BD New format: Should I compete silver or bronze?

[c.h.i.a.r.a]

Hi Everyone

On the 7th of February I am planning to go to Hartpury BD to do the Elementary and Medium(HC for medium). With the new competition format I'm not sure whether I want to compete in the elementary as bronze level or silver. Have only done unaffiliated dressage (am an eventer), but my teacher Jo Lees (south west BYRDS rep) really wants to get me squadded into B team BYRDS this year and I also want to do some BD. Every time my horse and I have gone out we have gotten between 70-73%, never below 70. He is very new to me so have only been out a few times and done one elementary where we scored 71%. I feel like the silver section will be soooo competitive and there is no chance we will place so I should go bronze, but I want to be competing against people who are similar to me as I'm not just doing it to win, although of course coming home with a rosette is always nicer xD. Will be out eventing most of the season anyways so it's unlikely that I'll be aiming to qualify for nationals, probably not regionals either but would like to do petplan. Thoughts? Thanks in advance!

 

[ihatework]

If your goal is petplans then do bronze. If it's regionals then silver.
It's all about your % really. Placings don't count for anything other than a bit of ribbon.

 

[star]

You're still competing against the other sections no matter what section you put yourself in. You can still look at all the other results and see where you would have come in the other sections. The sections only matter for what you decide you want to qualify for. I am doing bronze Advanced Medium but last time I went out I came 3rd in that section and would have been 2nd in the silver so not sure it really matters that much!

 

[Kati*89]

With those kinds of % I would go Silver and have a go at qualifying for the regionals - you could easily pick up the points pretty quickly.
Like above, depends on what you want to qualify for though!