Bramham reveals tests for horse and rider

Stark impressed in his inaugural year last year with a changed route, many new fences and a fresh design style. The addition of Olympic course builder David Evans has upped the ante and this year’s course should be the best yet.

Ian Stark said: “My debut course at Bramham last year went down well with the riders and spectators and I was pleased with the jumping statistics but there’s always room for improvement. David and his team have really brought the course to life with their amazing skill – they’re the best in the business with a chain saw! I’ve tried to continue with my style of encouraging bold riding with accuracy and judgment. The entries are strong this year with some of the best in the world and I hope I’ve produced suitable questions. Rest assured, those who go home with a clear cross country under their belts will know they have a special horse.”

The layout has undergone a re-vamp to improve traffic flow, safety for the horses moving around the Park and increasing space for some areas. The start and finish is now in the Obelisk Paddock beyond the West and Equi-Trek East Arenas so spectators will only have a short stroll from the trade stands to walk the course form the start.

The Welcome to Yorkshire CCI*** and Bishop Burton College Under 25 CCI*** course features 24 fences with 35 jumping efforts and measures approximately 6080 metres and should take about ten minutes 40 seconds to complete. At 3950 metres, the CIC*** course is slightly shorter with 21 fences and 29 jumping efforts.The first two fences, the Yorkshire Post Walled Garden (1) and the Sharecheval Saw Bench (2) are straightforward and get the horses going. The Carter Jonas Combination at 4 will be the first real test, sited with a downward ramp on the landing side so will give a big jump before a choice of route for the brave and those playing safe.

Highlight for many of the spectators will be the feature water complex at 8, the Dickinson Dees Beachside. A drop into the lower pond over a Lobster followed by a hanging log into the top water is a reasonable question. But, once negotiated, a couple of David Evans carved whales create a bit of a hazard.

Visit Bramham’s Facebook page to view pictures of the course preparations. For tickets and further details of the fences go to www.bramham-horse.co.uk.