Broadway or Millfield for first BE90?

[HelenBack]

Just after some advice really as to which of these might be the best option for my first BE90? We're very comfortable at 80 level now and have done some unaffiliated 90s so I want to move up to BE90 for this season. My horse is very bold and I'm happy over most 90 fences but I have a tendency to see one or two fences that I don't like the look of and then I get my knickers in a twist!

So I'm looking for a nice friendly 90 to start us off. I've looked at the course pictures on Shoestring Eventing and am leaning towards Millfield but if anybody has first hand experience of either or both I'd be interested to hear your views.

Thanks.

 

[Orangehorse]

Broadway is a nice course, well built, but there is a very, very steep climb after the first couple of fences, fences 3,4,5 then across the top of the hill and back down again, so you must be realistic about your horse's fitness. The downhill fences are mostly set on reasonably level ground, you aren't running downhill with a fence in the way, expect that there is one biggish drop. The fences are well sited, as you would expect from an ex event rider!

It is a course that at first looks quite straightforward and easy, but often catches people out. There are several combinations set on undulating ground and an offset fence that caused quite a lot of trouble as horses were running out at the second part - I wasn't up close but I think it was downhill in, offset and uphill on the way out. There are ditches, a water at the end of the course (unless they change it round!), drop fences. It is very educational and if you got round clear I think you can feel pleased with yourself, and horse. It seems to be very popular.

It is quite a compact site so you don't go miles away for the dressage but you can see the cross country from the dressage field.

Hope that helps.