Catton Park

Catton Park is the venue for a variety of events, mountain biking, model aircraft and show jumping and eventing. On the opposite side of the road, there is a cross country course for horses.

Where have the gates gone.

Judging by the sign, they don't allow much.

Judging by the signs, part of the farm is being rented to outside businesses as a way to keep solvent in these hard times.

Just to the right is the Croxall road that runs in front of the Grange towards Croxall.

This picture was taken near a footpath junction at the edge of Garland's Wood.

Looking over a flat landscape towards Catton Hall.

A rural road with Donkhill Cottages partially visible on the left of picture.

Grassland and woodland in a water-dominated grid square.

On the Intermediate course, the 'log into space' is followed by a steep downhill section to a brush skinny.

The equestrian sport of Eventing comprises three phases: dressage, showjumping and cross-country, which test horse and rider skills and abilities in different ways. (Both dressage and showjumping exist as competitive disciplines in their own right, but only eventing combines them and cross-country in a single competition). Competitions are called 'horse trials' and take place over one or more days, hence 'one-day event' (ODE), 'three-day event'. There will usually be several classes at an event, each graded according to difficulty, complexity and/or duration, and run under either national rules (the UK governing body is British Eventing) or international rules (the FEI, or International Equestrian Federation). In the UK there are six levels of affiliated eventing to cater for all levels of horse and rider: BE80(T) (the 'T' stands for Training), BE90 (formerly 'Intro'), BE100 (formerly 'Pre-Novice'), Novice, Intermediate and Advanced. International classes are graded with a star system from * to *****. A five-star competition is the highest level of eventing. There are only seven such competitions in the world, two of which are held in the UK: Badminton in the spring and Burghley in the autumn. Scoring is on a cumulative penalty basis. In dressage, each movement is scored out of ten, with the total being added up and converted to a penalty. In showjumping, penalties are awarded for fences knocked down and also for exceeding the time limit. In the cross-country phase, penalties are awarded for a variety of infractions such as refusals, falls, circling between lettered obstacles, and exceeding the optimum time. The competitor with the fewest penalties at the end is the winner of the section. For more information see: British Eventing website Link Eventing entry in Wikipedia Link

This is on the Novice course.

Viewed from the landing side (because the red flag is on the left).

This table is fence 10 on the Intermediate course, with the rest of Catton Park behind. In the far distance above the table can be seen the start, finish and control box of the cross-country course.

On the county boundary of Staffordshire and Derbyshire.