This is my first visit to Red Hills, but I have it on good authority that the courses this year are more open and galloping. I walked around all three CIC sort of at once, and hope to walk them separately today, but in the meantime I have some pictures to give you an idea of what the competitors are up against.
When Course Designer Hugh Lochore told me over the phone a few weeks previously that he had tried to bring more of the jumps out in the open where the ground was better, and to give the course more space, instead of placing them under the majestic oak trees, I didn’t really have an idea of what he meant; now I do.
Course Builders Eric Bull and his assistant Tyson Rementer travel all over the US building quality courses as well as the last two Pan Am Games, and when they’re not traveling they’re building jumps in the workshop at home – they supplied the jumps for the PRO Derby Cross at Wellington which were sold straight afterwards.
On top of this they’re both relatively new dads – Congratulations, and yet they remain cheerful despite my inane questioning, thanks guys!
Tyson’s Armadillo
My manatee!
Corrinne Mathis really does do a sterling job dressing all the fences, she takes a week each year to devote to the task, something she took on almost by accident after jump judging for several years first, and then filling in when the position became vacant and now she’s made it her own.
The courses all have some questions on them. There are two waters on each: the manatees for the CIC 3*, and the lower levels jump the crocodiles coming the other way,
After this there’s a pull up the hill, then then depending on your level a combination of log to angled strides (one and two star) or log to double of acute corners (three star).
This is shortly followed by the newly re-vamped second water complex which gives Red Hills so many options, as well as great spectator viewing,
There are plenty of plain, galloping fences in between the questions,
and a few other questions besides…
Cross country runs all day saturday starting at 8:30am but before then we have a full day of dressage today, and I still have lots to download from yesterday’s warm-up sessions. Enjoy your riding, and Go Eventing. Thanks for reading.
