What is an "Accumulator" jumper class?

[Chef_Jade]

In my 30+ years of showing, I have never actually competed in one, and have one coming up at my next show. I searched the USEF rulebook, and while there are references to an Accumulator class, it doesn’t actually describe what that is. Also nothing in the prize list.

TIA, I like to know what I’m getting myself into.

[Darkwave]

I always thought it was another name for Gambler’s Choice. Pick your own course, each jump has a stated value and can be jumped no more than twice. I’m not certain, though - hopefully someone else can confirm or correct.

[PNWjumper]

I think the rules can be rather loose depending on the level of the show, but yes, an Accumulator class is typically run the same way as a Gambler’s Choice. Pick your own course, each jump is worth a certain amount of points, and there’s typically a joker-type fence at the end that adds to your total if you clear it and subtracts from your total if you don’t.

[caryledee]

Accumulator is FEI’s term for Gambler’s Choice I believe.

[SolarFlare]

I checked our EC rules for Canada, as we’ve got “Accumulator” and “Gambler’s Choice” as two separate types of competition. It appears our Accumulator class is over a set course:

FEI ARTICLE 269 ACCUMULATOR COMPETITION

1. This competition takes place over 6, 8 or 10 obstacles with an
   increasing difficulty. Combination obstacles are not allowed. The
   increasing difficulty is not solely due to the height and spread of the
   obstacles, but also to the difficulty of the track.
2. Bonus points are awarded as follows: 1 point for obstacle No 1 not
   knocked down, 2 points for No 2, 3 points for No 3, etc. with a total of
   21, 36 or 55 points. No point is awarded for an obstacle knocked down.
   Faults other than knock-downs are penalized as for Table A.

There are a few other rules about whether you run round one against the clock, have a jumpoff, etc. Gambler’s Choice is pick your own course.

[eclipse]

I’ve ridden in Accumulator classes and they’ve been how SolarFlare described them… a set course with each fence being worth a set number of points. All the Gamblers Choice courses I’ve ridden in you’ve been able to “make up” your own course with fences worth a set number of points and each fence you can usually jump anmx of twice, many times from either direction

[Alterrain]

You are mistaken.

An accumulator will have a set course, lets say 8 jumps. Each jump cleared has a 2 point value, each jump knocked down has a 1 point value. The course will be relatively easy, straight line rollback etc… You have a set amount of time to jump your course, lets say 60 seconds. So you jump 1 through 8 then start at 1 again. (8 and 1 will be set in a manner that makes sense for this.) When you hear the tone indicating time is up you jump the next jump. This jump will both stop your time and be your final points. The person with the most points in the quickest time wins.

[CustomDesign]

That sounds fun!

[PNWjumper]

[QUOTE=Alterrain;8873997]
An accumulator will have a set course, lets say 8 jumps. Each jump cleared has a 2 point value, each jump knocked down has a 1 point value. The course will be relatively easy, straight line rollback etc… You have a set amount of time to jump your course, lets say 60 seconds. So you jump 1 through 8 then start at 1 again. (8 and 1 will be set in a manner that makes sense for this.) When you hear the tone indicating time is up you jump the next jump. This jump will both stop your time and be your final points. The person with the most points in the quickest time wins.[/QUOTE]

I’ve ridden in a few over the years and they weren’t run that way, but that sounds like fun!

I went back and found a video of one that I did, and there was a set course (9 fences). In this one there was an option fence at about half of the fences (plain fence to the right, coop/water/box/other scary obstacle to the left). My assumption is that there was a point for a plain fence and two points for the scary/bigger option (or something to that effect). And then there was a joker fence that was optional (and much larger) as fence 9. So maybe this show ran a loose format “Gambler’s Accumulator” lol! Also, at least at this show, you weren’t allowed to keep going after fence 9.

[SolarFlare]

[QUOTE=Alterrain;8873997]
You are mistaken.

An accumulator will have a set course, lets say 8 jumps. Each jump cleared has a 2 point value, each jump knocked down has a 1 point value. The course will be relatively easy, straight line rollback etc… You have a set amount of time to jump your course, lets say 60 seconds. So you jump 1 through 8 then start at 1 again. (8 and 1 will be set in a manner that makes sense for this.) When you hear the tone indicating time is up you jump the next jump. This jump will both stop your time and be your final points. The person with the most points in the quickest time wins.[/QUOTE]

You’re describing a hit-and-hurry class, not accumulator. The EC rules I posted shows Accumulator is a single round over the course, with each jump progressively more difficult and worth higher value.

Here’s the Hit-and-Hurry:

FEI ARTICLE 267 HIT-AND-HURRY COMPETITION

1. In this competition, instead of being eliminated at the first fault, the
   Athlete gets two points for an obstacle correctly jumped and one point
   for an obstacle knocked down. Combination obstacles are not allowed.
2. This competition takes place with a fixed time of 60 to 90 seconds (45 seconds indoors). Disobediences are penalized by the time lost by the
   Athlete, but two disobediences and the first fall stop the Athlete. In this
   case, the Athlete will be placed last of the Athletes who have obtained
   the same number of points.
3. The winner of the competition will be the Athlete who at the end of the
   fixed time has acquired the greatest number of points in the fastest
   time.

[Engage]

Our accumulators are also run as SolarFlare describes (we are under FEI regulations).

The course is set up out of 9 jumps, with a prescribed line of jumping. Jump 1 counts 1 (or 10) points, jump 2 counts 2 (or 20) points, jump 3 counts 3 (or 30) points and so on. Jump 9 will have two options, a normal fence at or under the prescribed height with nothing “scary” or tricky about it - this jump counts 9 or 90 points. Then the second option is the Joker - this is a higher jump, normally 10cm higher and can have a scary aspect to it, like a water tray or fillers etc. The Joker counts for double points, so 18 or 180 points.

For every jump you jump and leave up, you get those points. If you knock a jump, you don’t get those points. A full house (cleared all the jumps and chose the Joker) is 56 or 560 points. If more than one competitor has 56 points, then first place goes to the fastest time and so forth.

(Sidenote: the higher figures are just multiples of 10. Not sure why some places do it like that, but it is done.)

[grandprixer]

[QUOTE=CustomDesign;8874028]
That sounds fun![/QUOTE]

:yes:

[Alterrain]

ah. Apologies!