TREC is a competitive French sport of the equestrian discipline in which the objective is to test the endurance of both the horse and the rider. TREC is short for the French Techniques de Randonnée Équestre de Compétition.
In competitions, riders have to complete three legs as a part of a single race, which are:
- POR: This is a mounted orienteering leg, in which the riders are expected to complete a route through control points at a fixed speed that ensures suitable rest for the horses. The length of this segment varies from 10km for beginners to up to 45km for advanced level riders. Riders start this leg with 240 points and are penalized for infractions. The objective of this leg is to finish with lowest deducted penalty points.
- CoP: In this leg, the objective is to demonstrate a rider's level of control over their horse during canter and walk. Riders are required to canter their horse at a slow pace along a 2-4m wide and up to 150m long marked corridor, then turn around to walk the horse back. Riders can score up to 60 points based on the pace of canter and walk.
- PTV: This is an obstacle course which can consist of up to 16 obstacles. Riders can score up to 10 points on each obstacle.
Races are scheduled to be completed in one or two days, with the rider scoring the most points after all three legs being declared as the winner.
Similar Sports
- Eventing — riders compete in three types of races, dressage, cross-country and show jumping, in a single competition.
- Mounted Orienteering — participants navigate from start to end through control points, usually on horseback.
- Cross-Country Equestrian — horse riders are required to jump over 30 to 40 obstacles within a fixed time, incurring penalties for exceeding the allocated time or if a horse refuses to clear an obstacle.
- Dressage — riders and horses perform from memory a series of predetermined events.
- Show Jumping — riders on horseback attempt to jump cleanly through sets of obstacles within a specific time.
- Endurance Riding — an equestrian discipline where riders and horses compete in races over very long distances.
Related Pages
- More Equestrian Sports
- List of all sports involving horses
- About Sport in France
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports