Cross Country Thread!

ester

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we got some mini stools which given my issues with sitting did at least mean I could move between the two- camp chairs don't work for me too long either! Had a snooze before it started.
We were second row in the members parking, we hate queueing to get in :D
We watched a lot of trout hatchery last year but it jumped a bit too well and was awkward seeing the screen so we had to watch most of the coverage when we got home to catch up, I think you get closer there than at the maltings though so prob good choice :).
 

Clodagh

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I have been caught out in the past by holds on course meaning you miss the end of the progeram, so now always record the next one as well.
I like the riders who you feel the horses are doing it from partnerships, rather than fear/dominance. Only MO but I imagine OT's horses would never stop/run out through fear whereas the PF's horses would make the effort through 'love'. I accept all are talented at being in the right place at the right time.
So I was pleased with the result but far too many horrible jumps, falls and bangs. I am not sure what the Maltings proved or bought to the party?
 

lannerch

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I have been caught out in the past by holds on course meaning you miss the end of the progeram, so now always record the next one as well.
I like the riders who you feel the horses are doing it from partnerships, rather than fear/dominance. Only MO but I imagine OT's horses would never stop/run out through fear whereas the PF's horses would make the effort through 'love'. I accept all are talented at being in the right place at the right time.
So I was pleased with the result but far too many horrible jumps, falls and bangs. I am not sure what the Maltings proved or bought to the party?
But OT round was far more pleasing to the eye , than pippas was, he met every fence at the right place , was harmonious all the way round ,no risky moments , which certainly can’t be achieved by fear. Piggy’s round also was spot on like Oliver’s .
I love Pippa and hope she wins but no way did olli get that round out of that lovely horse by fear, pippas round was less perfect there were some moments I expect she would agree with me , but fabulous and exciting none the less .
 

ihatework

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But OT round was far more pleasing to the eye , he met every fence at the right place , was harmonious all the way round , which certainly can’t be achieved by fear.
I love Pippa and hope she wins but no way did olli get that round out of that lovely horse by fear.

As much as people love to hate Oli, and I understand why, if I were to send my horse out on a Xc course like that I would much rather Oli on it than many other riders on that course today ... at least you could be confident it had been prepared, was fit and had a rider on board who stood a decent chance of not killing it. Same can’t be said of some of those other rounds ....
 

NinjaPony

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Christ that was uncomfortable viewing for the most part. Those gates were horrible, 3 really nasty falls there and the frangible pins didn’t break for any of them which is a bit worrying. The maltings corners were also pretty grim, I was pleased for Gemma that she nailed it second time round.

The stats aren’t great when you look at how many were eliminated/retired, and that only Piggy made the time.

I also think that the standard of riding made it uncomfortable. There were some riders who were massively out of their depth and had very hairy rounds/horrible falls and it wasn’t nice to watch. I’ll be interested to see what they do with the course next year, in light of this.

I was pleased to see the excellent rounds from Piggy, Pippa and OT, and sensible riding from Jonelle to retire. It was certainly an achievable course, but punishing for those riders/horses lacking experience. Pippa’s round demonstrated her experience, I’m not convinced a less experienced rider would have made it round.
 

milliepops

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I think we did see the pins go once on the gates? I was wondering whether the offset nature of them would have an impact on the activation of the pins? Angles of the forces etc? Dunno, just speculating.
It came to mind after all those riders jumped the SJ wall on an angle in the Europeans, how they said the blocks were less likely to fall if it was struck from an angle.
 

Cherryblossom

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Thinking ahead to Badminton next year- do you think it will be used as a last run before the olympics and thus have very experienced combos, or will they not want to risk their top horses? I was planning on going to it, but I don’t want to witness the level of carnage that today brought!
 

{97702}

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Thinking ahead to Badminton next year- do you think it will be used as a last run before the olympics and thus have very experienced combos, or will they not want to risk their top horses? I was planning on going to it, but I don’t want to witness the level of carnage that today brought!

I doubt they would run their top horses, I would also hope we wouldn’t see the results that we saw today....
 

BBP

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Sorry I'm an hour behind but totally agree! The steward that was recording on her phone 😱 shocking!
I didn’t see this on tv as was there stewarding. The stewards were given devices specifically this year to record each horse at each fence. I guess quicker and easier to review judgements on flag rules etc.
 

ihatework

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I doubt they would run their top horses, I would also hope we wouldn’t see the results that we saw today....

Well it will depend on how secure they feel their team slot is (and whether a good 5* performance could get them a slot), what selector orders are, what owner wishes are etc.
 

Bellaboo18

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I didn’t see this on tv as was there stewarding. The stewards were given devices specifically this year to record each horse at each fence. I guess quicker and easier to review judgements on flag rules etc.
I'm pretty confident this was her personal phone. I might be wrong but I saw the tablets they were given to record.
Sorry edited to add the horse and rider were on the floor and well she was going up to them to assist she was still recording.
 

Lammy

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Walked the whole course from start to finish yesterday (good job we didn’t go backwards as would have seen a lot less!) The gates were tight, and I think CMP has said they won’t be returning next year.

The maltings were huge and saw 2 riders fall there in quick succession, one French? Horse seemed to have the back rail of one of the big oxers. And then another grey came a cropper.

What happened to Zara at the trout hatchery? I was at the lake ready for her to come by next when there was a good 10 minute hold on course, couldn’t hear the tannoy from where I was stood 🙄

It was a real attacking course and saw some riders simply not attacking it.
 

Jeni the dragon

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The other thing about the Olympics is its never going to be as tough a course as this. It's run at a different level to allow smaller nations a better chance of finishing.
 

Goldenstar

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Mulling on it I think the pins have caused the designer to push the envelope .
This five star thing needs to bed in before we can see where it will all pan out .
The pins saved a huge number of falls yesterday but was the potential for that number of falls caused by the type and siting of the fences fair .
I think the effect of those nasty incidents with pins on to the horse has to be considered I don’t think the horses walk away from those thinking well I gave that a bang some of those incidents where very confidence destroying .
The maltings was in my opinion a bridge to far fence too gappy ( don’t think that’s a work ) particularly the last corner lines too difficult on that ground .
The last corner on the quick route was horrible and punished some good horses.
The white gates that’s a question riders should at that level be able to answer I was not there so did not see it but perhaps that was to acute an angle for tiring horses was a little much but put that question to fresh horses and the effects is likely to be worse.
Riders at that level need almost super human level if focus and concentration and many where lacking this the top top riders show this .
There where also some super riders from first timers one for me stood out and I can’t remember her name I think the horse was called Charles 66 she rode that horse so well I was almost tearful when they got home .
Some wonderful riding to watch though PF and OT stood out as did PF that would not be an easy horse to get round there .
The right riders are at the top if the board .
TV coverage was great on the red button with great riders giving interesting insights
 

hairycob

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We gave up walking round the course as there were huge gaps by the time we got to the flyover and went back to the malting & trout hatchery for the afternoon. There was a lot of really hairy riding at the Maltings, especially in the morning when everyone we saw tried the direct route. A few riders didn't really look in control and all of those came a cropper. Riders that were clearly in control made it look easy. Too many less experienced riders took the direct route when the turn from B to C was tight and needed to be spot on and they had been hairy over B, even A and B. But tbf, there where so many fences there I would have had to stop and look at a map!
 

Clodagh

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Mulling on it I think the pins have caused the designer to push the envelope .
This five star thing needs to bed in before we can see where it will all pan out .
The pins saved a huge number of falls yesterday but was the potential for that number of falls caused by the type and siting of the fences fair .
I think the effect of those nasty incidents with pins on to the horse has to be considered I don’t think the horses walk away from those thinking well I gave that a bang some of those incidents where very confidence destroying .
The maltings was in my opinion a bridge to far fence too gappy ( don’t think that’s a work ) particularly the last corner lines too difficult on that ground .
The last corner on the quick route was horrible and punished some good horses.
The white gates that’s a question riders should at that level be able to answer I was not there so did not see it but perhaps that was to acute an angle for tiring horses was a little much but put that question to fresh horses and the effects is likely to be worse.
Riders at that level need almost super human level if focus and concentration and many where lacking this the top top riders show this .
There where also some super riders from first timers one for me stood out and I can’t remember her name I think the horse was called Charles 66 she rode that horse so well I was almost tearful when they got home .
Some wonderful riding to watch though PF and OT stood out as did PF that would not be an easy horse to get round there .
The right riders are at the top if the board .
TV coverage was great on the red button with great riders giving interesting insights

I agreee with everything you said there. It will be interesting to see what Mark Philips says in defence of the Maltings. Also Ian Stark said that before pins you would not have an oxer on top of a drop, like at the Trout Hatchery. Horses don't know that though!

Also agree that Zara's fall was a very soft one and I bet she's livid.
 

Clodagh

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But OT round was far more pleasing to the eye , than pippas was, he met every fence at the right place , was harmonious all the way round ,no risky moments , which certainly can’t be achieved by fear. Piggy’s round also was spot on like Oliver’s .
I love Pippa and hope she wins but no way did olli get that round out of that lovely horse by fear, pippas round was less perfect there were some moments I expect she would agree with me , but fabulous and exciting none the less .

I agree with you really, perhaps my historic dislike of the man is colouring my judgement. It was the nicest and most harmonious round I have ever seen him produce.
 
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