Potton XC? Bedfordshire

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CrazyHippo1

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Just picked up a schedule for a bunch of HT's at potton running from Feb the 10th.

Firstly wondering what it's like there, parking, warm up and the course (I'll be jumping the 2.9ft) - is it up to height ect?

Also whats the ground like? I havent done a huge amount of HT's but found it a little surprising that they were running so early?

oh and any pics of the course greatly appreciated!

Thank You
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It's about a mile away from me & I've been round there a few times.

There is lots of parking but it's on a bit of a hill. The warmup's in a sand school & is quite large but can be a bit of a scrum with millions of kiddies on ponies. They do crack on with sending people out so you don't end up hanging around for hours.

Someone else on here once called the course '101 things to do with a telegraph pole' which about sums it up. There's a steps/bank obstacle which will be on the 2 ft 9 course & one quite steep 'hickstead' kind of bank. The rest is tyres & telegraph poles! Also a square sand pit thing. No water & nothing you'd really call a coffin.

The ground is sand so it tends to hold up really well & not go deep. My field is the same! The prob I had is that it is usually fastest time wins, so you have to ride like a total maniac to place.

I would say that it isn't particularly up to height, altho I haven't been round it with a ruler. If it IS actually up to height, it would be the 'riding club' kind of 2 ft 9 rather than a BE intro 2 ft 9 if you see what I mean.

You can book the course fairly cheaply for an hour, so why not do that & have a good look round?
 
The 101 saying was me! We have been there many times, gets a bit boring after a while BUT the going is always good and where else can you go XC in the middle of winter.

Don't expect a 'normal' set of rules, the optimum times seem to come out of thin air and theer is a distinct lack of judges as it can all be seen from the top of the bus.

Our 12.1 jumped most of the 2'9" course so I would guess it's not that big.
 
I thought it was a horrid course - as people have said above though, where else can you get a XC run at this time of year?

Only caution I would add is if your horse is prone to nap. Course runs past the collecting ring and the lorries - very difficult to really establish a rhythm on a sticky horse.
 
i think you tube has a vid of the course, i went today to watch, was supposed to be competing but crashed 4x4! seems a nice course, is basically 3 fields with jumps round so is twisty and you do have to keep an eye out for other horses. jumps seem nice and fairly small, although as its twisty its really a pony course if you want to win - its not technical just fast!!! i am taking my mare for the 1st time on the 10 so will see you there!!!
 
For loads of reasons we love Potton, and I always take the various kids that ride my ponies there. You can always park, it always runs, and you get a free dermabrasion for your skin with every round - the next village is called Sandy for good reason and you will be wearing orange sand for at least a week. And it is always 10 degrees colder at Potton than anywhere else, my OH reckons.

I love the way Mr H gets to be the car park attendant again (he so enjoys freezing out in the cold), the way Mrs H (always in the warmth) is so delighted as you hand over your week's wages for two rounds because you didn't remember to enter in advance, the way the collecting ring attendant yells your number when you are at the far end and gets cranky if you don't hear immediately...

But where else runs all year, has no mud (apart from sand of course) and gets through each class like clockwork? But the comment about 101 things to do with a telegraph pole has had me cracking up for the last ten minutes!! Must have 20 pics of Potton, 19 of them over a telegraph pole I think...

If you join (£10 at the last count) and do the members class then it is optimum time, so you don't have to gallop it. Much more sensible. I would agree that the 2'9 is more like a 2'6 to 2'9 and it is not good for a nappy horse, but there is always the pairs class to help get a sticky horse round.
 
We go to Potton if there is nothing else on - its a laugh and gets them out. The course is not challenging and is hardly changed for each comp. There is a bigger course (3ft ish) but they don't use that for comps anymore but when you hire you can have some fun over those.

The 1.6 really is tiny but good for confidence/littluns

Parking is good as the addition of a parking attendant is always welcome - fab dirty burger man is always there and a photographer is always out on the course.

The warm up arena is my enourmous bug-bear - its a warm up/collecting ring which means people line one side standing and chating to their mates and waiting for the next class. Very frustrating when you are on a manic, kicking TB......

In short its a bit of a bun fight for not a massive amount of pleasure but its worth a pop round if you want something low key and local.

Check out imagepointevents.co.uk for every show held there for the last 2 years....
 
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