STARK MAKES HIS MARK AT BRAMHAM
Bramham International Horse Trials' new cross country designer Ian Stark has unveiled his two courses for this year's event (3 - 6 June 2010). Not shy of change, Ian has, with significant help from the Estate staff and builder Gary Podmore, reversed the direction of the courses, incorporated a number of natural parkland features and introduced a number of new fences. In his riding heydays, Ian was one of Britain's best as a winner of Badminton on three occasions and with a collection of four Olympic medals, but his focus is now on course design. In the last six years, he's been involved with courses in Ireland, the USA and in Britain but Bramham will be his debut CCI*** track.
The CCI*** and Bishop Burton College Under 25 CCI*** course features 29 fences with 37 jumping efforts and measures approximately 6,000 metres and should take about ten and a half minutes for the competitive combinations to complete. The CIC*** course is slightly shorter with 23 fences and 32 jumping efforts.
Fences one, the Askham Bryan College Opener and two the Yorkshire Post Viaduct, are straightforward enough to get the horse's focused on the task at hand. The third, the Rhombuses offer a choice of route to get the riders thinking before the imposing Minster Jaguar Leeds Launch at four before horses get their feet wet for the first time at the Dickinson Dees Water Complex with a choice of options.
Two fun fences at seven, the British Horse Feeds Trakehner and eight the Yorkshire Dales Ice Cream Parlour will set combinations up before one of Ian's new tests, the Savills Sequence at nine where communication between horse and rider will be tested to the full for a clean route through.
Horses can open up to fences 10 and 11, the Saw Bench and Fulmart Feeds Hay Wagon and make up some lost seconds before steadying down for another new test, the Equi-Trek Round House which will require bold riding. Through the area of the park called Lord Bingleys on to a brush fence at 14 before another accuracy test, the double of corners at 15. Bramham House is the star attraction at fence 16 where the Joules Clothing House View will provide a fantastic photo moment.
After some rolling terrain to contend with comes a new water fence, the Tuffa Boots at 17 and 18 which has tested the builder's skill to the limit. Back into Lord Bingleys for the Smiths Gore Leap of Faith (not for the fainthearted) at 19 before the three-effort Woodheads Seeds Trio - simple for those still concentrating, a long way round for those not willing to risk it.
The Barrels at 23 bring us back into the main park and over the Land Rover Double accuracy and balance test after which the Carter Jonas Footbridge comes at the bottom of the hill. The finish is just five efforts away but no time to relax as the Double of Hedges at 26 will test stamina. On to the Generator Power Palisade and the end is in sight. The Poskitts Carrots Roll Top still requires jumping and on to the Final Flyer to complete the 29 fences.
Equally important as the route, design and build of the cross country has been the going for the horses and much work has been put in to ensure the best possible footing including a programme of watering, rolling, mowing and aerovating.
Ian Stark commented; "It's an honour and a privilege to be involved at Bramham and in such glorious parkland. The Event and Estate have given me tremendous support in my first year and I hope I have produced a course to live up to Bramham's reputation with the riders, owners and spectators. I've tried to combine the old and new - big galloping fences and technical lines to make the riders think. Bramham will always have a special place in my eventing memories having won here four times. Little did I think when I rode here in 1979 I'd be back 21 years later as course designer - where did all those years go?"