oli townend at royal leisure

I did the one with a friend at BCA, quite well run, was not that impressed with the xc plastic jumps that seemed to get horses stuck in them but did fall apart on heavy impact! - however, whilst its a good bit of fun they did not explain the rules very well, bear in mind that its is based entirely on the optimum time + faults...if any, this includes ie:-

someone gets 2 seconds off the optimum time and have a pole down equalling so many faults....say 3...

someone who goes clear and is 5 seconds off the time will come second to the person above...

Didnt really think this too good as prefer a clear to beat anything with faults but so be it, just do bear it in mind!!

Well run and we are off to Warks again next week as mate wants a last attempt to qualify, I am taking my oldie as my new boy would freak at most of the jumps!!
 
i went to one of the first ones of this type, years ago, and it was very much a dash against the clock, not the sort of thing i really wanted for my youngster, so we finished about 12th after a very nice round.
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i agree that it would be nicer if it rewarded clears a little more than speed, so i don't think i'll be doing any!
 
Took Hattkins' 6 yo (she'd never seen an EC course before) and won 3' and 3"3' classes. CRs closest to inside the optimum time will always win, 4 faulters will only get a look in in the CRs are way too fast. Number of fences depend on the size of the venue but between 13 and 18, half SJ and half XC.

IMO the courses are not up to height but do cause carnage. The standard of riding we saw was not great verging on poor with far too much use of the stick, many ponies clearly did not understand what they were being asked to do. Lots of SJ kids thought they could breeze round and were found out. Make sure you practice skinnies, corners, tiger traps, water trays etc. Distances vary from venue to venue and some of the striding was interesting to say the least.

All that said it was great fun, well run, lovely people and should be good at Royal Leisure (its our local venue). Having already qualified we will probably go just to support friends so hopefully might run into you there. Which classes are you doing?

This is their first year of running and organisers admit they have learned a lot. I think they are on to a winner for future years. We liked the fact is was judged only on time and faults, JAS is judged on style too and has been heavily criticised for being too subjective and biased towards 'known' names.

Good luck and enjoy it.
 
me and ponio just getting fit after a year off for me to have a baby so thought might do 2'3 as haven't jumped for so long.
Might leave it till next year as we are a bit out of practice and even at that height we might be a bit wobbly
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RL is my local venue too
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If your ponio isn't spooky you ought to have a bash, there are ususally less entrants in the grown ups sections anyway and it was all a pretty relaxed affair. I haven't seen a 2'3" course but if the bigger classes are anything to go by the poles will be at about 1''6" - 2' with hardly any spread and I don't think there are as many technical XC fences either. You can enter on the day too.
 
he is usually very bold with his jumping but has never had this long off b4. If it is that tiny maybe I should go for 2'6-9, we were just starting at about BN height b4 I had this year off but I am not very confident at the mo? ooh-er I don't know what to do
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don't think we are fit enough for that. oh might just do 2'3 to get our confidence up. It doesn't matter about height does it, better we enjoy ourselves first time out
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Me and Prudunce are hoping to go, if we can find the place! I went once years ago and got totally lost! Very nice place though when I eventually found it
 
C2 and D2, plus taking a friends' kid whose doing the D1. Must get on and enter.

Does anyone know if we get approximate start times for this comp? Thought there was some mention of it a while ago?
 
My pony is a bit spooky but will always jump (well as long as I point her in the right direction!). We have done a couple of Intros and a PN this year and not had any probs.
Do you think we will be ok with the 2'9''/3 ft class or are there quite a few technical bits?ie was a bit worried about the reference to skinnys / corners which we have had very limited experience of?
Also does anyone know if they give your start times?
Thanks!
 
No you dont get given start times but you do get the time that the course walk and class starts. Its a competition really worth doing, there's things in the course you are unlikely to see again - like a tiger trap with toy tigers in it!
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there are lots of skinny fences but if you practise at home you will be fine
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Hope to see you all at Royal Leisure - im going to watch
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