Sounds interesting. I wonder what percentage will drop dressage vs show jumping.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=webhp&rct=j&url=https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/british-eventing-allows-riders-to-drop-showjumping-or-dressage-phase-883320&ved=2ahUKEwiNloD7-aCLAxVLGTQIHdGSBBwQlqQCegQIAhAB&opi=89978449&usg=AOvVaw3fDSpCZJ0MNmFF23rVXorO%20/httpservice/retry/RecordUserActionsService/RecordUserActions?reqpld=[null,["0;Cj8YA1IWCglzdG9yaWVzLmYQBBlP2%2B8z8cPY5VoTCI2WgPv5oIsDFUsZNAgd0ZIEHHgBuAGup7SZ3%2BzgvyrYAQE\u003d"]]&xsrf=ADGYL6nfadEprOZvpo1Q_5FXyDeNNMOn7A:1738360623136
Two questions
- How is this different from a Combined Test?
- How do they break ties?
Love it: I’d definitely compete in that event to avoid Hateful Dressage 
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No idea how they would break ties (and really no idea how they would score a dressage vs jumping effort). The difference I see from the Combined Test is that you have a choice.
I do not know about British rules, but under US rules, a Combined Test is any two phases. It is set by the organizer, the rider doesn’t “pick any two” But there is nothing stopping the organizer from offering BOTH a “dressage + cross country” Combined Test AND a “show jumping + cross country” Combined Test. But I do not see how you could score it if BOTH are in a single section.
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My concern is that many BE Events are already so busy they run from very early to very late. The BE rules allow a maximum number of competitors per day and people are often balloted out or sometimes an additional day is put on. I can’t see where/how these new tests fit in. Also, being a purist, Eventing is a three phase sport: missing one out isn’t Eventing. It’s “combined training”.
I’ve never seen anyone offer a CT with cross country as one of the phases, but I’d love to have that as an option for training purposes. My young horse needs more exposure to XC in a show environment and it’d be nice to be able to do that at a lower cost and without the extra jumping efforts from stadium.
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https://news.britisheventing.com/british-eventing-launch-xc/
Called XC+
“Standard rules for each phase apply, ensuring consistency with regular BE events, although the dress code for XC + is more relaxed…There will be no official scoring during the initial trial period, but as the trial progresses, a scoring system will be developed and tested to add a competitive element.”
CDCTA (northern Virginia) has run a combined test with cross country at WinGreen in Rhoadesville VA. The format has changed a bit over the years, but it definitely includes cross country. If you are interested, send me a message, and i will give you the email of the organizer.
Also, most of the unrecognized Horse Trials will let you run just two phases, though obviously you won’t be in the official results.
WinGreen is a bit far for me but that looks like a great event, I’d love to find something like that closer to home. We have a lot of options for unrecognized Dr/SJ combined tests running alongside the horse trials, just no XC.
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Even if they don’t offer it as such you could always ask the organizer for permission to skip the SJ phase.
@dmveventer if Surefire is closer for you, they had a couple of great cross derbies this fall that might fit the bill!
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I rode in the most recent one!
Very nice courses, a really fun challenge 
(To my mare’s relief, there was no dressage…)
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