Haras du Pin Hub
Located in Normandy, Haras du Pin is the site of the French National Stud, known as the 'Versailles for Horses'. Founded by Louis XIV in 1715 as his royal stud, the aim was to breed better and more efficient horses for transport, agricultural work, the military and the needs of the Court of Versailles. Today, the site covers more than 2,500 acres and includes training centres and a school that offers courses in a variety of equine trades, including saddlery and driving. It also hosts the National Equine Semen Conservation Centre and the National Institute for Agronomic Research, plus the headquarters of various breeding associations. The venue is no stranger to international eventing, reguarly playing host to the FEI Nations Cup series, in addition to race meetings at the La Bergerie racecourse.
Haras du Pin last held an Eventing European Championship in 1969, when Britain won team gold, Mary Gordon-Watson took individual gold with Cornishman and Richard Walker took individual silver with Pasha.
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When are the brits riding?
Saturday 12 August – Cross-country (revised times due to start moved to 14:00 local, 13.00 BST)
- Kitty King Eventing and Vendredi Biats – 14:32 (13:32 BST)
- Yasmin Ingham Eventing and Banzai du Loir – 15:32 (14:32 BST)
- Tom McEwen Eventing and JL Dublin – 16:16 (15:16 BST)
- Laura Collett Eventing and London 52 – 17:00 (16:00 BST)
- Tom Jackson Eventing and Capels Hollow Drift – 17:20 (16:20 BST)
- Ros Canter Eventing and Lordships Graffalo – 18:00 (17:00 BST)
Details on how you can follow all the action are listed below.
The squad
Click on each of the thumbnails below to find out more about the athletes and horses who make up our eventing squad.
Latest news
Stay up to date with everything that's happening in Haras du Pin here, or via our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter feeds.
Results and timings
All results and timings are available to view via World Sport Timing. The start lists will be updated once the running order draw takes place on Wednesday 9 August.
Daily schedule
| Date |
Activity |
UK time | Local time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weds 9 August | First horse inspection | 12:30 | 13:30 |
| Thurs 10 Aug |
Dressage – session one Dressage – session two |
10:00–12:00 14:00–17:00 |
11:00–13:00 15:00–18:00 |
| Fri 11 Aug |
Dressage – session one Dressage – session two |
10:00–12:00 14:00–17:00 |
11:00–13:00 15:00–18:00 |
| Sat 12 Aug | Cross-country | 11:00–16:00 | 12:00–17:00 |
| Sun 13 Aug |
Second horse inspection Showjumping – session one Showjumping – session two Prize-giving |
9:00 11:00–12:30 16:00–16:00 14:00 |
10:00 12:00–13:30 14:00–15:00 15:00 |
How to watch
All the action will be available to stream live with English commentary on FEI.TV via a subscription to ClipMyHorse.TV. Click here for the full schedule.
At this time, BBC Sport has not confirmed if they'll be showing any coverage of the event. If this changes, this page will be updated accordingly.
Keep an eye on our social media feeds for the ride times of each of our British combinations.
Competition structure
Eventing is a three-phase competition that's often likened to a triathlon. It's run over a period of four days, and tests a horse and rider combination's athleticism, bravery and harmony. Nations can field a team of three or four combinations (with the three best scores counting), and they may also field up to two individual combinations who aren't part of the team competition. Medals are available for the highest placed teams and individuals.
Before the start of competition, all horses are trotted up in front of the ground jury to ensure that they're fit to compete.
DRESSAGE (DAY ONE AND TWO)
All combinations complete a predetermined test of movements in front of three judges. The judges award marks out of ten for each movement and, after combining the scores to give an overall percentage score, the score is then converted into penalty points (the higher the percentage, the lower the penalty score). For example, a percentage score of 70.00% becomes a penalty score of 30.00.
CROSS-COUNTRY (DAY THREE)
Competitors tackle a course of around 40 solid obstacles, which can include logs, ditches, water complexes, drops and corners. Penalties are incurred during this phase for a refusal, a run-out (at a fence), not passing between the flags on an obstacle, activating a frangible device, or for exceeding the time allowed, and these are added to the combination’s dressage score. A fall of horse or rider results in elimination.
SHOWJUMPING (DAY FOUR)
Following a vet inspection to ensure that all horses are still fit to compete, the remaining combinations take on a short course of colourful fences. Penalties are added to their score for knocking down an obstacle, refusal at a fence, or exceeding the optimum time. Riders can be eliminated for a second refusal or a fall.
The individual winner is the combination with the smallest number of penalty points accrued across the competition. In the team event, the scores of the three best-placed team riders from each nation are added together to calculate the overall result.
Previous FEI European Championships success
Want to know how the British team has fared at previous Eventing European Championships? Check out our handy table.
