Holly Jacks-Smither and one-eyed Favonious Nite won North America’s inaugural running of a CCI1*-Intro at Foshay International in 2018. The event was one of only 12 worldwide that offered the level that year. Photo by Joan Davis/Flatlandsfoto.
The new CCI1* level hasn’t seen too much play on the North American calendar to date. Foshay International in New Brunswick was the first North American event to offer it after the FEI introduced it in 2018 (as a CCI*-Intro), followed by The Maryland Horse Trials and Virginia Horse Trials this year. With fences set at 1.05 meters and comparable to the Modified horse trials level, the level is ideal for horses and riders looking to make the move up to international level who might not quite be ready for a CCI2* yet.
Two years after its inception, the 2020 North American event calendar offers 11 opportunities for qualified horses and riders to try their hand at the level.
Jan. 17-19, 2020: The Grand Oaks Horse Trials (Weirsdale, FL)
March 27-28, 2020: Designer Builders Stable View Horse Trials (Aiken, SC)
April 2-5, 2020: The Fork at Tryon International Equestrian Center (Mill Spring, NC)
April 9-12, 2020: Ocala International 3-Day Festival of Eventing (Ocala, FL)
May 21-24, 2020: VHT International & Horse Trials (Lexington, VA)
July 3-5, 2020: The Maryland Horse Trials at Loch Moy Farm II (Adamstown, MD)
Sept. 3-6, 2020: Foshay International (Gagetown, New Brunswick)
Sept. 24-27, 2020: Stable View Advanced Horse Trials (Aiken, SC)
Oct. 1-4, 2020: Spokane Sport Horse Sixth Annual Fall Horse Trials (Spokane, WA)
Oct. 29 – Nov. 1, 2020: VHT International & Horse Trials (Lexington, VA)
Nov. 21-22, 2020: The Grand Oaks Horse Trials (Weirsdale, FL)
You can view the complete list of 2020 FEI and Advanced Horse Trials at U.S. Eventing Competitions here.
Thinking about taking aim at a CCI1* this year? Here’s a bullet-point list of what you need to know:
- Format: CCI1* is a unified format competition, meaning it may take place as a Short or Long format as to the order of tests and horse inspection requirement.
- Eligibility: A course may compete in 1* competitions from the beginning of the calendar year in which he reaches the age of 5. With permission from USEF, an Athlete may compete in a 1* competition from the beginning of the calendar year in which he or she reaches the age of 12. Horse and rider must be registered with USEF and FEI.
- Qualification: Both the competitor and the horse, though not necessarily as a combination, must have achieved 1 MER at the Preliminary level or higher in the 12 months before the competition. A MER is achieved by completing the horse trials with a score of not more than 50 in dressage, no jumping penalties cross country and not more than 90 seconds (36 penalty points) exceeding optimum time, and not more than 16 penalties at obstacles in the show jumping test.
- Dressage Test: 2018 1* Test
- Cross country: A height of 1.05m (3’5) for fixed obstacles and 1.25m (4’1″) for brush is permitted. The course is a minimum of 2,000 and maximum of 3,000m (4 to 6 minutes), with a minimum of 20 and maximum of 25 jumping efforts. The speed is 500mpm.
- Show jumping: A height of 1.10 (3’6″) is permitted, with 10-11/12 obstacles across a distance of 600m and a speed of 350m.
View the FEI Rules for Eventing here and the USEF Rules for Eventing here.
Go Eventing.
