Riders have mixed opinions after a first look at the test Mark Phillips has set for the Agria Blenheim European Championships cross-country phase. While Ireland’s Padraig McCarthy – a double world silver medallist and contesting his third Europeans – described it as “a pretty serious track”, fellow championships stalwart Senne Vervaecke of Belgium said it “looks fun; I think it’s nice”.
Several riders pinpointed the main arena as where the challenge ramps up, at fences 9 (the Joules Palace View) and 10abc (Agria Angles) – an imposing yellow and blue table ahead of skinny angled hedges.
“It’s a pretty serious track,” said Padraig. “There’s an easy enough start to get the horses breathing and into a good rhythm, but when you come up to the main arena and on to the front lawn, it really smacks you in the face.”
The front lawn features the Subaru Sensation (fence 11abc), Palace Treasure Chest (fence 12) and Jewellery Box (fence 13) – more chunky tables and tricky lines to corners, coming hot on the heels of the questions in the arena. Mark himself described this area as “probably the most difficult fences on the course… it demands absolute precision, balance and commitment to stay on the line”.
“It’s very typical Mark Phillips, he puts you on one line and you have to accept a lot of angle, and there’s no deviation from it,” Padraig adds. “So I think we’re going to see plenty of mistakes. It’s a championship, so I think it’s going to be good sport on Saturday.”
Germany’s Nicolai Aldinger, who rides the 15-year-old grey Timmo, also picked out this section.
“The course is tough; it’s intense when you come to the main arena, with the angled hedges,” he said. “For me, the key combination is the table and two corners [Subaru Sensation] – it’s really big and you’re not allowed to leave your line.”
Switzerland’s Nadja Minder, riding 18-year-old Toblerone, was another scratching her head at this question.
“When I first walked it, especially the corners in front of the palace, I thought, ‘what does the designer want us to do?’,” but after walking it with [Swiss cross-country coach] Andrew Nicholson, everything became clearer. There’s no better horse than Toblerone to tackle this track.”
British riders give their verdict on the Blenheim European Championships cross-country course
Three riders on the British squad, in partnership with Agria, gave their comments on the challenge.
British number two team rider Piggy March predicted “sneaky problems to be had anywhere”. She highlighted a few fences with frangibles, particularly in front of water or on mounds, that will be easy to activate.
“It’s crafty coming out of the water with the little angled brush [fence 19], they’ve been clever with where they’ve put the flower pot,” she said. “It’s a really good track, they’ve definitely spiced up Blenheim for a championships. We’ll see bits and pieces spread out – it should be a thrills and spills day.”
Caroline Harris, who is making her senior championship debut with D. Day, said: “It’s a proper championship track. The angles are strong; it’s going to take a lot of riding, you need to be bold and to attack it.”
Britain’s pathfinder Yasmin Ingham (Rehy DJ) described it as “intense from start to finish”.
“There’s one minute with eight jumping efforts in it, so there are some [areas] where you’ll have to be very aware of your clock. I think time is going to play a big part.”
But while that main arena and front lawn section is intense, there are plenty of other tests around the course.
Nicolai picked out the first entry to the lake: “It’s pretty skinny and naked, and then the hedge out is on a sharp angle.”
Senne Vervaecke indicated that the course builds up to a crescendo before easing off.
“The course looks fun and I’m excited to ride it,” said the 28-year-old. “You have a flowing start, with one big question, the log skinnies [fence 6, the Suregrow Dew Pond], then an incredibly intense middle part with a finale with the two mounds – the oxer turning to a corner.”
This combination at fence 15 – the Raging Bull Roller Coaster – features an oxer on one mound then a corner on a second mound, so horses have to deal with the rollercoaster element of the terrain as well as the accuracy question.
“And then if your horse still has the energy, you have a fluid finish again,” adds Senne. “I think it’s nice.”
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