Was the XC course challenging enough?

benson21

benson21

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Just pondering really. Although there is no way I would of even attempted to ride those jumps, were they challenging enough for the Olympics?
I thought that they all looked sturdy, but quite straight forward jumps, with not alot of reason for horses to back off of many. But that was viewing at home in an armchair!
 
I thought the same when I walked it but the terrain made them harder and there was the usual Olympic problem of how to challenge the best but not hurt the weakest. I think Sue Benson got it about right. I heard there were 15 horse/rider falls - wouldn't have wanted any more.
 
I think a lot of the falls were due to slipping due to the grass or the soil being too soft, we had a lot of rain, and also if the grass had been laid specially for the jumps it would not be deep rooted and would slip, they should have used sand for safety.
 
Brilliantly designed course - the best made it look easy, but the problems were well and truly spread out. The time was challenging and having been there yesterday can confirm that the going was fantastic. The issues with slipping were lack of balance and wrong choice of studs!
For all those there, I don't think we have EVER had or heard such amazing noise! Brilliant day!!
 
I thought given the rain we'd had and how bad it could have been the ground on the bits I walked seemed good, not too soft with a little give in it. The grass seemed well established and sand was used where they were covering roads. Just the surface slip you can get with grass.

However what you don't get from the tv is how steep some of the hills were and how twisty turny it was with jumps popping up round corners.
 
Another arm chair comment here!!

We have to remember that this was only the Olympics, and was never intended as a 4* course. Given the restraints under which the organisers and the designers worked, the whole course was rather jammed in, with little room for extended galloping. I think that the overall effect was excellent, and that the organisers deserve a round of applause.

My two negative comments, are that I realise there were always going to be teething problems, but no chance to sort them out, and just why they built a new course, in London is beyond me. All equestrian events should have been held at established venues, where the revenue to the owners would I feel sure have allowed for improvements for the future use of their facilities. As a matter of interest, does anyone know if there are any plans for the newly and now built facilities, after the events?

Alec.
 
Alec Swan said:
As a matter of interest, does anyone know if there are any plans for the newly and now built facilities, after the events?

Alec.
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I thought I heard one of the commentators say that everything had to be taken down within 3 - 4 days of the competition but they might not have meant the jumps.
 
Alec, OH tells me it will all be restored to its pre-Olympic state- shame. I thought they could have used Badminton. I would have liked to see some more space between the fences to allow a bit more galloping, but hey-ho, it's done now.
 
I think given the number of fallers and the relatively small number who made the time it must have been challenging enough. I agree it didn't look as tough as Burghley or Badminton but then the qualification requirements were two 3* or one 4* so it had to have some easier options. If riders who are established at 4* on the UK circuit had difficulties, and a good number did, then it must have provided enough of a challenge. Our riders made a very good job of it as did the germans and the kiwis but several "household names" had problems as well as a serious number of less well established riders.
 
All the fences were portable and will be removed, they weren't allowed to dig ditches, so they had to build up the ground and create a fake ditch. It has to be returned to the same state it was in before the competition.
 
I was there. Fences lower than Badminton but terrain seriously testing. When the first two went quick we thought "uh-oh, too easy" but the next 12 or 15 had real problems. The test was not the height of jumps but the terrain. v. steep and also slick. V typical London clay conditions with a hard soil overlain by grass - this is common in venues in SE - and horses slipping a lot. Put those all together and the course presented a real challenge, with very unlikely top-class riders falling off. Designers got it just right. It looked wonderful and the backdrop was magnificent. Against all odds and national stereotypes the Brits pulled it off. Well done!!
 
The terrain was very tough I walked down the hill after half moon jump and found it difficult to keep my feet, the horses galloped some very tricky corners and sharp turns.The jumps werent as big as say" burghley " but every jump was tricky in its own right.How Mary kept her big horse together especially with all that noise was beyond me.The honesty of the horses was amazing many slipped just before take off .
Amazing day for everyone :D
 
Another armchair viewer here...

I think they got it about right. Given more space they could maybe have made it bigger/more technical and provided more soft options but obviously that wasn't an option. As it was a lot of people failed to complete, including some big names, so you can't say it was too easy. It was also noticable how much easier some riders made it look that others.

That said I don't think anyone was eliminated for excessive refusals only for falling which would suggest it could have been made more difficult without being more dangerous.
 
I know the views are not a part of the discipline, but they were honestly breath-taking. That new moon with Canary Wharf in the background was spectacular theatre. It all added to the magic of the sport and gives eventing - and London - a big boost. Celebrate it! Embrace it! It's not often we get to be seen in this light.
 
I think it was a fantastic event, provided a fantastic backdrop and ultimately the result was spot on too. No one phase stood out in the results....all three took their toll and in fact the drama went right down to the last fence of the last round of SJ'ing to decide the ind gold. You couldn't have written a better script.

We'd all have loved some sort of legacy after the games, but that isn't going to happen in any material form....just have to hope the great publicity the British Team received provides its own legacy in the form of more people becoming interested in the sport.

Hopefully the dressagers and jumpers can deliver next.
 
Taking eventing to the heart of the city and the centre of the Olympics was a brilliant idea. That will be the legacy - it doesn't matter that the venue won't host another event.
 
Does anyone know what is happening to the jumps, arena surface etc once they have been dismantled and removed from the park? Are they being destroyed or sold/given to other venues so they are reused?
 
I have heard that the surface has been sold to BCA for their new outdoor arena and that some of the xc jumps are going to burghley. I think a couple of the xc fences may be being left in the park as a memory..
 
Yes Burghley have said that some of the fences will feature on their course this year. Wonder which?

When I saw the photos of the fences this week, I thought we had thrown away all chances of a medal by making it so easy, and when the first couple of horses went round so well and fast, I nearly had to stop watching! However, the course and its siting did sort the wheat from the chaff. I did think watching the more experienced horses, like Imperial Cavalier, the fences were almost dangerous for him as he was running at them without any respect at all. I would have liked to have seen a couple of bigger fences (in less dangerous spots) with really slow alternatives.. It was supposed to be a 4* event, but with 3* alternatives.

Initially I was totally against the the site being where it was, but have to say that it looked superb. One of the issues organisers were up against, was that the equine sports were always way out of the olympic venues, and nobody but dedicated followers ever saw them - with the stunning views of London behind there were some great pictures. I actually thought it was a shame that they couldn't run it again - it would have been a good real venue. The obvious alternative would have been Windsor Park, which would have been reasonably near and had a great backdrop, but it still wouldn't have beaten this for grandness and atmosphere.

Overall I was very impressed.
 
Honey 08 I agree about the alternatives - I defiinitely think it was a testing course but I didnt see as many people as I expected take the alternatives, and the ones that did get used (the water and fence 3) didnt seem to be very much slower for how much easier they were.

Windsor would have been a great venue but the ground there is awful. I was amazed at the ground in Greenwich, it was super! Even looking at some of the xc fences yday, the ground was hardly churned at all.
 
They have already taken down a number of the jumps on the course already, they started yesterday. I know they are going to put some of the jumps into the childrens playground at greenwich park.
 
Honey08 said:
Initially I was totally against the the site being where it was, but have to say that it looked superb. One of the issues organisers were up against, was that the equine sports were always way out of the olympic venues, and nobody but dedicated followers ever saw them - with the stunning views of London behind there were some great pictures. I actually thought it was a shame that they couldn't run it again - it would have been a good real venue. The obvious alternative would have been Windsor Park, which would have been reasonably near and had a great backdrop, but it still wouldn't have beaten this for grandness and atmosphere.

Overall I was very impressed.
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LIKE :)

As someone born and bred in Startford ( I can say that instead of the East End as nearly everyone knows where it is now) I was all for it to be at Greenwich.

It's great that London pulled it off and after it had finished on Monday I was at the top of the bank looking down in disbelief as it was such a MASSIVE drop and I happened to mention it to a local volunteer who knew NOTHING about riding and his comments made my day..... He said "They're all ******ing crazy man!! I mean I thought they were all posh snobs poncing around but top respect now...." That wouldn't have happened had it been held elsewhere and I think I'll remember his comments with a smile for many years to come...
 
MadisonBelle said:
LIKE :)

As someone born and bred in Startford ( I can say that instead of the East End as nearly everyone knows where it is now) I was all for it to be at Greenwich.

It's great that London pulled it off and after it had finished on Monday I was at the top of the bank looking down in disbelief as it was such a MASSIVE drop and I happened to mention it to a local volunteer who knew NOTHING about riding and his comments made my day..... He said "They're all ******ing crazy man!! I mean I thought they were all posh snobs poncing around but top respect now...." That wouldn't have happened had it been held elsewhere and I think I'll remember his comments with a smile for many years to come...
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Brilliant - we had a similar conversation with a volunteer, who before the event started was amazed at there being paramedics at every fence. He was well impressed by the riders courage. I think it was a fantastic venue and very good for the sport. I will never forget looking over the moon fence at London's skyline.
 
I think one of the jumps is being auctioned for charity, but don't know which one. Some are going to Badminton and some to Burghley. I loved the fact that all the jumps were trying to show something of Britain, and of course, Greenwich Maritime. When I was leaving, the public were helping themselves to the fruit and veg from that particular jump. I presume they had permission??!!
 
LadyPenelope said:
Brilliantly designed course - the best made it look easy, but the problems were well and truly spread out. The time was challenging and having been there yesterday can confirm that the going was fantastic. The issues with slipping were lack of balance and wrong choice of studs!
For all those there, I don't think we have EVER had or heard such amazing noise! Brilliant day!!
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^^^^
This:)
 
The course was beautiful and loved the comments from the non-riding volunteers.

I know that there were many that did not finish due to falls, or because they parted company, but I was surprised that not many of the alternatives were used. I thought the distances inthe combination fences were very "kind", so nearly every rider took the same route.

I am glad to hear that the fences are going to be re-used or left in the playground.
 
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