Team Chasing virgin

[frostyfingers]

I'm entered to do my first Novice Team Chase on Sunday (at the advanced age of almost 50, but it's on my bucket list and I'm not sure the opportunity will arise again). Gulp....

So, I have the hat (just need a silk) and the body protector - do I need to wear a medical armband, can't find anything about that?

What do you normally wear? Do I need to wear a stock or can I get away with just a sweatshirt or polo neck - I'm unlikely to make a habit of this so really don't want to spend £££'s on anything fancy!

Any other handy tips would be welcome as I'm sure I'll miss something off!

 

[ypvrhc]

Unfortunately i am of no use to you but I just wanted to wish you luck

 

[chestnut cob]

I did some before Xmas and wore my stock, xc shirt and silk (they matched quite well with the team I went with). I don't think medical armbands arr compulsory but I wore mine alone get with BP and air jacket.
have fun. It's the best thing I've ever done on a horse!!

 

[AdorableAlice]

I expect I will be fence judging, so please make sure you do not become detached from your horse in my vicinity, I had enough running around last year !

Wear your stock properly tied. I can't recall medical cards from last year but I do remember the awesome Denman making the Worcestershire hedges look like dandy brushes.

Have a good day.

 

[BroadfordQueen]

I will also be fence judging, I'm about 5 minutes away and the ground is pretty spot on so you should have a good run. I did a season team chasing a few years ago- stocks aren't required and don't think I wore one- we had team coloured rugby shirts. No medical armbands when I did it several years ago but do double check. Have a great time, lots of nice hedges, kick on and enjoy it! Don't forget there will be a pen, where 3 members of the team must have jumped the first element and be in the pen at the same time before the lead horse jumps out (although sure you know this already). Pace is quite quick for optimum time so if your aiming to be competitive don't hang around!

 

[frostyfingers]

That's useful info thanks - particularly the optimum time. Round here a steady hunting pace is quite slow as it's very hilly so I was wondering how fast we should go, although given my horse's competitive nature I'm not sure how much choice I'll have. I'll take my stock and armband just in case and try very hard AA not to trouble you!

 

[frostyfingers]

Well we did it - 3 of us had never team chased before, the 4th a good 20 years ago. We all got round with no upsets at all, were told that we'd done a fast round but were still almost 1 minute under the optimum time - I'm not sure I'd have wanted to go any faster! It was fun and I'm glad I did it, but boy was I anxious about it. As for those nutters who do the Open....... Only saw a couple of rounds as we'd been there since 8.30 and I didn't think it was fair for my horse to hang around for longer, although I would have like to see more. Good fun, packed with people and well organised. The going was surprisingly holding still, in some places it was pretty deep so I'm not sure I'd like to go when it's been wet as I would imagine it really cuts up.