, but most appreciated by competitors and spectators. Cleanup Crew: for after the event. You don t want to have to do this all by yourself! Simplify this by having trash cans strategically placed. Smart locations are near trailer parking and near the food booth. Ribbons for each division. Some events offer low point dressage ribbons as well. Who will present them? Decide ahead! Competitor numbers and/or pinnies. You need one for each horse competing. Bridle numbers are fine for everything except XC, where the jump judges must be able to see the number from either side of the horse as they are galloping past. You may be able to borrow pinnies, or purchase singleuse number bibs, or even pin-on numbers on sheets of paper. Competitor s Packets: large envelopes for competitors containing show number(s) (bridle number and/or pinney), ride schedule or program, and maps of the cross country course(s). Lists of competitors by name and number. (one each for secretary, all 3 stewards, starter) NOTES: *Do check parking area, XC obstacles, judge s booths, etc. for wasp/bee nests. Kill or remove them before the event. *Do be prepared to send your final scores to MeCTA promptly after your event. You may send them with the TA (if you have one) or electronically to the webmaster. Check your MeCTA organizer info or Omnibus for the most current addresses! *Do plan to hold on to all scores from your event until the end of the season, in case there are any questions that crop up later NEEDS: Chapter Three DRESSAGE An area at least 20x40 meters or 66x132 feet (for a small arena), with enough extra room to allow at least 15 meters of space all around the outside, and that can be marked to keep spectators and other competitors from interfering with a test being ridden. measuring tape, either 150 or 50 meters in length. Need to do conversions? 1 meter = 3ft 3.37 (0.37 =3/8 ); 1 ft = meters Created by the Maine Combined Training Association (MeCTA) 5

6 Enclosure for the ring, at least 12 high. Plastic chain is the most common, though rails or pipe are not uncommon. Dressage letters: A, C, B, E, K, F, H, M. Shelter for the Judge ( booth ): This can be a horse trailer, a tent (well secured), or even a truck cab. It must have a surface for the scribe to write upon, as well as decent seating for judge and scribe. It must have good visibility for the judge. Each booth should be stocked with the following: o Score sheets - one for each rider, plus a few extras of each test (and one of each for the judge). Do remember that Dressage Tests are copyrighted, and must be purchased from the USEA. Order well in advance from the website. MeCTA Elementary tests may be downloaded (free) from the MeCTA website. o Pencils and erasers be sure there is at least one red pencil for marking Errors. o Clipboard to help keep tests in order and not blowing around. o Bell and/or Whistle for signaling the judge is ready for each rider. (make sure each ring has a different signal and that the stadium signal won t be mistaken for dressage and vice versa). o Refreshments drink (hot or cold) and snacks. A blanket (if it s chilly) and flowers are a nice touch, as well. o List of competitors with number, name, division, and time of each ride. Dressage judge(s) (see Chapter 2) Scribe(s) - The scribe is someone who will record the judge s comments and scores. They should have some knowledge of dressage and good handwriting. Dressage Steward(s) (an assistant is helpful, too). -The dressage stewards manage the warm-up area. They check bits and equipment (such as whip length-they ll need a measuring device- and bandage use), notify competitors when it is time to go from warm up to the ring, and answer competitors questions. Stewards must know what they are looking for when they do their equipment checks in the warm-up area. They need to know which bits are legal and illegal, that whips may not exceed 110cm (43.3 ) including lash, and that the horse may not wear any kind of boots or wrap into the test. The Dressage Steward (or an assistant) should make sure that the ring is closed while tests are being ridden. However, if the steward forgets to close the gate, then all the tests for that division must be ridden with the gate open. Runners These people move tests from Judge to Scorers and bring the Judge and Scribe anything they need. (such as fresh pencils, snacks, drinks, etc). Runners should be made aware ahead of time that the judge and scribe are offered food or drink on the house. Setting up a dressage ring: When planning the layout of the ring, try to take into consideration where the sun will be with regards to where the judge sits. It s very hard to see while staring into the sun for any length of time. The arena itself must be 20m x 40m. See any USEA or MeCTA Omnibus for a diagram of the dressage ring. The letters A and C bisect the short ends, 10 meters in from each side. B and E bisect the long sides, 20 meters from each end. The distance from the corners to K, F, H, M is 6 meters. The distances between K and E, E and H, M and B, B and F are 14 meters. The letter A must be spaced Created by the Maine Combined Training Association (MeCTA) 6

7 back far enough so it does not obstruct a smooth entry into the ring (at least 5 meters). The gate at A needs to be 2-4 meters wide. The judge s booth at C needs to be 5 meters (16 ) back from the edge of the ring, and their seat needs to be at least 20 above the ground so they can see properly. The judge s chair should be in line with the center line. If possible, you should have adequate space around the arena for competitors to ride completely around the outside and by the judges booth. If that is not an option, riders may be allowed to warm up their horse in the dressage ring after the competitor ahead of them has completed their test and before the bell/whistle has sounded for them to commence their test. Competitors are NOT allowed to warm up around the immediate area of the ring while a test is in progress. Decide before hand how warm up will be conducted and be consistent, giving everyone the same conditions for warm-up. Make sure the TA checks out the arena(s) for dimensions and letter placements Scheduling: The average ride time for most tests in small arenas is about 4 minutes. When you do the dressage scheduling, plan to start each competitor six minutes apart. (Do check the test sheets, though, for ride times. Plan for at least 2, maybe 3 minutes between each test s end and the next one s start) Every 60 to 90 minutes, give the judge a ten minute break. If your dressage rides extend much past noon, give the judge enough time for a stretch and bite to eat (on the house of course!) If you find the dressage is running late, you may be able to catch up a bit during one of the planned 10min breaks, if the judge agrees. NOTES: Do not hand out any dressage tests until after the division has closed and you know that no ties need to be broken and/or no competitor has filed a query or complaint NEEDS: Chapter Four STADIUM JUMPING Stadium area: ideally a space at least 50x80 meters (~165x265feet) or equivalent, which can be enclosed. Temporary posts and fencing tape works fine. A closeable gate is recommended. The footing may be sand or grass and need not be level. Do be sure your course designer knows how to work with uneven terrain! Warm-up area: this space should be near the stadium area and must include 3 warm-up jumps: a X-rail, an oxer, and a vertical. You need at least 8 standards and 7 rails to build these fences. Have extras available in case of breakage. Remember that the warm-up area gets more traffic than the stadium area does! Make it as large a space as you reasonably can. Plan to flag all fences so they are jumped in the same direction. EQUIPMENT for SJ: Created by the Maine Combined Training Association (MeCTA) 7

8 Standards: ideally, you should have standards with wings. Wings make a jump more inviting and rider friendly. For standards without wings, you can use material such as barrels, hay bales, or any solid, safe formation to create wings. Make sure they don t sway in the wind and are well secured in place. Rails: preferably 12 long. 10 rails are acceptable, but are not as inviting. If jumps are built of only rails, you will need at least 3 rails per fence for 3 3 height, plus a ground rail. Smaller fences can be built with fewer rails. Jump cups: preferably plastic for safety reasons, and/or cups with plastic pins which will break if too much force is put on them. Use pins so they face away from the direction the jump will be approached, to help avoid injuries. You must use shallow cups for planks or panels with flat ends which won t fall easily from normal jump cups. Fillers: Fillers can cut down on the need for rails. Barrels, flower boxes, panels, coops, brush, hay bales and such can help fill in the base of a jump that would be too airy otherwise. Just be sure they won t move on their own if a horse bumps them (such as unsecured barrels might). Use only hay bales that are tightly bound so that no horse can get entangled in the bale and twine. Flags and Numbers: Every fence (including warm-up) must be marked with red (on the right) and white flags. Picnic plates are adequate. Unflagged fences may not be jumped! Each fence on the course must also wear a number, which should be placed on the right hand side of the fence. Start and Finish markers: Red and white flags and signs that designate the start and finish of the stadium course. Ideally, Start should be 6-25 meters before the first fence; Finish should be meters after the last fence. The signs and flags may be fastened to cones, barrels, standards, whatever is handy. No matter what, they must be plainly visible and should not require fancy riding to get to (e.g. no sudden sharp turns just to get to the finish!) Course Map: a large piece of posterboard or cardboard with a schematic map of the course should be posted near the in-gate for competitors to see. Make sure it is posted early enough in the day so that riders have ample chance to walk the course before they must ride it. If you are really organized, consider putting a smaller copy of the map into each competitor s packet. Maps must include the location of the start and finish as well as each fence (with number and basic description) with arrows showing the directions they are to be jumped. Measuring tools: you will need at least two tapes or sticks marked for the desired heights, one for warm-up, one for the course. PERSONNEL for SJ: SJ Steward(s): someone to manage the warm-up (there must never be any unsupervised jumping!) and get people from warm-up to the in-gate at the proper times. They will need a list of the riders names and numbers and the order of go. Stewards should also check equipment (for example, there may be no whips more than 30 long used in jumping, and only running or irish martingales are allowed). They will also be responsible for setting warm-up fences to the appropriate heights. Riders are not allowed to warm up over fences more than 4 higher than their competition height. This person (or assistant) should also be responsible for opening and closing the gate to the jumping area for each competitor. Created by the Maine Combined Training Association (MeCTA) 8

9 SJ Judge: this person must be familiar with current show jumping rules. Be sure they have access to a current copy of the USEA and MeCTA rules. They will also need a whistle (or bell, but a whistle generally works better) to signal start and stop to competitors. Scribe: someone to record scores for the SJ Judge. They will need pencils, a calculator, and stadium score-sheets. (you can get these from USEA or make your own) Timer: if stadium is to be timed this person times each round from when the rider crosses the start, to when they cross the finish line. They will need a stopwatch. (the judge will need a stopwatch, too, to keep track of any times-out for jump rebuilding, etc). Jump Crew: a team of people who will help to set the course and change it between divisions, and re-set any fallen rails between riders. They should know how to measure jumps (see below) OR standards may be pre-marked so they know where cups need to be for each division. Division Specifications for Show Jumping: Effort is equivalent to each jump. A double combination has 2 jumping efforts, a triple three jumping efforts. Elementary requires 8-12 jumping efforts and may have one combination of one or two strides (24 or 33 ). Maximum height for Elementary is 2, maximum width is 2 3. The Elementary course should not exceed 400 meters in length. Beginner Novice requires 9-11 jumping efforts and may have one combination of two strides (33 ). Maximum height is 2 7, maximum width is 2 9. A Beginner novice course should not exceed 450 meters in length. Novice level requires 9-11 jumping efforts and should have one combination. The maximum jump height should be 2 11, maximum width is 3 3. The length of a Novice level course should not exceed 450 meters. Training level requires jumping efforts. It should contain either two doubles or one triple combination. There must be at least 2 fences combining height and width (oxers). Heights should not exceed 3 3, and width should not exceed 3 9. The length of a training level course should not exceed 450 meters. Measuring jumps in stadium: If you are on level terrain, measure height at the center of the highest rail of the jump. On uneven terrain, measure height from approx 3 4feet in front of the jump, where the horse would take off. That means that jumps set on a hill will measure higher or lower than you might think, depending on if they are being jumped up or down hill. Width is measured from the front of the front rail to the back of the back rail. Combination distances must be measured from standard to standard on both sides of the fence, so they will be even. Don t forget that all stadium jumps must be constructed so they can fall. All rails must be supported in cups. All coops, brush boxes, roll-tops, etc, must have rails above them that can be knocked down. Designing the courses: This is a skill. Find a knowledgeable person to help you! A few basics: o All jumps must have a solid ground line, which should be rolled out at least slightly for Novice and below to increase the ascending nature of the jump. Created by the Maine Combined Training Association (MeCTA) 9

10 o The first jump should be inviting and toward the in-gate, if possible. o Never use a downhill approach to the first fence. o Try to make the course flow smoothly from jump to jump. There should be a logical route. o When building courses in an arena, avoid placing jumps too close to corners. At least 35 away is a reasonable rule of thumb. If possible, have a rider who is not competing in the event test-ride the course. Make adjustments to the course as needed. Scheduling: Avoid assigning exact times for Show Jumping, just give general start times for each division. For planning purposes, each stadium round usually takes 2-3 minutes to complete, so you can estimate being able to get 10 rides done every half hour. Be sure to allow time between divisions for re-setting the jumps and for riders to walk the course. NOTES: If running stadium last (or at a 2-phase), bring copies of all scores to stadium (along with the scorer) so you can pin the divisions promptly Chapter Five CROSS COUNTRY For cross country the ideal is an area of rolling terrain, as dry as possible, with the option of a water obstacle. Areas with holes or excessive rock should be dealt with. Fill in the holes, dig up the rocks, and/or mark the areas to be avoided. Any pavement must be covered with a generous layer of gravel, sand or cocoa matting. Designing the courses: Designing XC courses is even more of an art than stadium is! Consult an experienced designer or, at the very least, an experienced event rider (someone who s ridden at a higher level than you re designing for) A few basics: o Jumps should be at least 16 wide, inviting, and straightforward. Jumps may be narrower IF they have wings, either natural or constructed. o Ditches and water should ideally have a 20 wide face. o All fences at Training and below must have true ground lines. Ground lines should be rolled out somewhat to increase the ascending nature of any vertical jumps, especially those being approached downhill. Ground lines must be secured so they will not move if struck. Division Specifications: Elementary courses should be between 1200 to 1800 meters in length and should not be timed. Heights not to exceed 2 and width not to exceed 2 6. Number of jumping efforts: Beginner Novice courses should be between 1400 to 2000 meters in length, mpm. Heights not to exceed 2 7 and width not to exceed 2 9. Number of jumping efforts: Created by the Maine Combined Training Association (MeCTA) 10

11 Novice courses should be between 1600 to 2000 meters in length, mpm. Heights not to exceed 2 11 and width not to exceed 3 3. Number of jumping efforts: Training courses should be between 2000 to 2400 meters in length, mpm. Heights not to exceed 3 3 and width not to exceed Number of jumping efforts: Training is the first level at which combinations are allowed on XC. NEEDS: EQUIPMENT for XC: A measuring wheel, in meters or feet, but you ll need to be able to convert to meters. MeCTA has one of these. Contact the TA coordinator to arrange to borrow it. Flags & Numbers: Red flags on right, white flags on left, and corresponding colors for each division numbering each fence. Numbers (colors) go on the right. Flags can be made of wood or plastic or even plastic plates. Paper plates are not recommended due to their tendency to turn to mush in wet conditions. Start and Finish flags and signs are also required. Jumps: Building safe XC fences is another skill that is more complex than it may seem at first. All fences must be able to support a horse hitting or landing on them, so the horse will not get hurt. Plan to use 2 thick lumber and consult an experienced builder. Do remove sharp points and rough edges from all jumps. No fence should have gaps that a horse s foot could get stuck in. The general rule of thumb is that spaces 3 and smaller are safe, as are ones larger than 20. Gaps opening downward (upside-down V shape) are safe because gravity will draw the leg toward the larger opening. Jumps built with logs should be roped together, rather secured with wire. Ropes are more easily cut in case of emergency. Please ask for help before you begin building on your own! Warm-Up Area and Fences: ideally, the warm-up will be close enough to the start that the steward and starter can see each other and riders can keep move quickly to the start area. Otherwise, radios will be needed to keep things flowing smoothly. There must be at least 3 fences in the warm-up area: a X-rail, an oxer, and a vertical. Each fence must be flagged (red on the right) and all should have ground rails. Be sure to have extra rails and standards available in case of breakage. Do not have stadium and XC competitors warming up in the same area at the same time! This is dangerous. Jump Judge Books or Sheets: these are pages set up for jump judges to record rider numbers and the results of attempts at their obstacle(s). Ideally, they are filled out with carbons (in case one copy gets lost). You need to plan one line per competitor and at least one page per division for each jump on your XC course. Clipboards or similar: for backing the jump judge sheets. Pieces of cardboard can work, too. Pencils: for the jump judges to use in filling out the jump judge sheets! Boxes of golf pencils can be bought cheaply and work well. Maps of the courses: these should be posted as well as included in each competitors packet. They should show the basic route of the course and list the distances and speeds and times (optimum and limit). Created by the Maine Combined Training Association (MeCTA) 11

12 Stop Watches: if this phase is to be timed. You ll need at least 2 watches (one for Start, one for Finish) and they ll need to be synchronized. 2-way Radios: these can be borrowed from MeCTA and will come with your TA. PERSONNEL for XC: Warm-up Steward (and helpers): this person monitors the warm-up area and sends people to the start box at appropriate times. They will need a list of competitors (numbers and names) and a measuring device to use when re-setting warm-up fences. Starter/Start Timer: someone to give competitors a count-down and tell them when they may start on XC. They will need a list of competitors (numbers and names). If you are timing this phase, this person will also record the start time for each rider. You will then also need a Finish Timer: someone with a clock synchronized with the Start clock, to record the time each rider crosses the finish. Jump Judges: ideally at least one per jump. These people will record any refusals or falls at the XC obstacles. They should also be able to call or signal to the EMT or vet in case of emergency. They will need briefing before being sent out on the courses*. Avoid using young children alone at jumps. Always pair them with an older, more experienced person. * your TA should be able to do your jump-judge briefing for you, if desired. Sheet Collector: this person goes around between divisions picking up each jump judge sheet from each fence and taking them to the Scorers. It s a good idea for this person to go out stocked with extra pencils and jump judge sheets, in case they are needed. A Golf cart or an ATV is perhaps the best way to accomplish this job, but someone on a calm horse could do it just as well. Repair Crew: prepared to take care of any repairs needed on the course from replacing a flag, to rebuilding a broken jump. Scheduling: plan to start riders every 2 to 3 minutes for Training and Novice and even Beginner Novice. You may want to allow more time between Elementary riders. You don t want to have too many horses out on a course at any one time. NOTES: The warm-up area and some parts of the course may need to be mowed before the event. You need not mow the entire track of each course, but very long or thick grass should be cut, especially in the take-off and landing areas of obstacles. Errors and omissions may be laid at the feet of Wendy Bellows. Jan Thanks to Gail McCormack for suggesting this project, and to Beth Ruksznis for invaluable editing. Created by the Maine Combined Training Association (MeCTA) 12