Broadway or Little Downham for RF

Rach_W

Rach_W

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 August 2005
Messages
118
Visit site
I have managed to get only one regional final qualification for Grassroots 90 and need to decide where to do it to give me the best chance of qualifying! I have narrowed it down to the two last qualifiers to give me more time to prepare (and in the hope that all the good people will have already qualified by then ;) ) but not sure which one would be best as I have not been to either.

We normally do a good but not amazing dressage. 29 is the best score yet. We often have a pole down showjumping but consistently clear xc.

I think I need to go to the one with the tougher xc to hope that if I have a pole down, I might still rise up through the places to qualify?

Any ideas?
 
I can't really offer advice as to either of your suggested events as I haven't been to either.

However, what I will say is that, in my experience, regional finals are massively competitive wherever and whenever you go to them. There are always loads of double clears and a good handful of 'fancy' dressage scores. It's kind of luck on the day I feel, and whether you can get it all to come together on that one day. Best of luck though - the prospect of qualifying is very exciting! :-)
 
Thanks guys. I'm prepared for it being competitive, just trying to increase my chances a tiny bit if possible! Just hope we have a bit of luck with the poles on the day. She's quite capable of jumping a clear round if I ride properly so will just make sure we get in lots of practice beforehand!

Dressage is coming on nicely at the moment so hopefully we can improve on that before then too!

I would so love to qualify!
 
I will hopefully be at both! I have 4 RFs but my little horse is doing his best not to go to any at the moment :mad:! Pulled a shoe off last week and made himself sore so having to withdraw from Firle :( Hopefully will be back on track for West Wilts then will do BCA, Lt Downham and Broadway.

This is totally useless input from me I'm afraid as can't comment on either as haven't been but I have heard wonderful things about Broadway.

Best of luck!!!!
 
I haven't been to Broadway but know LD well. It's quite ditchy, but I don't think it's that tough an XC. The SJ will be up to height - they use hanging fillers rather than fillers on the ground. I am told that makes a difference optically, but frankly I just think the course builder builds bigger!
 
Agree you definitely need a bit of luck and it all to go your way on the day!!

I have a couple of people I know who have qualified where you wouldn't really have expected it and another who you would have bet everything on with multiple chances on regionals that didn't. It does very much come down to dressage on the day. Both the 2 I knew that qualified were very strong in the dressage but inconsistent in the jumping phases but it all came right on the day whereas the one that was a double clear machine had uncharecteristically disappointing dressages at each of their regional finals.

I have got one qualification at 100 but not sure will use it this time as been such a wash out of a season and our dressage really isn't high enough standard :rolleyes: then I keep telling myself you never know!! Like you I am debating which one to enter although with all the cancellations may biggest question is which is most likely to run!!!
 
Ooh good luck Lex, well done on getting four qualifications!

I'm doing Milton Keynes this weekend, then probably going to do Munstead and BCA before attempting the RF.

Hope you manage to get to the rest of the events and qualify!
 
DarkHorseB said:
I have got one qualification at 100 but not sure will use it this time as been such a wash out of a season and our dressage really isn't high enough standard :rolleyes: then I keep telling myself you never know!! Like you I am debating which one to enter although with all the cancellations may biggest question is which is most likely to run!!!
Click to expand...

You may as well use it and see, you never know! I had thought it might be risky waiting until Broadway in case it cancelled and then there would be no more!

It occurs to me that perhaps I'm rather over thinking this and just need to enter one and get on with it! :)
 
HotToTrot said:
I haven't been to Broadway but know LD well. It's quite ditchy, but I don't think it's that tough an XC. The SJ will be up to height - they use hanging fillers rather than fillers on the ground. I am told that makes a difference optically, but frankly I just think the course builder builds bigger!
Click to expand...


Thanks, I think I might go for Little Downham just in case Broadway is cancelled, and then I can go on holiday in October!
 
Thistle said:
SJ at LD is usually influential. Usually 25 - 33% clears.

Why don't you go out and do lots of BS in the meantime and brush up your SJ.
Click to expand...

Good idea. I've been a bit restricted by lack of transport so far this season but get my new car next week so nothing to stop me getting out BS in September.
 
LD has good ground all year and managed to put on an extra date when every thing else cancelled, so might be a safer bet for not cancelling. Having walked the previous 90 it looked fairly nice but there are 2 waters, a small jump in the water and a few ditches.
 
Just noticed that the dressage test for LD is BE93 in the long arena, Broadway is BE95.

I've had my best marks on the nice easy 95 and never done the 93 - this could swing it!
 
Broadway is a nice straightforward event. Sjing has some atmosphere and can be a bit spooky as jump for joy but on the whole tends to be on the soft side especially height wise.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top