Hartpury Deputy Vice-Chancellor Rosie Scott-Ward as she catches up with course builder Dominic Moore ahead of this year's NAF Five Star International Hartpury Horse Trials inc. British Eventing National Championships

Tindle News

Transcript

00:00Hi, I'm Rosie Scott Ward and I'm Deputy Vice-Chancellor here at Hartbury University and Hartbury College

00:04and I'm here with Dom from Jump One and we're here to talk to you about our international horse trials

00:10including our two, three and four star event alongside the British Eventing Nationals.

00:15Dom, you've had a busy few weeks getting the ground and the course up to speed.

00:20What are you up to today with your team?

00:22So, we're incredibly fortunate this year that I think I've been involved with the course here for seven years

00:30and over that time, Hartbury every year have put the most phenomenal effort into their ground

00:35and providing the very best ground for the time of year.

00:38This year, we've stepped that up a notch.

00:40We now have the maintenance department involved who are responsible for all the rugby pitches,

00:47football pitches and do a phenomenal job on those

00:50and they've now come over to help us pick that up to a whole new level.

00:55So, over the past three to four weeks, they've built up a consistent moisture content in the entire course.

01:02We've now got it a little bit on the good side of good

01:05so we can play with that throughout the fourth coming two weeks

01:10to give you the best possible footing available.

01:14What amazes me is the amount of science we use to inform the decisions that we're making with all the water.

01:18I know we've been quite careful recently about using the water very targetedly.

01:24We've backed off using the water guns as much and using the bowsers much more.

01:29What's the advantage of that, Dom?

01:31So, I think this year especially, we had a similar scenario three years ago

01:36but interestingly, when there was a very, very dry year,

01:39interestingly this year, I think they've actually produced an even more consistent result so far.

01:44We're obviously only allowed to take a certain amount of water each day and throughout the year.

01:51By using the tankers, it means that we can target it more directly and more consistently

01:57and not use as much water.

01:59Yeah, and it's brilliant because we've got people coming in to test the ground

02:03to make sure it's consistent right the way across.

02:05So, we're really confident, aren't we, that come cross-country day on Saturday and Sunday

02:09we'll have the best possible ground and the most consistent.

02:12I would say, unless it rains for two weeks between now and the horse trials, 100%.

02:16Obviously, it's not just about cross-country, although two of our favourite days here at Hartbury.

02:22This year, we've also invested in Family Fun Zone, so much more for younger kids to do while they're here

02:28both on the Saturday and Sunday.

02:31Not only do we have the cross-country going on, we've also got the show jumping happening at Main Equine,

02:35a whole range of places to eat, a few shops.

02:39So, really is due to be a weekend for everyone, whether you're horsey or local.

02:44Fancy coming around, having a look around the event or around the campus.

02:49Please come and join us, second week in August, cross-country's 9th and 10th,

02:53and hopefully we'll see you then.

02:55See you then.

Category

Transcript

Recommended