Stilemans Pre-Novice - anyone ridden the course here?

[jennystreek]

Trying to get my diary fixed for next year and noticed it was quite early on in the season .....just wondering:

What the ground like, ie does it get boggy?
And, seeing as it will be the boy's only 3rd PN (he has done the easy ones, ie Munstead and Pulborough, both clear xc), so you think it will be too much of a step up form these?

Many thanks!!

 

[Thistle]

Stliemans is on very sandy soil. It's pretty flat except for a steep descent into the quarry and back out. The PN course is nice and straight forward. The worst fence is probably the one into the drop, take a parachute if you don't like heights. It rides well though and you actually land on a flattish bit!

 

[Hattikins]

ive ridden stilemans a couple of times, but only once as the BE event, and it was mine and my "steed's"

first prenovice, and it was a lovely inviting course, everything was delayed for 1hour because it was still icy, but the ground was fantastic and held brilliantly, then ended up taking the fence before the valley out and also the water because it was still frozen over!!!

Would recommend it as a first time Pre novice if your not scared of straight forward but good solid and up to height fences

 

[BBs]

Stilemans is great

sandy!
Usually ice cold there but the organisers try hard to run the event.
Great first time PN course, pretty easy, more of a hunter trial course to start with and straightforward.
Love course, would def recommend it

 

[SpruceRI]

Same comments as Hattikins really. I rode it for the first time this year and thought it was lovely and straight forward except that double of rails where the 2nd part landed on a steep downhill. I got there early and walked the course when the whole place was still frozen so was dead chuffed when they took that jump out because the ground didn't defrost like the rest of the course!!

 

[bonniewog]

Yer I love Stilemans!
I thought it was inviting but up to hight so basicall same comments as above although I didn't ride it as a BE track just as an unaffiliated 3'3.
Jx

 

[jennystreek]

Thanks - one to look forward too then - only 3 months to wait, which isnt that long really