Kentucky started 38 this year I believe.
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A while back, in order to move up from Prelim to Int. level, you needed 4 Prelim MERs. They didnât need to be as a pair. To do a 3*L, an additional two MERs at Int. plus two FEI events (a CCI2-L and CCI2-S or two CCI3-S).
Int. To Advanced was similar. To do a 5* you only needed a 4*-L and a 4*-S.
Now, there is talk of requiring MERs at 1* level to go on to 2* (though I doubt that will occur right away). There are increased requirements through the board and each increase means more time and more money for a horse/rider pair to complete to qualify. If you arenât a Categorized rider, this adds up. And your MERs now fall off the table after 4 years.
You now need two 4*-L with MER in order to do a 5*. Given how few 4*-L there really are, especially with North American geography, it might take a pair 2-3 full years to put all their MERs together at Advanced/4* level before theyâre even qualified for a 5*. Then they have to get their horse to the 5* - continuing soundness, finances, etc. all have to line up for one weekend. Now at least there are two opportunities a year, Kentucky and Maryland. But itâs still a big ordeal to get there if you arenât a Category A rider.
Itâs not surprising that a lot of the field isnât there given the above, and the Covid years which seriously impaired qualifications and probably finances for those âalso-ransâ that made up a huge part of the field.
One-horse amateurs in the past decade or so were struggling to even get enough points to be allowed to run at Badminton - not only did they have to qualify, they also got balloted in descending order of points. However this yearâs running didnât have a wait list, and neither did Burghleyâs. I presume thatâs partially a result of the above factors.
The last point to make is that 4* is now the championship level, so people trying to make teams have incentives to skip the 5* (and even 4*-L) and try to get bigger or more consistent results at 4*-S instead.
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the MD5* is a new event, just on itâs 3rd year, so may not be on a lot of international ridersâ radar yet, not to mention even if they did want to come would they get the funding to make the trip? Iâve been to Badminton the past 2 years and this past May I heard more talk about the MD 5* there, the commentators and some spectators talked about it some which I think is great. one of ways these events succeed is with spectators attending - so for those who can come, please do - poo-pooing the number of entries doesnât help the future of these events.
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In general, horse management-wise, I think one has a better chance of gearing up after an off-season to make a 5* at Ky than have enough horse left at the end of the season to make Md. In the off-season people are forced to lay up. In the summer, itâs hard to sit on the sidelines with a fit, sound horse to save for later when something like an ill-timed foot abscess blows up all those plans. And riders trying to stay competitive need to be out there eventing. So people naturally compete when their horses are sound and healthy and some are still sound and healthy enough to do a 5* by October, but lots of them arenât. So I think the timing doesnât lend itself to the larger entries you see at Kentucky.
One thing that Pau has for American riders is crowds and craziness and a plane ride. So if youâre an American rider shooting for an international team spot with a newer horse, flying overseas and competing in that environment is a necessary part of that horseâs education. You canât replicate that by a van ride and a relatively serene setting like Md.
Also, thereâs been bad luckâTammy lost 2 of her new-to-the-level 5* horses in a year (Fleeceworks, California). Others have been sidelined. And riders with a shot on the Paris Olympic team with a proven horse are focusing on that, and a 5* in October is an unnecessarily tough and risky ask. So lots of reasons this year, I think, why numbers are down.
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Well at least youâre raising him right!!
Luke 140 is no longer on the list for Boyd. I hope Luke is OK. He is so
Much fun to watch and seems to love cross country.
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Did Luke also fall when Boyd fell?
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I think Boyd is going to Pau. I do not know who is on his list, but I would imagine it would be Luke and Bruno. Boyd withdrew all his horses after his fall.
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He was riding Contessa when he fell. She (and Bruno) are entered in the AI at ESDCTA this weekend. I thought Luke was too but he isnât on the entries now.
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Iâm excited by the radio for $15 that gets the official feed. Now I donât have to set up my ipad with sketchy connection!
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Does this give you the commentary? Do you book in advance or get it there?
you can purchase it as an add on to your ticket.You pick it up on your way in.
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Piggy has the same horse entered for Pau, along with;
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Well the weather forecast for this weekend is not pretty 
it takes a beautiful day and a steady supply of cocktails to get DH to come along and do his Christmas shopping for me! We have had rain so many Saturdayâs 
Itâs 2 weekends away.
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Hahahahaha. Oops 
Yes so far weather is looking great 
you just scared the crap out of me as I already double booked us for other things this weekend AND we have 5* tickets for XC 
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Any word on course walks?
Response from the event office yesterday:
âSome competitors may be offering course walks, but there is no formal course walk being organized by the event. We will promote individuals course walks on social media as we are made aware of them.â
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