After a great first season at Starter then BN, I am hoping to hone my newish jumping skills this fall/winter to move up to Nov next season. Jump height/type doesn’t seem to be an issue with my horse - more me!I may start things off with one more BN as a refresher, but in your opinion which XC courses in Region 4 tend to have an inviting Novice XC that I can use as my first N intro?
Thanks in advance!
Silverwood is pretty friendly for a move-up. Their course is almost always exactly the same, so if you find a couple of XC helmet cam videos you’ll know what to expect.
I wanted to ask the same question! I agree on Silverwood, I haven’t ridden there in a few years, but they used to run the same course with one variation for every event at Novice. From what I saw this year, I would NOT move up at Catalpa and probably not at FRVPC.
Where in Area IV are you, north, west, etc? If you’re in Kansas City vs Wisconsin it makes a big difference unless an 8 hr drive is your cup of tea. So far, my plan next year is to move up to Novice at (area VIII, MI) Chardon Valley. Also I heard that (area VIII, IN) IEA’s BN is pretty tough, so may go BN there and scout out the Novice course.
Can anyone say if Penny Oaks’ novice XC now is easy, medium, or hard? I went once in 2011 and don’t remember anything particularly tough–but I had been at Novice for around 10 years on my previous horse then!
From what I saw this year, BN at Otter Creek looked fairly inviting while BN at Roebkes looked a bit tougher.
*not a competitor, just observing from a grooms standpoint
Otter Creek’s Novice course is fair - not easy but not difficult. It has most of the questions - banks in/out of water, half coffins, etc. Jump #1 was shared with Training level, and many of the jumps are maxed out in height. I probably wouldn’t use it as a move-up course.
It depends where you are and when you want to move up - if you want to run your first event of the season at BN - when is that, May so looking for a June move up? Queeny would be good for that and the timing is right, again depending where you are, Silverwood is good too, especially early in the season. I have done “course walks” for most of my events - my novice walks are a few years old but I finally consolidated them all in one place if you want to look through to get an idea - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1586049278364034/
I’m in N.IL if that helps. I usually stick to a 3 hr range. I thought Silverwood Nov looked a little big 
Might be going to Sundance next Fall or the FRVPC HT in June. Barrington is really close so I could school it before entering. Thanks for the feedback so far!
Unless they made massive changes at Sundance from 2015, you do NOT want to move up there (the Omnibus even says so this year!) After 10+ years at Novice, I could not believe the massive downhill drop bank they had at Novice for 2015.
As for FRVPC, I don’t remember the overall course feel, but I know there was at least one jump–a trakehner-ish log over rocks-- that made me think, “maybe not a move up.” I just found my copy of the Novice XC map, with some luck I’ll go back and school it soon.
Thanks OTTBs, for the heads up about Sundance. Maybe will stick to BN unless I get a few N events under my belt by next fall.
I did BN at Silverwood this year and most jumps didn’t make me nervous. I think it was jump 15 that was called a hanging log, but it sure looked like a trakehner between tall evergreens to me! There were also trakehner-ish log over rocks at jump 4. I feel Silverwood’s obstacles are pretty maxxed…not unfair or anything, but pretty much at the limits. Several of the N fences were just a few fingers higher, and also a ditch to a bank. May just have to suck it up and go there.
I was watching some of the RNSvideomedia XC videos on YouTube of this June’s FRVPC HT at Novice. Didn’t look too scary - from my desk, that is 
It’s been a few years since I’ve been, but the based on the last time I was there Dunnabeck HT is/was a course I’d feel pretty comfortable moving up on. It might be pushing it, distance wise, but it’s a great event run by great folks.
[QUOTE=OTTBs;8854558]
Also I heard that (area VIII, IN) IEA’s BN is pretty tough, so may go BN there and scout out the Novice course.
Can anyone say if Penny Oaks’ novice XC now is easy, medium, or hard? I went once in 2011 and don’t remember anything particularly tough–but I had been at Novice for around 10 years on my previous horse then![/QUOTE]
Since Penny Oaks moved from the old August date to the May date, it is much more of a “move up” course now. Not much terrain and overall uses the same fences as IEA HT since both are at the HHP, but in general the lines and questions are a little softer. This year Cathy Wieschhoff was to be the xc designer, but then that phase had to be cancelled due to the course being (literally) under water the week before the event. Hopefully Cathy will be back next year as the designer as I was looking forward to seeing what she’d do with the course.
IEA is also a great event. I wouldn’t necessarily deem it as tough, but not a move up either. If you moved up at Penny Oaks, IEA would be a nice follow up as it would be just slightly harder. Plus we have two water complexes now!
[QUOTE=Lusoluv;8855993]
I feel Silverwood’s obstacles are pretty maxxed…not unfair or anything, but pretty much at the limits. Several of the N fences were just a few fingers higher, and also a ditch to a bank. May just have to suck it up and go there.
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From an older ammy perspective, who did one training in Area IV at what had been a true move up and that year WAS not for xc, or more importantly stadium, fences there were ALL maxxed out, as was XC, with fences from a venue that is maxxed out typically (but we went clear jump, with time on xc) and has “been around” Area IV,
with hesitation as I know not you nor your horse, if Silverwood seemed “maxxed out” - I cannot fathom that you would be happy moving up anywhere in Area IV, recognized that is. (by moving up meaning stretch a bit, but not quite go “all in” - not that you are not capable of “ever” moving up :o))
I may sound mean, I really don’t mean that…just being brutally honest.
I went N at Silverwood this year and had a blast, I by no means would say it was EASY, not that stuck on myself :o), but I am a bit of a wuss if I have never been somewhere and so was a bit more interested at things walking the course than riding. It was a BLAST though, and flowed, and I wanted to go back, but life circumstances got in the way.
To me, Silverwood is the move up place “left” …whatever that is worth.
[QUOTE=SinMiedo;8856515]
It’s been a few years since I’ve been, but the based on the last time I was there Dunnabeck HT is/was a course I’d feel pretty comfortable moving up on. It might be pushing it, distance wise, but it’s a great event run by great folks. :)[/QUOTE]
We were scheduled for Dunnabeck this year but was cancelled due to rain.
OP, I think the 2 venues in KC are good. Longview horse park has a May and Oct recognized and Heritage Park has monthly schooling shows all summer and a recognized in Oct.
I would say that you are better off moving up at Silverwood rather than FRVPC. Silverwood tends to be pretty much the exact same thing as the past year, so it is an excellent opportunity to school fences that you know will be on the course.
[QUOTE=eventerchick517;8857418]
I would say that you are better off moving up at Silverwood rather than FRVPC. Silverwood tends to be pretty much the exact same thing as the past year, so it is an excellent opportunity to school fences that you know will be on the course.[/QUOTE]
I believe Lisa at Silverwood has opened the course for schooling several times during the year, too, outside of her regular events. Check with her to be sure.
Honestly for a novice move up, especially since you can school there I think FRVPC is a good option. It’s fairly flat, there aren’t too many bright/looky jumps, and I think since it is a course with a lot of paths it seems like it helps greener horses focus as they’re typically not seeing a ton of fences around them at one time.
They did dye their water blue this year, but since novice is just a run in I don’t think it’s too bad if your horse isn’t spooky about water in general.
It seems like the stadium in their sand arena is pretty horse friendly, a lot more clear rounds than I see a lot of other places. Plus, being in June it’s nice that if you want to run a BN or two earlier in the season to make sure you’re ready, you have the option!
Thanks for the personal feedback about Silverwood and FRVPC! It really means a lot to hear experiences from you guys and I don’t take anything as being “mean” I need the straight dope!
My horse has been a great confidence builder this past year and from a Dressage-forever rider, I’ve come a long way just wanting to event! My confidence is up and I’m enjoying showing as an older rider so much more than I did in my 20s-30s (took my 40s off from showing). I know my mare could go training tomorrow with the right person. So in my slow but steady climb up the levels, I’m wanting to make any move-ups fluid and confidently so I don’t put fear into my horse. She doesn’t seem to have any - it’s simply me.
I do plan to do the April Lamplight Derby and have been told by friends that the Novice there is very inviting. Except for the 2 obstacles up the man-made hill, it’s an event derby held in a stadium. Good place to get our feet wet. Maybe the Barrington Mini, Novice, in May (not the same jumps as the HT, right?). Then hopefully can school the real N jumps before the FRVPC HT in June. I think that’s my plan for now…see how that goes before I get ahead of myself for the rest of the season. Dom Schramm clinic in a few weeks should be telling…
If you’re willing to make two trips to Indiana you could do Penny Oaks BN and then IEA at Novice. I know IEA is supposed to be the beefier of the two, but I don’t think that’s necessarily the case (at least at BN/N). Penny Oaks didn’t run XC this year, but the year before BN was right next to N. So if you did N at IEA you were basically just doing bigger versions of the same jumps you just did.
If I don’t move up before then down south this winter, I will probably plan to do BN at Penny Oaks and Novice at IEA for that reason. Also, I just really like that show.
Some of the riders at my barn did the BN-T tracks at FRVPC event this year and loved it! If you go, post lots of pictures for us to enjoy.
Baby Barrington novice isn’t the same as the recognized FRVHT novice later in the spring. Baby Barrington “novice” is more like BN and takes place up front, with the smaller fences, while the real Novice takes place on the back of the property.
Assuming you’re a planning sort of person with access to a good instructor and a trailer – work on your stadium this winter. School XC whenever you can this fall. Start the season with a couple of XC schooling trips to wherever you can - get to Barrington a couple times, get to Silverwood (but don’t put all your eggs in that basket since the XC tends to be wet in the spring and they won’t open the course for schooling if it’s too wet), maybe Lake Geneva. Do Baby Barrington at novice, find some other mini events or combined tests early in the season, and school all the novice stuff you can find. Silverwood is a good moveup because it has the height but no terrain. FRV has some terrain but not a whole lot. Otter Creek is one of my favorite places but it has lots of terrain and I wouldn’t call it a spring move up at all. Catalpa and summer Otter Creek won’t be easy, but if you start early enough in the season and have Silverwood and/or Barrington under your belt, you could pick one of those for mid-season. And fall has lots of good options because you’ll be ready for anything!
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