Diving into Disciplines: Eventing

As we mentioned in our post this past Monday explaining the BreyerFest theme for 2025, Cheers to 75 Years will celebrate the many equestrian disciplines that have been a part of the Breyer brand over the years. Some of these disciplines include Show Jumping, Reining, Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Vaulting, and Endurance. Without real horses, Breyer would not have the models that fans collect today – the horses themselves are what we celebrate! Tighten up your girths and secure your helmets as we gallop into the world of equestrian disciplines.

On Wednesday we introduced you to our 2025 Celebration Horse, Tight Lines, who was a 5* Eventer at the height of his career. With that, there is no better way to kick off this series than with Eventing! Originating from military tests for calvary horses in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries, Eventing has become one of the most well-known international equestrian sports, testing riders and horses on endurance, agility, obedience, stamina, and athleticism over various terrains and obstacles. Rules have evolved over time, allowing this sport to become more accessible and safer for both horses and riders.

Eventing combines three disciplines – dressage, cross-country, and show jumping – over the course of three days. The first day usually consists of dressage, where horse and rider pairs must execute a sequence of movements in an arena. Pairs are judged on balance, rhythm, suppleness, and the execution of each movement. The lower the score in this phase, the better.

W.H. Topgun, courtesy of Nancy Kilcrease

The second day consists of the cross-country phase. This tests the horse’s speed, endurance, jumping ability, and bravery over a variety of solid obstacles and natural terrain. Horses must be fit enough to endure the complicated, fast-paced courses, and riders must be tactful enough to be able to control the pace without expending their horse too quickly. Each pair must complete the course in the time allowed, also known as the "optimum time." The objective is to complete the course within the optimum time without penalties. Penalties such as refusals, running past a jump, or going over the optimum time all result in points being added to the pair’s dressage score. (Remember, the lower the score the better!)

Tight Lines in 2023, courtesy of Liz Crawley Photography

The third day consists of show jumping. This final phase tests the horse and rider’s stamina and recovery from the demands of the cross-country phase the day before. The pairs complete a course of colorful fences in an arena and must do so within the time allowed. Unlike the solid fences faced out in the field, the jumps in the arena are lightweight and consist of poles and planks which are often easily knocked down. These courses test the rider’s ability to be exact, as a penalty (refusal, knocked down rail, or going over the time allowed) will result in points being added to their score. At the end of the competition, the horse and rider pair with the lowest score wins!

Eventing has gained popularity in America and top eventers such as Will Coleman, Boyd Martin, Buck Davidson, and Phillip Dutton have helped propel the sport into the public eye. Big events such as the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event draw people from all over to watch these super athletes and their horses compete. The best part about Eventing is that any horse and rider combination can do it, and there are many different levels for all abilities, from starter levels all the way up to advanced!

Breyer has acknowledged the accomplishments of many eventers that have graced the top of the sport. One famous eventer Breyer has immortalized is "super pony" Theodore O’Connor. This chestnut Eventing superstar's portrait model was released in 2008 on our Phar Lap mold (#90), sculpted by Chris Hess. "Teddy" captivated people from around the world and helped introduce new fans to the world of Eventing. People came from all over the world to see him jump obstacles that were bigger than he was!

Leave a comment on who your favorite Breyer Eventer is below! Keep following the BreyerFest Blog to learn about our next discipline.