Equine Competition Grouping via Past Performance Indicators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current equine competition systems fail to effectively group participants based on their abilities before events, leading to unfair competitions where horses and riders compete against those with vastly different capabilities, which can deter participation and reduce spectator interest.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a Past Performance Indicator (PPI) system, such as the Barrel Racing Ability Grouping Sport (BRAGS), which uses prior performance data to create ability groups by calculating a Run Rate or Run Speed Index for speed events and average judged scores for judged events, ensuring competitors are matched against peers of similar abilities before the race begins.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If contestants are grouped by ability using Past Performance Indicator before events, then fairness of competition is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary grouping of contestants by ability level before the actual competition begins. Past performance data is collected and analyzed in advance to calculate ability indicators, and contestants are assigned to appropriate groups prior to events, ensuring fair matching without adding operational complexity during competitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system that acts as a bridge between raw performance data and competition grouping. This intermediary processing layer calculates ability indicators from historical data and translates them into practical group assignments, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining fairness.
2Adaptability or versatility
If ability groupings are established before events based on past performance, then participant engagement increases, but data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential performance metrics needed for ability assessment from historical data, rather than processing all available data. By identifying and extracting key performance indicators that most strongly correlate with competitive ability, the system reduces data processing requirements while maintaining accurate grouping.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms raw performance data into standardized ability parameters that can be easily compared across different contestants and events. By changing the parameter representation from raw performance metrics to normalized ability scores, the system facilitates efficient data processing and engagement-based grouping.
3Ease of operation
If traditional division methods are used after races, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but competition fairness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of dividing contestants after races based on results, the system performs the grouping action preliminarily before events begin. By calculating ability indicators from past performance and establishing groups in advance, the system maintains implementation simplicity while dramatically improving competition fairness through ability-based matching.
Data Source
AI summary
A timed equine race grouping system and method for organizing competitive events, such as a timed barrel race, by using prior performance data in prior similar events to determine the appropriate ability of each contestant and then forming ability groups such that the contestants are competing against other contestants having similar abilities.