Caitriona Murphy

CROSS-country course designer Captain Mark Phillips has endorsed the new MIM clip system and frangible pins to improve the safety of cross-country courses but insisted that the greatest aid towards safety is the respect riders have for the fences.

While safety has long been a concern in eventing, the tragic deaths of two event riders in cross-country accidents in Germany and Britain only hours apart earlier this year brought the subject into sharp relief.

German rider Benjamin Winter (25) and his 10-year-old gelding Ispo had a rotational fall on course at Luhmühlen in June, resulting in fatal injuries to the rider. The same day, Canadian-born Jordan McDonald (30) suffered fatal injuries at Nunney International Horse Trials in Somerset, England.

Speaking at the launch of plans to re-vamp the course at Luhmühlen, Phillips said: “I use both the PIN and MIM systems in Europe and North America. They are both useful devices in certain situations. We are working on developing a frangible system with certain types of brush fences, although the brush itself is a semi frangible medium.

“It is impossible to make equestrian sports 100% safe. All we can do is to use and introduce systems that can help make the sport safer and site fences and use materials in a way that again makes fences as horse friendly as possible.”

He added: “The greatest aid towards safety is the respect riders have for the fences, so we are always trying to find the balance between the fence that is forgiving and yet still taken seriously by the riders.”

Also speaking at the Luhmühlen 2015 launch, German coach Hans Melzer was in favour of safety devices.

“I think it’s good that we can rely on these systems for certain obstacles, spooky fences or verticals for example. Personally, I think the MIM system is more practical. After it has been triggered, it can be folded back easily without great expenditure of time and without having to stop the cross-country phase. Hedges are also great when difficult questions are being asked of horses and riders on the course,” he said.

However both agreed that communication was essential for the safety in eventing.

“The exchange between riders, officials, coaches and designers has never been more open. Views and opinions are never discarded out of hand but always considered in detail by the relevant parties,” said Phillips. “It is also understood that the rider on the best horse and the rider on the worst horse will have a totally different view of the same fence. That is why it is important to get the considered opinion of all parties.”

Luhmühlen changes

In addition to the expansion of safety systems already in use, the course direction will be reversed for 2015, a move which will require plenty of scheduling.

“Because the area for the cross country is quite small, there are quite a few circles and places that the cross-country course crosses itself. We just needed to be certain that it was not possible for two horses to meet when on four-minute intervals or ‘catch up’ three-minute intervals,” said Phillips. “We then had to re-think the ‘balance’ of the course and ease of coverage for TV and also how to use the existing fences so not to impact the budget more than necessary. The groundwork is complete. We have improved the gallop track in the woods and the ground around Meßmer. Building the new fences indoors will take place in the winter and outdoors in the spring.”

The Meßmer pond will sport a totally new look for the 2015 event.

“The Meßmer Water has been the same and has not changed very much from the days I rode at Luhmühlen in the 1970s and 80s. The new look will provide much better viewing for spectators and give me many more ways in which we can utilise this central part of the cross-country course,” promised the designer.