Concussion, will be released from hospital tomorrow.
[QUOTE=goodmorning;8827818]
How is Dana Cooke?[/QUOTE]
Good to hear she is on the mend :yes:
THAT WAS FUN!!!
Lincoln chewed it up spit it out and would have romped around it again if I let him.
From warmup I saw lots of problems at fence 5 of all things. Maybe because it was going away from warmup? Linc had no prob. As expected he took a moment to assess the first very busy water, hesitated but didn’t break stride. The rest was a breeze. I was a good 30+ seconds up on the clock coming to the weird cabin/bank/corner thing at the end, so I took the safer route off the bank and rolled back to the corner. I appreciated my large studs. Footing was never an issue, but I never would have rode such an aggressive pace without them.
Akor, I suppose I meant I hadn’t seen a course like this in terms of the footing, the track, the Jumbotron, etc. All the fences and questions have been asked of us before. It was different. It was great fun. I’m excited to go to VA for area 2 championships in Oct to run a very different kind of xc course. I can like them both for what they are. I reiterate, this is not the apocalypse.
And since I’m bragging about my horse, I’ll leave this here: http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/mister-president-has-bunch-tricks-his-sleeve
What a great article - and what a great horse!
[QUOTE=enjoytheride;8827461]
So, were the results typical of an event? Is slipping in grass normal? Should an event expect to have footing that stands up to rain?
How difficult is it to qualify for AECs?
It’s pretty normal at Nationals level breed shows to have a bloodbath. People qualify in less competitive areas with smaller class sizes and lose hard at nationals with the higher level of competition. Some people go to win, others go to say they went.[/QUOTE]
No, the results in that training division are not typical of an event. It shouldn’t be a bloodbath. Qualifying is hard enough that although plenty of people do it, they are generally pretty solid at the level. A fall would absolutely not be typical for them. Out of a division at that level I’d expect a couple of 20s and maybe one or two with a second problem. No falls.
We event in the rain all the time.
Of course sometimes it deteriorates. I’ve ridden a training course where the footing changed pretty dramatically from the time I put studs in to the time I left the box. I was under studded. We slipped a couple times between fences and I had to ride conservatively. But we were experienced at the level and never came close to wiping out. I would have pulled up if it had been that bad, or if I was not confident at the level.
[QUOTE=Duckz;8827868]
And since I’m bragging about my horse, I’ll leave this here: http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/mister-president-has-bunch-tricks-his-sleeve
:D[/QUOTE]
I love it! I have a “Lincoln”, a percheron/paint cross. He does everything–I adore him.
[QUOTE=Duckz;8827868]
THAT WAS FUN!!!
Lincoln chewed it up spit it out and would have romped around it again if I let him.
:D[/QUOTE]
BRAVO! Congratulations! No small feat, that course! And, thanks for clarifying!
I was there as a spectator Thursday afternoon and Friday. The facilities have a ways to go still, I feel like every morning there was more of the parking lot paved than the night before, lol. Once they expand the cross country it should be awesome. It is very spectator friendly and the lower areas had seating arrangements to watch cross country which was neat.
I was very impressed with how the facility handled the deluge that occurred friday afternoon. There was standing water along the front of the barn and the horse pathway that was gone within about 3 hours and you could hardly tell that it rained by that evening.
There are still several kinks to be worked out. We witnessed an accident when a man was walking his horse by the jumbotron which was placed along the horse path between spectators and the derby field. And some of the volunteers were not trained well. My friend was told she couldn’t walk across the “galloping track” where it conjoined with the finish of cross country to get to her intermediate horse coming off cross country. And they didn’t seem very prepared to catch the loose horse coming off the derby field.
The course was odd for sure. Difficult to get a rhythm and get going. Turf wasn’t slippery for the people I head. They put in big studs after the rain. The training horses had no problem with the turn that the amateurs had problems with. Not sure why it became a problem then, if they were just going too fast or what. Also, the “options” for the intermediate course weren’t really options. No matter if you opted for the long route initially, you’d get a 20. Apparently there was no way to get to the “option” jump without crossing your path and with the placement of the option it was going to be a 20 regardless of whether you’d presented at the 3rd component.
Overall it was a pretty awesome facility that has a lot to work on but I imagine it will be pretty amazing once it is done. The potential for cross country is there but with the “track” setup I don’t know how friendly it will be for lower levels. But for the 1*, 2*, etc it should be awesome.
Regarding the turf. It looks ridiculously “fast” from the pictures. So yeah, not a surprise that it isn’t holding up and horses are slipping. Yuck.
I don’t understand why these kinds of facilities that “aren’t finished” are used for championships? Makes no sense. Do they publish as such in the omnibus - warning competitors of what’s going on? I get that they want the spotlight - maybe the thought is the publicity will increase required funding for finishing the project? But at the cost of putting on a quality event right now? Aren’t competitors paying for a championship experience? Don’t they deserve one? And getting shafted on THE most important part. Plus it sounds like they are in a bit over their heads with stuff like dealing with loose horses, event rules, etc).
Flyingchange, I do not think that competitors think they are getting “shafted” at all. Overall, the competitors I have heard from are 100% happy with the place AND the course, most noting that it is different from others but not in any way a bad course.
I do not think that they asked for the AEC’s knowing that they would not have the facilities finished. They got the event months MONTHS ago and their timeline indicated that all would be done by now. They were mistaken.
But it sounds like the best was made of the situation.
If I can get my youngster out and about, competing, and qualified, I am entering next year. Sounds like an awesome experience and I will be unable to make a trek to Colorado the following year… so…
[QUOTE=flyingchange;8828467]
Regarding the turf. It looks ridiculously “fast” from the pictures. So yeah, not a surprise that it isn’t holding up and horses are slipping. Yuck.
I don’t understand why these kinds of facilities that “aren’t finished” are used for championships? Makes no sense. Do they publish as such in the omnibus - warning competitors of what’s going on? I get that they want the spotlight - maybe the thought is the publicity will increase required funding for finishing the project? But at the cost of putting on a quality event right now? Aren’t competitors paying for a championship experience? Don’t they deserve one? And getting shafted on THE most important part. Plus it sounds like they are in a bit over their heads with stuff like dealing with loose horses, event
I wouldn’t say they were in over their head. Just some kinks to be worked out. I also don’t know if that is a function of the facility or the organizers of the actual event. The stabling was great, lots of food options, and nice overall.
Overall I think it was designed with a TON more foresight and planning than WEF. It seems actually designed to hold a large number of horses.
As far as it being a championship, i think everybody there was pretty happy.
And it was pretty awesome to watch the beginner novice showjumping on TVs in the restaurant during dinner! And to watch the riders before you on the screen before you go in in the stadium.
From another Novice Competitor. It was FUN! I believe Tryon will have a proper XC course in time - it’s visible from the development in progress. I agree with Duckz - for Novice there was terrain, it was maxed size but I have seen harder Novice courses at So8ths and Full Gallop. I did the same thing Duckz did and looped to the corner off of the bank, fences 18/19. I thought all the fences were fair to the horses - no tricks - you needed to ride forward and straight and it rode wonderfully.
Additionally, I believe if you are looking at the derby field, and only your division fences were placed, it wouldn’t feel like so tight. I didn’t find it any more or less twisty/turny then other courses.
I will say if it had poured another day, I don’t think the footing would have held at the championships speeds outlined. I did go slower in the slick spots and racked up some time, as one of my stable mates was one of the training riders whose horse slipped and fell in the turn to the training 9.
As for having the championships feel - I believe they delivered. Let me tell you how cool and nerve racking it was to walk into the tunnel to the George Morris arena - if you don’t feel like your riding in a championship show then - you must have nerves of steel!
Also the volunteers, staff, riders and organizers were all super nice and helpful, which to me kept the eventing spirit alive. I can’t tell you how many spectators new to eventing would stop to ask me what they should watch, where they should go and how our sport works. Everyone was friendly, and helpful and I do look forward to attempting to go back next year. I also look forward to going to all my area shows as well CHP, So8ths, FENCE, Aiken, VAHT, Poplar, Chat Hills, and River Glen - variety is the spice of life 
[QUOTE=Winding Down;8828509]
Flyingchange, I do not think that competitors think they are getting “shafted” at all. Overall, the competitors I have heard from are 100% happy with the place AND the course, most noting that it is different from others but not in any way a bad course.
I do not think that they asked for the AEC’s knowing that they would not have the facilities finished. They got the event months MONTHS ago and their timeline indicated that all would be done by now. They were mistaken.
But it sounds like the best was made of the situation.
If I can get my youngster out and about, competing, and qualified, I am entering next year. Sounds like an awesome experience and I will be unable to make a trek to Colorado the following year… so…[/QUOTE]
I guess we see things very differently WD! I don’t think you live far from me (northern/Central VA). I wouldn’t take a horse down there unless an owner was paying the freight. Too many really awesome gigs around VA/MD/PA to ship a young horse all the way down there on my own dime for THAT. Not to mention the shipping toll on the horse - so it would have to be a really great facility/potential experience for me to put a horse through the shipping and stabling - even if it were a paid ride. The inputs here seem to outweigh the returns. But that’s just me.
When is any construction project EVER finished on time? Very few are. That’s kind of a no-brainer. So commiting a facility to holding a championship event based on a construction schedule that hasn’t been (and isn’t near being) completed is, um, well, searching for diplomatic term … shortsighted? Oh well, I just don’t see how planners get away with it. There are so many great facilities that are/were beyond ready.
Agree! That ring was an experience by itself! When your bending line includes a Land Rover you know you’re at the Novice Olympics :winkgrin:
[QUOTE=beowulf;8824204]
The event itself is flat - there’s a few dinky hills but nothing I would say is terrain.
But this is what I think of when I think terrain - it can be hard to see how steep some of those hills are but there is very little flat ground barring the run thru the dressage and stadium:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFpdbjIgplI[/QUOTE]
Oh that looked like fun!! I would so do that…in my height!:lol:
[QUOTE=flyingchange;8828541]
When is any construction project EVER finished on time? Very few are. That’s kind of a no-brainer. So commiting a facility to holding a championship event based on a construction schedule that hasn’t been (and isn’t near being) completed is, um, well, searching for diplomatic term … shortsighted? Oh well, I just don’t see how planners get away with it. There are so many great facilities that are/were beyond ready.[/QUOTE]
I take issue with this in this case. I have a LOT of experience with developments, enough to be an expert witness, just in case someone wonders… AND…barring acts of god, which I do not see here, if it “HAS” to be done on time and the developer/funder is willing to make that happen, it WILL Happen. That it didnt’ means they picked $ over delivery time, I feel quite comfortable saying that. All else aside, I have no problem believing they CHOSE to not be one on time. Who knows, maybe they thought they’d see how it is received, and if well, no other changes will be made. Means they save a lot of $$$$. This fits a very classic pattern, IMO. Contrast that with a certain investor in my area, where project are ALWAYS done well and on time…that costs them. I have certain respect for that type of developer. Not so much for the others.
Added: I understand the poster I quoted was not so much arguing for them, but their quote was what I felt best responding to.
So AEC’s are at Tryon again next year? My friend thought it was Colorado Horse Park.
[QUOTE=Duckz;8828579]
Agree! That ring was an experience by itself! When your bending line includes a Land Rover you know you’re at the Novice Olympics :winkgrin:[/QUOTE]
Don’t hit the car, don’t hit the car, don’t hit the car:)
Well. Ya know what? It is what it is. The courses were attractive, asked some good questions (missed some good ones, as well, but … ). The footing looked very good, though there were a couple of random, unexpected slips that I saw. The event seemed to be very well run. Vendors’ setups were nice and comprehensive (that suede-covered Stackhouse saddle looked good enough to eat, just g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s!) Spectators were very (very!) well provided-for. Watching a small section of the course live, and then the rest on a very nicely placed jumbo-tron was … different, but really pretty pleasant. The facility is just first-rate, you can’t argue with that. Parking was adequate, but needed to be more closely monitored; we got stuck at a dead-end with no parking spaces left and had to make a 21-point turn, and then were confronted by a long row of cars facing the same issue.
Was it the kind of rustic, out-in-the-wilds cross country that I remember from 'way back when? No, it isn’t. The sport is changing, that’s all there is to it. Did it look fun to ride? Absolutely. Did it do it’s job as a competition? Will have to see the final results to tell about that, but it clearly wasn’t a give-away, nor were there any tragic crashes (not, at least, while I was there), nor did there seem to be a feeling of doom and gloom in anticipation of one. Would I want to ride there? Yeah, it would be kind of a kick, and not having to worry about the spooky spots and occasional bad footing would be not so bad.
I was a bit surprised that there weren’t more spectators. There were plenty of cars, so maybe the facility just handled them well.
Really, not so bad. Glad I don’t have to pay the entry and stabling fees (being old enough to recall when some were under $100 for the weekend 
), and it is a different game in some ways. But, that’s progress, I guess.
