Anyone done a Badminton Course walk before ?

[Emm]

Hello,

I'm thinking of going to Badminton this year and see that Lucinda Green is doing a cross country course walk on the Saturday. I just wondered if anybody had done a previous course walk at Badminton before and what they were like. I cannot decide whether to go on the cross country day (Sunday) or go on the course walk on the Saturday. Unfortunately staying over for the night and doing both days is not an option. Any advice and experiences greatfully received.

Thanks, Em.

 

[HowenEdward]

Ooh, I'm going to watch the XC on the Sunday but would've done the course walk if I had seen it in time. Its very cheap!! but yeah im not much help but it should be very good being able to see all the huge famous fences up close..... I say go for it!!

 

[Harrie123]

I did a course walk with her at Burghley, and if I'm honest I didn't enjoy it. There was well over 50 people and most of the time I couldn't hear what she was saying, also people were walking on the course when the guy on the tannoy was telling everyone to keep off it, I felt very awkward and left the group before fence 5!

Badminton is lovely, I would recomend going on XC day, and getting Badminton radio too, that was really good last year. At least you can go round at your own pace and actually see the riders over the fences.

 

[Quantock-cob]

I usually go to Badminton on Dressage day so that I can walk the course and see the jumps. It's also much quieter for shopping. But I have also been astonished at how some people treat the course, climbing on the jumps, etc. I have seen the riders giving talks, but as Harrie says, there is usually such a crowd around them I can't imagine you can actually hear what they are saying. My friend always stays late on the Dressage day and ambles around the course when the riders go out to walk it. She will then lurk close by and listen to them working out how to do the jumps. And it's free

 

[bexj]

I won a course walk at Burghley a few years ago with Jeanette Brakewell and it was superb! Having said that there was only me, a rep from the competition sponsors and me, so plenty of time to ask about the fences and feel sick at their awesome size! I then watched it on telly the next day and loved it, now I knew something about it from a riders perspective.

 

[Emm]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I think that I will go on the Sunday and get the Badminton radio as Harrie 123 suggested (good idea). I am really looking forward to it now. Thanks again, Emm.