27 October 2000

High-Tech Eventing Seeks Pet Industry Sponsorship

Two day eventing leapt into the 21st Century earlier this month with the first ever Grand Prix 'Jump Cross' meeting held at Grange Farm Equestrian Centre in Wittering Grange, the headquarters of the new equestrian time-trials team sport. Jump Cross is held over cross-country terrain with knock down fences. It is developed around the ideas used in both Formula 1 motor racing and World Motor Rallying. It has attracted entrants and a great deal of interest from the previously separate worlds of show-jumping and cross country eventing. British International Show Jumper, Tim Brown said "Jump Cross offers many safety factors which will prove a big draw to the show jumping competitors, especially those who were indecisive about riding cross country, they will be able to ride with real confidence." The inaugural event which was sponsored by the RAC, saw the first real test of the rules of the new sport. Jump Cross teams consist of two licensed riders. Their aggregated times around a (roughly 2km) course with time penalties for knocked down poles, make up their overall team score. Teams competing in the events purchase annual licences at a set fee of £25 per rider. With event entry fees costing from £20 per rider for Group 3 riders, (group levels run from Group 3, through 2 & 1, up to Grand Prix level), it is hoped that this system will attract team sponsorship from SME's and businesses local to an event aswell as corporates. Unlike traditional cross country eventing, Jump Cross courses are relatively short which means that spectators are able to see around 80% of the action from the main marquees and trade stands. This helped the organisers to attract TV coverage for this month's opening Grand Prix which is planned for broadcast on Sky Sports on the 8th & 9th of November. The sport's co-founders Robin Dunlop and David Hutchinson teamed up with the financial and course expertise of Terry Lucking to become directors and equal shareholders of TDR Ventures Ltd to begin work on the Jump Cross idea in February of this year. Talking about the Grand Prix event, Robin Dunlop said: "The competition went extremely well, around 90% of our plans for the event worked out. We are reviewing the rules and structure of Jump Cross to take into account the comments of the riders. We had some top names entering the competition". Concern around safety issues has always been high in cross country eventing and the nature of Jump Cross, with knock down poles and time penalties goes a long way to address this. Mr Dunlop acknowledged that the sport is in a developmental stage, but went on: "We designed the poles ourselves and they seem to have worked, I think the sport could perceivably be seen to be safer than cross country". High-tech developments for the immediate future include helmet mounted microphones linking riders to the rest of their team and use of e-commerce and IT to simplify procedures including live on line competition results linked to international betting. The Jump Cross website www.jumpcross.com is itself under development but carries some useful information about the development of the sport, its rules and contact information. The organisers are actively seeking backers and are looking at the pet industry in particular as a source of sponsorship. Margot Sly, of Jump Cross said: "The major cross country events like Badminton have been sponored by large pet food companies in the past - such as Pedigree. We are looking at larger sponsors to support Jump Cross events in 2001". The next Jump Cross event is expected in spring 2001, though planning the competition around the existing equestrian calendar may prove tasking. If they manage it - and everyone at Jump Cross was very upbeat about things when we spoke, then with some worthwhile prize money, we should be seeing some spectacular and tactical horse riding in the new year. For more information on Jump Cross telephone: 01780 782356 Copyright 2000 Steve O'Malley (UKPets). This article may be reproduced with permission of the author and correct attribution to the source.