Belmont Park BE

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seabiscuit

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Does anyone know about this event? I can't remember if they ran last year or if they are a new event starting this year.
Info on the XC and SJ courses much appreciated...
Is the XC of the trappy small kind or the galloping flowing kind? Suitable for a first time horse?
 
Ooh forgot to check the XC course description on the BE website! Sounds good!....

'Running over undulating parkland, using substantial timber. Designed by Eric Winter and built by Adrian Ditcham, it is set to be an educational experience making good use of natural terrain.'

So I guess it is a big galloping course then! ?
 
Belmont Park ran for the first time last year. It is in a beautiful parkland setting. Which is why it is very very disappointing that they managed to build the most boring and unimaginative course going, you just keep criss crossing around one field. I think it was pretty easy, but you'll be disappointed if you go. They might have changed the course though, might be worth asking if they have.
 
No, it's not a big galloping course as you don't get to leave the same field... unless they have changed it, eric built it last year as well
 
Oh dear that sounds a real shame! So it is a very twisty course then?
Hmph....not sure if I want to drive all the way from Hampshire for this!I'd better find out if the course has been rebuilt. Thank you Dieseldog!
 
We went last and I would not go again. Despite large parkland the course criss crossed one small area. At one point you could see the course crossing in front of you 4 times. You were always turning and could not get going. The course was well built but unimaginitive to be fair the weather had stopped them building some fences.

Certainly a case of once bitten twice shy for me!
 
Hi Belmont was in it's first year last year the dressage arenas are good as is the going and parking and Eric and his team are doing a brill job of improving it, through nice old parkland, it is more of a moving course and they have already finished the water which wasn't in it last year and this year they are adding a Intro course and Eric not being one to sit on his arse, will I'm sure continue to make improvements I loved this event last year, so definatley worth a visit.
 
Thank you guys - What a crying shame about the course!Really would not be right for us. Will not bother going.
So my season will have to start a week later now- at Larkhill!
 
I didn't think it was too bad, given the adverse weather, which stopped them building most of the course. Dressage was fine, XC was just a canter round the park, so not exciting & reasonably lage, but seemed to ride very well, I thought the SJ was stiff but that was fair enough.
In it's favou it's only 15 mins from the M'way and very compact.
 
Larkhill is pretty easy. The only thing with it is that if the weather is horrible you've had it as its on top of salisbury plain and the water complex is in the middle of a wood so it does take some horses by surprise. You jump over a fence into the wood and then the water is in front of you. Very flat. Although the jumping is on a slope.
 
Larkhill has both very easy SJ and XC, but at least the XC makes good use of the space available, the course is well flowing so you can get into a great rythym.Have always liked Larkhill as I always get a good XC round there- it is a nice course. The water complex can be very frightening for the spooky horse as you suddenly go from the great open plain into this very dark and and scary wood! But the bold horses did not mind it.

The SJ arena they tend to make it very small for some reason,and on a slope as well. One year everyone was getting time faults in the SJ which came as a complete surprise to me as my horse had never got time faults before SJ. So it is a good idea to try and push on a bit in the SJ although they could have changed the time limit now.

The weather can often be high winds and rain!
 
Would not trek from Hampshire for Belmont it was not great but weather had a major impact and the land goes on for a fair bit of distance yet the course was compact and I thought wasted the chance of using the land. I thought both courses were very straightforward but PN was well up to height while Novice was small. I will be going to Larkhill and Pontispool in April *fingers corssed*
If you want a proper galloping course add Nutwell Court in June to you list.
 
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