I’m hoping Eventing Nation or Eventing Connect will post an article on someone’s review of Poplar’s first rated horse trial under new ownership.
I’ll share my own review, for those not attending or are considering attending future events.
Poplar was the closest venue to me growing up so initially my favorite, and I remember going to watch the like of the O’Connors competing the Advanced there. It was also an event many of us used as our first rated event.
This past weekend I attended, and I was really pleased with the upgrades and think I will send more entries their way in the future.
First of all to the grounds themselves, the driveways have been re-graded and trailers both big and small can easily maneuver up and down both directions to the show barn or to the trailer parking area in the back. There were new show secretaries who were friendly and quick to respond to questions. Many of the same volunteers from previous years were at the dressage and show-jump rings, and they are always lovely and have sugar for your horses. Scores were also posted very quickly on event entries, and I knew my score by the time I had cooled off my horse for dressage.
Walking the cross-country course, for the preliminary, I definitely thought the updates made the course a stronger more technical and bold course than prior years. The questions seemed appropriate and to standard, but also true preliminary questions. One fun part of Poplar is the availability for the designer to use terrain in his questions, and he did just that, so the combination of both terrain and fences at maximum height, required an accurate bold ride. To aid the horses, the new tables and other fences all had clear ground lines and most slanted fronts. (Which would have been one of my criticisms of the previous courses.) I saw a few of the training course combinations and thought similarly that their course was also set to proper training technical and height standards.
Whereas beforehand, I was able to compete as a junior (8-10 years ago) at this event with no trainer or much prior-homework, I think the course today would be more challenging and call out the weaknesses I had then, but that if I could competently ride the course I would not be overwhelmed attending other courses also set to standard.
The show-jumping was no longer on the grass, but held in the small ring beside the show office. I have no complaints. and it seemed to ride well…
Overall I’m excited for this event to receive needed upgrades and believe the owners have smart and knowledgeable people helping them. I’m hoping their entries will increase to sustain the event for the future.
My future concerns would be properly aerated cross-country courses, and the black footing becomes very hot in the summer. This wasn’t an issue this weekend as we’ve had lots of rain this spring and the temperatures are still cool.
