When it comes to competing in the equestrian arena, the Bavarian Warmblood is an excellent choice. This horse is a natural in competition and the breed has been a part of several teams which competed for the World Cup. In 2006, the Bavarian Warmblood ranked well in the final standings of international sport. In show jumping, it was ranked 13th. In dressage, it ranked 15th and in eventing it ranked 12th overall. There are several sports and events that the Bavarian Warmblood will do well in during competition.
Show Jumping
- This is sometimes referred to as jumpers or stadium jumping. A member of the English riding equestrian events family, show jumping is commonly seen at horse show throughout the world. It is even a part of the Olympics. In the United States, show jumping is governed by various organizations that sanction national horse shows, such as the United States Equestrian Federation. In international competitions, show jumping is governed by the rules of the FEI or Federation Equestre Internationale.
In jumpers, classes compete on a course of show jumping obstacles. These include many turns and changes of direction as the horse jumps over verticals, double and triple combinations and spreads. The purpose of the competition is for the horse to jump over each obstacle in the course in a set course, within a certain time allotment. If the horse exceeds the time allowance, then they are assessed a time fault. If the horse incurs any knockdowns or refusals, then they are assessed jumping faults. The horses are allowed only a few refusals before they are disqualified. Placings are determined by the lowest number of faults accumulated. If the horse and rider have not accumulated any penalty points or faults, then they have scored a clear round.
Dressage
- Sometimes referred to as horse ballet, dressage is simply a French term that means training. This is a competition that shows a horse's willingness to perform and show off his natural ability in athletics. If the horse has been developed through training methods which are standardized, then its potential as a riding horse has been maximized. The horse should be able to respond to a skilled rider's minimal aids in a smooth manner. It should perform the movement that has been requested while remaining in a relaxed state and making the movement appear to be effortless.
Eventing
- This competition is sometimes referred to as an equestrian triathlon. This event consists of the three different competitions of dressage, show jumping and cross country. There are two main formats for this event. The first is the ODE or one day event. The second is the 3DE or three day event. It has also been referred to as Combined Training, Horse Trials and Militaire.
Combined Driving
- This sport is also referred to as Horse Driving Trials. It involved carriage driving and has three phases, much like the sport of eventing. The drivers may only communicate with their horses by using their hands and their voice. The horses are judged on presentation and dressage, a marathon and cone accuracy.
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