Riders voice support after cross-country safety innovations used for first time

Thoresby’s broadly frangible cross-country course was met with positive views from top riders at the Eventing Spring Carnival (report, p50).

Course-designer Stuart Buntine showcased the new era of frangible designs ahead of the event (news, 27 March), which were used for the first time in competition at Thoresby.

The new-look fences use existing MIM technology, as widely seen on frangible tables. Experts have found ways to incorporate the frangible “parallelogram” chassis into a host of different types of fences that look less “Meccano-like” and have a more traditional aesthetic. These featured alongside existing deformable and non-frangible designs.

Grantham Cup winner Tom McEwen said knowing certain fences were frangible did not change the way he rode them.

“None of us aim to have an incident, but if it’s there, it’s brilliant,” he said, also praising the course layout and how the fences were dressed, which he said helped the horses read each question.

Laura Collett, who won the other CCI4*-S section with Dacapo and was third in the Grantham Cup with London 52, echoed Tom’s thoughts.

“I had a pin on the mare [Bling] and I didn’t feel like she really did anything wrong or made a mistake, but that’s just the way it’s going to go – one day it will be that it does save a fall, and you’ll be grateful. If it saves a life, it’s worth it,” she said.

Gemma Stevens had four CCI4* places with her rides. She also picked up 11 penalties for activating a frangible device with Flash Cooley – it cost them a four-star win, but Gemma was unequivocal in her support.

“It’s brilliant. We need to be safe,” she said. “Although it’s annoying to have a pin, it is what it is, and it might have saved a fall for me, so I’m grateful.”

The full Thoresby report will be in the 3 April issue of Horse & Hound

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Lucy Elder

H&H senior news writer

Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.