Scoring for driving trials

[JackDaniels]

I went to a driving trials with a friend on Sunday - and I am quite confused as to how it is scored. Can anyone tell me how each part is scored (the dressage, the cones and the obstacles) and how you get your overall score?

[Wally]

Ask Esther.D that's her field of expertise!

[Esther.D]

To be honest I am too rusty to ask - in the few years since I have been competing regularly rules and things have changed. Try the BHDTA website ( http://www.horsedrivingtrials.co.uk/ )? Or Denbenj on here used to groom at the nationals so might know more up to date stuff than I do?

[JackDaniels]

I did have a look on the driving trials website, but i couldn't find a simple break down of how it is scored.. perhaps i am being dull and just completely missing it..
i thought it would be similar to a riding 3 day event - but the scores at the competition i went to were very high (200/300) so i doubt very much it is scored in the same way!!!!
the search continues..

[tazzle22]

I did have a look on the driving trials website, but i couldn't find a simple break down of how it is scored.. perhaps i am being dull and just completely missing it..
i thought it would be similar to a riding 3 day event - but the scores at the competition i went to were very high (200/300) so i doubt very much it is scored in the same way!!!!
the search continues..



ok will try......... INDOOR rules I know better and there are slightly different rules on the cones and marathon / obstacle phases for indoor and outdoor.


dressage ....or precision and paces as its called in driving trials..... marks out of 10 for each of 10 movements ........ this score is taken away from 100 (perfect mark LOL) which leaves you with your penalty score ( aim to have a FEW as possible !!!!

e.g you score 8's on all your moves ( pretty good :p ) and you score 20 penalties


cones ...... each ball you knock down is five penalties and there is an optimum time to complete the course .....if you meet that or below you are double clear ...... NO penalties. For each second over you get a penalty point. ( Outdoor I think you are penalised for going too fast as well as too slow ???)



obstacles ...... indoor you do four obstacles and the slower you are the more penalties you amass as each second in the obstacle is a penalty point ...... goes to 100th second so it can be VERY close :eek: )


So ......

add the penalties from P & P for fair to middling perhaps 30 ..... thats with no errors of course ( happens a fair bit) and no forgetting whip or groom getting off :eek: )


....to the time over for the cones ... have to move pretty smartish to get the time so at novice level say you get 15 for time and knock three balls down (also 15) ... total cones 30


obstacles INDOORS , say each obstacles is 45 seconds ..... and no knock downs ( the obstacles have tennis balls balanced on various bits of the obstacle and you get penalised for dislodging any balls)...... well lets be fair here its usually none or demolish the whole thing !!!!!


theres a total score of 240 penalties

You have to be pretty good at club level to get under 200 penalites and pre novice and novice can get 300 plus


Outdoor the marathon phase has times phases that have optimum times to complete them in ( if I remember right you have to be within for example 10 minutes of optimum time depending on pace )......... and an obstacle part where again the quicker you are the less penalties you acrue.


Well I hope this helps JD........ but it sticks far better if you go along to a few events , especialy doing like I do and steward at them .... or just go along and drive for fun and experiment ;)


eEther is right re rules changing ....... because "they" are tring to encourage more accurate driving rather than just speed ....... in the cones the penalty for each knock down went up from 3 to 5 this year .... makes a LOT of difference if times are tight, on a short indoor course not much opportunity to make up say 10 seconds :eek:

another change a lot of people seem glad to see is the class structure ......... rather than going straight form novie to open ... can now start at pre novice through novice and intermediate before open .......... much much better for inexperienced drivers like me ...... folk who might do very well at novice in small and not terribly experienced classes ...... then suddenly find them selves in open classes with folk been doing it for yonks ........

Woman at our club was desperate last week not to win her novice horse class for that very reason ...... she'd only done three indoor trials ever and because did well in them she could have found herself in open classes next season :eek:

[JackDaniels]

thanks tazzles.. that really helps!! and i can see how the penalty point can really build up!

[tazzle22]

glad to be of service ;)

[Denbenj]

Just found this thread..

Maybe try asking on the BHDTA forum for upto date information, I dont think theres anyone on the board here who currently compeats at the nationals!

I'll be there very soon ( oh when my horse is broken in, we have made it.. has more impulsion..and I have lots of money!!) so could be a long wait

heres the link anyway good luck!

http://www.horsedrivingtrials.co.uk/