| Author | Message | ||
     Martyn Willis Username: Martynw Registered: 10-2006 |
Karen, read Cathy Willis rather than Martyn. Cathy's the better half so she tells me... | ||
| Karen Blair-Imrie Username: Karenb Registered: 02-2007 |
Hi, all, I looked again at the Intermediate class list, but, since I only drive in Scotland, I don't recognise many of the names. Someone who knows the English competitors could better see which folk are in both the intermediate outdoor and the indoor classes. Of those few that I do know, one had an accident so no longer drives in trials, one tried indoor events but found that the horse didn't like it, and two are still competing indoors and outdoors, one in the open indoors and the other in the novice indoors. I see that the winner of the 2006 novice pony indoor championship, Sharon Redfern, is also on the intermediate pony list. There are just too many English events for me to search through for other names. Martyn, I wasn't suggesting that there should be an intermediate indoor class. I was just asking about qualifications for indoor open, given that there is now an outdoor intermediate. Also I'm a bit confused by your message - it seems that you are saying you will be driving in the intermediate class in 2007, but I don't see your name on the BHDTA qualifiers list between 2004 and 2006. When did you drive in the novice class? And I'm very sorry that I misled you about the cones speeds! I haven't been in the novice class for a few years now, and obviously speeds have increased since my day :-) They used to be 220 m/min; the new intermediate class is 230 m/min, the same as the 2006 novice speed. I don't have my rule book to hand (somewhere in the lorry gathering mould I should think), but the 2006 rule changes state: "43) (Cones) Revised speeds – BHDTA have been using these in 2004." So 2004 must be when the faster speed came in (?) I completely agree that anyone aiming at national novice outdoors should drive the big hazards before competing at the novice championships. That is one area in which I fear novice qualifiers will let novices down. Hazards at club events are almost always (at least in Scotland) small and tight (St Fort event being the notable exception, as it was a national event for a few years so has a lovely dressage/cones arena and at least 6 national-standard hazards.) Big hazards are long and tiring for horses, and the course may be hilly. If all a novice has experienced before competing at the national championships are short hazards on the flat and little/no water, he/she will be ill-prepared for what awaits at Windsor. However, indoor events have much to offer the aspiring novice. The quarter-size dressage arena is an excellent training ground for any driver. Recently, I told a horsey e-group I belong to about the indoor dressage arena. Most of them are American Hackney drivers, and they were appalled. No one thought it even possible that big horses could be driven in such a small space. A few weeks later, one woman contacted me again. She said she'd laid out an indoor arena in her field (copied from this website) and started practicing. It was only then that she discovered just how stiff and resistant her horse was! Karen | ||
| Martyn Willis Username: Martynw Registered: 10-2006 |
Ok Mike I've taken the bait. Being from what we can see, being the only people doing outdoor intermediate as Intermediate competitors this season but hopefully others will declare their hand. If we had not previously qualified and competed at the indoor championships, we would expect to compete in open indoors. Because of our experiance gained outdoors at Nationals. Irrespective of this we think that there is no need for an intermediate class indoors as both groups drive the same test, cones and obstacles at the same speeds and paces. Novices hoping to qualify for the National Championships (level 2) should take the oppertunity to drive the club classes at those Nationals who are putting them on. All the best for those who have qualified for the championships and we look forward to Intermediate competition outdoors in 2007. Martyn & Cathy | ||
| Mike Watts Username: Mikew Registered: 10-2006 |
Karen, I wondered if you knew any outdoor intermediate competitors who were thinking of going into Indoors - see what they think - or maybe they'll read this? As far as I can see, those people on the 2007 outdoor intermediate list who drive indoors are all (?) already open or multiple indoors? This might tell us something. Regarding the outdoor classes - I wasn't sure what you were saying about the cones speed. As far as I can see, the 2006 outdoor Novice cones speed was 230 m/min. In 2007 we'll have Novice: 220, Intermediate 230 m/min. When we were doing novice qualifiers we liked having the choice of going to some at nationals -novices who'd like to see what nationals are like can still do the club classes which will be run alongside the nationals at least at Brighton, Sandringham and Normanhurst, maybe others, though they won't be qualifying events. | ||
| Karen Blair-Imrie Username: Karenb Registered: 02-2007 |
Hi, The new National Intermediate class is causing a lot of confusion in the outdoor driving world :-) Simply put, it is really the old National Novice class with a harder dressage test and faster cones (230 m/min). Qualification takes place at club level now, in the new National Novice Singles class (also the official qualifying class for the National Novice Championships). So really very little has changed. New singles drivers still start at club level, progressing from pre-novice (think 'grassroots' or 'newcomers'), through novice, to club open and/or national novice. This all happens at club events. Now, the first time a driver will compete at a national event is in the national novice championships, or in the national intermediate class. The BHDTA have drawn up a list of those drivers in the 2007 intermediate class; it's on their website. It is made up of national novice competitors from the past 3 years. So, if the new 2007 indoor driving rules stipulate that an open competitor must come from the open BHDTA class, then nothing has changed. However, as the new BHDTA dressage test and cones speeds are harder than they were for national novice, it might be appropriate for Intermediate competitors to also be placed in the indoor open class. A close comparison of the indoor open and outdoor intermediate dressage tests and cones speeds might be one way to decide. But of course that's something for the committee to ponder :-) Karen | ||
| IHDTC Office Username: Ihdtcoffice Registered: 01-2003 |
To answer all questions on the Rules for Indoor HDT. We are in the process of producing a New Rule Book!! The new rules will be sent to all 2007 - 2008 Members. Otherwise rules are unchanged for the rest of this season. | ||
| Mike Watts Username: Mikew Registered: 10-2006 |
Karen - that's a good question. Usually the rules are discussed at a meeting at Keysoe finals as well as here and then updated for next season...so it's a good idea to get issues aired now. What do you think should apply - I'd imagine Intermediate outdoor competitors should be open indoors, but maybe it would be better if only Open and Advanced outdoors automatically become Open indoor? Mike | ||
| Guest Username: New Registered: 12-2006 |
Hello, all, I'm a new member from Scotland, where I occasionally take part in indoor driving competitions with my Hackney mare. I also drive in HDTs. I would like to know what effect the new Intermediate class will have on the indoor rule regarding Open competitors. The rule says: OPEN: Competitors who have competed in open classes in BHDTA national horse driving trials competitions or that have qualified for a novice class at a National Indoor Horse Driving Trials Final. Will this rule now include Intermediate competitors? Thanks very much, Karen |