February March 2013 - Page 7
Walking the cross country course allows
riders to evaluate the complete course and
to determine the optimum approach for
individual jumps.
Over $21,000
in prizes and prizemoney
Continued
W
alking the cross country course plays an important
role in the success of an Eventing day out and is so
much more that just finding out where to go. It is
the rider's opportunity to gain an understanding of the terrain, the
conditions under which they will ride and the manner in which
the various obstacles can be ridden.
It is also the time when the rider might use a wheel to measure
distances, place minute markers around the course or use an `app'
on their smart phone to download the course and take photos of
certain fences to aid their preparation for the challenge ahead. No
two courses are ever the same so the most experienced of riders
will make the same groundwork preparations as every other rider,
no matter how many times they may have competed at that venue
previously.
Walk, walk and walk again
Typically a rider might walk a One Day Event course two to three
times while a Three Day Event Course could be covered three to
five times as these courses are usually longer with more fences,
options and complexities. A 3DE might be considered a `more
important' event so a rider should pay even more attention, as
mistakes will be costly. Regardless of the level of the event, the
rider is allowed to walk the course as many times as they choose.
The First Walk
This first walk will give the rider a general feel for the course and
where to go. A course map, which will provide the optimum time
and the fences to be jumped, can be collected from the Steward's
Office.
Continued