A new eventing game where fans have to predict outcomes while choosing whether to follow their gut or the data has proved a hit.
The EquiRatings Stacks app, created with SAP Sports, is a strategy game, played in real time and influenced by the competition as it happens.
It was launched on 23 June for the Arville leg of the Event Rider Masters series and already has 400 downloads.
The aim is to get the most correct answers in a row to build your “stack” as high as possible. Players can choose to answer every question, or play tactically and stick to just the questions they feel sure they can answer correctly.
Questions are based on the live event as it takes place, with examples such as: “Kincooley Cruising (Tim Price) has two rounds at this level. One clear and one down last time out. Will they keep the poles up?”
The app is free to download and play, with a leaderboard showing how you compare to others, including your friends and top riders who are playing along at the same time.
The Arville game had a first place prize of an iPad, which was won by Jill Elliott with a stack of nine.
“It’s really good fun,” EquiRatings managing director Diarmuid Byrne told H&H. “It gives fans a way to really engage with the live action.”
He added there is so much activity on social media during events that they wanted to give people another way to engage with the sport as it is happening.
“The reason we decided to link it to what we do is people love it when we make predictions and get them wrong,” said Diarmuid.
“What we have been able to show in the past two years is there is a lot of value in following data when you are trying to predict what happens next.”
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Two poles down for Tom Carlisle and Upsilon proved one of the major “stack busters” of the weekend, with more than 90% of players and the statistics predicting a clear round.
“People tell us all the time ‘you can’t predict everything based on numbers’ and ‘we know things you don’t’,” added Diarmuid.
“So we wanted to find a way of engaging with them and the live action where people could show us whether they are as good as they say they are.”
With another iPad available for the winner at Barbury (7-8 July), the game is on.
Click here to view the app in the Google Play app store and here to find it on iTunes
In this week’s Horse & Hound magazine, out on Thursday 28 June 2018, don’t miss our full report from the Hickstead Derby meeting, including all the showjumping and showing action, plus don’t miss our six-page report from Royal Ascot.
We also have a feature on the much discussed whip rules across the disciplines and in this week’s ‘Vet clinic’ we find out how to spot the signs of sand colic.
