Thank you and reflections on the Chedington Bicton Park 5 Star Horse Trials

There is no doubt I wanted the Chedington Bicton Park 5 Star to be my magnum opus for 2021; with that in mind I was determined to take camera #1, the Sony PXW-Z190, rather than camera #2, the NX80. The NX80 is lighter and more comfortable on cross country but the Z190 allows me to use my field monitor and film at 4K 50fps with auto ND. While for Cirencester in the Spring I had carried the Z190 on a tripod, for Bicton, expecting a bigger crowd, less time and warmer conditions I carried the Z190 and SWIT monitor plus remote on a monopod. I don’t think I hit anyone with the monopod although one lady with a push chair had to take evasive action!

Setting off Saturday morning
©Harveywetdog

The first thing I have to record is my deepest thanks to the teams at Bicton and JB Promotions for allowing and facilitating my attendance at the event and at the course reveal. I've written previously about the course preview afternoon and where best to spectate on Saturday which meant I set off with an idea of how I was going to video the cross country. 

 

The Cunning Plan!
©Harveywetdog

My basic plan was to divide the course into four zones and allocated 8 combinations to each zone. Okay there were only 31 combinations in the end but you get the idea. The photograph shows how I divided up my day; I knew I wouldn’t have time to get all the way round with only 31 riders on a 5 Star track so I concentrated on key areas and some general views (GVs) for the fences I missed. I recorded the GVs Saturday morning with the NX80 on a tripod. I missed fence 25 so I went back for that on Sunday morning. Luckily the fence still had the flags in position although a lot of the fence dressing had been removed.

 

Before the start I was standing in the shade with one of the producers representing a well known equestrian TV company when they said “look at the beautiful markings on that horses legs” and I had to explain it was grease. In fairness they did say that they were out of their comfort zone?

Blue skies, cool arm band and camera #2
©Harveywetdog

 

I started in the start and finish area although I had to wait until horse 3 until I saw a horse finish. David Doel’s horse did seem to be labouring as it got back to the NFU water and although it slipped on the flat just before the final element (after taking the long route) I don’t think it would have gone much further without David pulling it up. Oliver Townend then had an unfortunate tip up at the Burghley Brushes before Padraig Mccarthy and HHS Noble Call showed everyone how to complete the course.

The course set into the Bicton terrain

 

I covered most of the angles at the Vardag Oxer to corner (20AB) and the NFU water (22ABCD) before moving back to The Burghley Brushes (19ABCDE). I unfortunately just missed Francis Whittington but was nicely in position for Tim Price  (Ringwood Sky Boy) and Gemma Tattersall (Chilli Knight) going both ways through the Brushes and the Fisher German Mounds (23AB). I used the video of Gemma for publicity as an outtake from the main video.

I took the long walk to the Wilma and Crumble Stumps 21AB which was probably a mistake as the jump wasn’t particularly accessible and was probably best left to a GV. The stumps are named after two of Captain Mark Phillips’ dogs.

With riders starting every six minutes I found that I could move from fence to fence relatively comfortably to get to where I wanted to be. The crowd was not massive out on the course although there were a couple of instances where people walked across the shot just as a horse was jumping a fence. I always swear when that happens, sometimes the timing is impeccable, and then I have to edit the swearing out. Both water jumps at Bicton seemed low so you have to try and get to a higher vantage point to show the horse actually splashing through the obstacle which always looks good in slow motion.

Things don't always go to plan; I had wanted to video William Fox-Pitt and Oratorio II at the Western Counties Tall n Narrow (18) but he had pulled up at the Ariat Challenge (16ABC) so that threw things out a little.

As per my plan I spent quite a bit of time in at the first water (EHOA Dewpond (5AB)) and the Ariat Challenge (16ABC) and was able to see a number of riders go both ways through those combinations. I then moved on to the Top Spec Arena where Bicton had provided us with a really lush photographers' pen and again was able to video riders both ways through the ten obstacles in this area. You'll see that I kept the camera running long enough so that I could edit in my GVs from the fences in the Bicton College field fences 11, 12 and 13.

Once I'd videoed someone taking the straight route down the bank and through the TopSpec Brush Corners (9AB) I started to move back towards the finish. I captured Pippa Funnell head on going straight through the TopSpec Brush Corners (9AB) on Billy Walk On and then made it to Fence 6ABC (Cheddington Oxers and Triple Bar) to video Oliver Townend Tregilder through this combination. I then dropped down towards the finish and caught both Pippa Funnell and Oliver Townend complete their rounds.

And that I'm afraid was it for Saturday; I'd had a great day, was pretty tired and while I love a good press conferences I find the fan zone format less appealing and so I was quickly on my way home to prepare for Sunday.

As I've said above first thing Sunday morning was spent videoing some of the GVs I'd missed Saturday morning. It was a shame that a lot of the fence dressing had already been removed but I guess if they don't then people will help themselves to the flowers etc plus a lot were required to dress the main arena. Obviously given my condition I kept out of the media tent for as much as possible although I did help myself to a cup of tea and a piece of cake to keep me going throughout the afternoon. I was also pleased when the event photographer, Hannah Cole, gave me a briefing for the prize giving later on in the afternoon.

For show jumping I set myself up on the bank around the Bicton Arena and I had the NX80 set up on clear image zoom which gives me an 18x zoom which I felt would be required given the size of the arena. There was one tree which semi-blocked the view to one fence but I felt my position was a fair compromise between where the sun would be, where the fences were and not being in anyone's way (or anyone being in my way!).

In position for show jumping
©Harveywetdog

I videoed all the show jumping rounds and the whole afternoon is now on YouTube; we all know Gemma won and, while I feel a little sorry for Piggy, it felt a just dessert for Gemma especially as she appeared to have gone unrewarded for her podium finish at the Hartpury 4 Star. 

We then assembled in the arena for the prize giving which was a little chaotic but I think everyone got the shots they wanted. The light didn't quite work for the podium shots, as the sun was shaded by the trees, but apart from that there was plenty of variety including Chilli Knight putting in an appearance before the lap of honour.

It always amazes me how quickly these events come to a close. Weeks of preparation, an afternoon of cross country an hour of show jumping and that's a wrap. Again I didn't attend the final press conference but quickly got in the Discovery and headed off up the M5.

Will we see a 5 Star in Devon again? I don't know but I'm only pleased that despite all the difficulties I made it to see Bicton rock in 2021!