2013 Blenheim Cross Country Course Review

Francis Whittington

      Francis Whittington on course at Blenheim

Course Designer Eric Winter and rider Francis Whittington walk around the complete 3* cross country course at the 2013 Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials. Together they take a look at each fence and discuss from the designer and rider point of view prior to the event

On the day the most influential jump on course was 5AB, the Fidelity Fund Finder, the double of brush like corners which caused 18 stops and many retirements. Another combination towards the end of the course that caught many out was fence 21AB, the Ariat Dew Pond. The narrow arrow head that made up the second element of this fence caused problems for those horses that were tired and losing concentration in the final minutes of the course. 10 combinations were caught out and lost their line to the second element of this testing fence.

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