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Courses and Rules
Panorama of the Show Jumping Ring at the Rolex Kentucky
Jumper classes are held over a course of show jumping obstacles, including verticals, spreads, double and triple combinations, usually with many turns and changes of direction. The purpose is to jump cleanly over a set course within an allotted time. Time faults are assessed for exceeding the time allowance. Jumping faults are incurred for knockdowns and blatant disobedience, such as refusals (when the horse stops before a fence or "runs out"). (see "Modern Rules" below) Horses are allowed a limited number of refusals before being disqualified. A refusal can also lead to a rider going over the time allowed on course. Placings are based on the lowest number of points or "faults" accumulated. A horse and rider who have not accumulated any jumping faults or penalty points are said to have scored a "clear round." Tied entries usually have a jump off over a raised and shortened course, and the course is timed; if entries are tied for faults accumulated in the jump-off, the fastest time wins.
Show jumping ring, Piste, France
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In most competitions, riders are allowed to walk the course but not the jump-off course (usually the same course with missing jumps e.g. 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 in stead of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) before competition to plan their ride. Walking the course is a chance for the rider to walk the lines he or she will actually ride, finding the fastest and best possible paths.
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Hunter-Jumper Course Diagram. |
The more professional the competition, such as "A" rated shows in the United States, or the international "Grand Prix" circuit, the more technical the course. Not only is the height and sometimes width ("spread") of an obstacle increased to present a greater challenge, technical difficulty also increases with tight turns and shorter or unusual distances between fences. Horses sometimes also have to jump fences from an angle rather than straight-on. For example, a course designer might set up a line so that there are six and a half strides (the standard measure for a canter stride is 12 feet) between the jumps, requiring the rider to adjust the horse's stride dramatically in order to make the distance.
Unlike show hunter classes, which reward calmness and style, Jumper classes require boldness, scope, power, accuracy, and control; speed is also a factor, especially in jump-off courses and speed classes (when time counts even in the first round). A jumper must jump big, bravely, and fast, but he must also be careful and accurate to avoid knockdowns and must be balanced and rideable in order to rate and turn accurately. A jumper rider must ride the best line to each fence, saving ground with well-planned turns and lines and must adjust the horse's stride for each fence and distance. In a jump-off, a rider must balance the need to go as fast as possible and turn as tight as possible against the horse's ability to jump cleanly.
Modern Rules
Rules have since evolved, with different national federations having different classes and rules.[2] The international governing body for most major show jumping competitions is the Federation Equestrian Internationale (FEI). The two most common types of penalties are jumping penalties and time penalties.
- Jumping Penalties: Jumping penalties are assessed for refusals and knockdowns, with each refusal or knockdown adding four faults to a competitor's score.
- Penalties for knockdowns are imposed only when the knockdown changes the height of the jump. If a horse or rider knocks down a bottom or middle rail while still clearing the height of the obstacle, they receive no penalties. Penalties are assessed at the open water when the horse touches the water or white tape with any of his feet. If a rail is set over the middle of the water, faults are not accumulated for landing in the water.
- Refusals: Refusals now are penalized four faults, up from three. Within the last several years, the FEI has decreased the number of refusals resulting in elimination from three to two, and this rule has trickled down from the top levels of FEI competition to all levels of horse shows (at least in the United States).
- A refusal that results in the destruction of the integrity of a jump (running into the fence instead of jumping it, displacing poles, gates, flowers, or large clumps of turf or dirt) will not receive four faults for the knockdown, but instead the four faults for a refusal and an additional penalty while the timer is stopped for the repair or replacement of the jump. A refusal inside a combination (one- or two-stride) must re-jump the entire combination.
- Time Penalties: In the past, a common timing rule was a 1/4 second penalty for each second or fraction of a second over the time allowed. Since the early 2000s, this rule was changed by the FEI so that each second or fraction of a second over the time allowed would result in 1 time penalty (e.g. with a time allowed of 72 seconds, a time of 73.09 seconds would result in 2 time faults).
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