Get the lowdown on this fixture from Eventing magazine's horse trials guide — including what riders say about the event, plus vital statistics
Date: Wednesday 6 — Thursday 7 May 2015
Organiser: Mr Wayne Rodwell
Contact: 01926 318313 (in advance) / 07716 152943 (during the event only); wprodwell@warkscol.ac.uk
Location: Warwickshire
Entries open: 1 April
Ballot date: 15 April at 12 noon
Entries close: 26 April
Link to Moreton Morrell (1) entries: www.britisheventing.com/moretonmorrell1
How to get there
Half a mile from the Fosse Way and adjacent to Moreton Morrell village, easy access from the M40.
What the organisers say
Zara Phillips opened Moreton Morrell’s new therapy centre in 2014. The centre has a state-of-the-art water treadmill and cold water spa. The secretary and scoring will be in this new building, in the main equine centre area close to the showjumping and tradestands.
The dressage arenas are sited on the campus arboretum, a well looked-after area with the lovely backdrop of Moreton Hall. The warm-up has good going and improved space. This will be agri-vated if needed.
The showjumping is in an all-weather outdoor arena. Course-designer Martin Cox makes good use of the 40x100m arena and creates encouraging courses.
The cross-country courses are flowing and run over undulating parkland and mature turf. The ground has undergone a long-term treatment scheme to improve the going. Every effort is made to ensure good going. The track is run over with a Joskin machine when required, and will be agri-vated prior to the event if necessary.
All courses have a mix of permanent and portable fences that are solid and inviting, and include water, banks and steps. The aim is for them to be educational and fun, while asking suitable questions at each level.
What the riders say
Dressage & showjumping — “Busy enough dressage area with inexperienced stewards — timings went a little out of the window!” “The dressage is always on the flat, but you can see and hear the cross-country as the horses gallop through the water! This can sometimes put horses warming up on edge.” “The ground has got better over the past three years.” “Showjumping is on a super surface with a nice big warm-up which is also on a surface.” “Good track for the BE100.” “The idea and layout should mean it should run well, but there are always hold-ups.” “They warm-up under cover and then go outside — these things may make a difference?”
Cross-country — “The cross-country has always run in the same direction over similar fences, but they do make an effort to change things.” “The ground has got better and they do prepare a lot more.” “The warm-up is quite small with only two tiny logs in.” “The horses quite often nap going away from the start as the first fence is quite a way past the warm-up.” “It’s a lovely event but could do with a bit of updating.” “A good one for first-timers and young horses.”
Percentage of cross-country clears 2014
ON: 81%
N: 80%
BE100 Open: 82%
BE100: 81%
BE90 Open: 84%
BE90: 78%
Download part one of the horse trials guide for just £1.49: Eventing horse trials guide part one
Buy Eventing magazine’s March issue for our full horse trials guide detailing every event from March to June 2015 or purchase a digital copy of the guide here. The second half of the guide will be in our April issue (on sale 20 March) and online to buy digitally after publication