Richmond or Solihull Novice?

Shrimp

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Ok, im thinking about entering either one of these as with the weather being so unreliable who knows what will be cancelled and what won't. Anyway, would like your opinions on both of these venues/courses (though have been to Solihull but not ridden), good and bad. Richmond is about 25 miles further away than Solihull whic would add about 20-30mins or so onto journey.
I have looked at both the courses on eventingworldwide.com and Richmond seems to be less techinical than Solihull. I would be doing Henbury Hall JRN the following week so which one do you think would set me up better for that?

Any info would be much appreciated
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Flic, being as you are in the same part of the world as me I think it takes about 21/2hrs to get to Richmond (but that was in our old slow lorry) so would be a be quicker in a trailer.
I would go to Richmond, having been to Solihull the ground there is not terrific and at Richmond it was lovely. So for a nice confidence giving run I would go to Richmond, also Solihull has quite a few trappy fences.
I wasnt doing the Novice at Richmond but it looked like a dcnt size track.
 
I would say Richmond too. The novice there is straightforward but nicely built, and I think the ground will be ok - I did BYEH there on Sunday and they had BSJA on grass, so their ground must be holding up better than most around here!
 
I would say Richmond, but it is fairly easy if you are going to Henbury next - in a bit of a different league! Nice flowing course. Water is just a canter through, there's a small step down with a sharp right turn to a big log, a table with 3 strides on a right curve to a corner, a scary looking trakhener that rides beautifully. The 2nd last fence is a coffin with an arrowhead for part c that caught a lot of people out in the spring. The SJ is on a surface which is brill at the mo when everything is so muddy. Plus there are 2 SJ warm ups and they only let 4 people at a time into the 2nd one so plenty of room and v low stress.
Henbury XC is quite technical however and the SJ is biggish but Richmond would be a nice confidence boosting run to have beforehand. I often use for 1st time out at all levels.

Will def have one in the Nov - might see you there.
 
Thanks for all your opinions! Have decided to go to Solihull for a number of reasons. Hopefully, if none are cancelled ive got PC Area HT w/end after next which is round Somerford Novice (went round clear earlier in the year), followed by Berrington Hall, followed by Bold Heath. That should set us up fairly well. Id rather have something which challenges us as we can do big and easy so even if we made a mistake at a more techincal fence, we're more likely to learn from it.

Elaine - I didnt think Henbury was particularly tricky either, just big! And i agree the showjumping looked big aswell when I went to watch last year. Oh and the dressage is in a 20x60 so am going to have to learn where the extra letters are
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