F E AT U R E
The right time to level up Part of the fun of competing is acing your current level and moving up. The trick, says CHRISTINE ARMISHAW, is to know when the time’s right.
H
ow do you know when it’s
Ready or not?
truly time to step it up a
In eventing, Minimum Eligibility
level? Generally speaking,
Requirements (MERs) are an additional
the rule of thumb is to be competing at
set of tools at your disposal. I spoke
a level below the one you’re currently
with 5* Technical Delegate (TD) and
confidently training at. That way, when you go out to ride a dressage test or enter the show jumping ring, you are
Chair of the Equestrian Australia National Eventing Committee Des Hughes on the matter. He explained that from EvA95 up, the general rule is
comfortable in the knowledge that this is
the horse and rider, as a combination,
familiar territory.
need to complete a set requirement of
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three MERs before becoming eligible to move up a level. “Generally, two of those MERs have to be clear of cross country faults and one can have twenty penalties,” Des explained. On top of this, the combination also has to achieve a particular dressage percentage and meet certain show jumping requirements. “If you have more than twenty jumping penalties, you’re not allowed to go cross country,” says Des, calling to attention a recent rule change to the show jumping phase. However, Des believes that just because you’ve achieved three MERs and can move up, this does not necessarily mean you should move up. “The more experience you have at a certain level, the more confidence you’re going to have going up to the next level,” he says. “There’s nothing wrong with sticking round and getting five, six, seven or even eight MERs at a particular level before you move up if that’s where you’re comfortable.” I personally had a case with a green horse I was eventing who already had two good qualifying MERs at his current level, so only needed one more under his belt to move up. After a break he came back in a bit looky and a little
