where is your favorite cross country course and why?

[smokescreen]

I was just thinking about all of the courses I have ridden and what I liked and disliked about them. My 2 favorites in my life were Jackson Hole (I think it is gone now) It was a very scary looking course that rode really well. I always felt like I could jump the world after doing that course. My other favorite is Jumping branch. It is a nice move up course, I always feel good when my horse has a positive experience his first time doing a higher level. What is your favorite course and why? Extra points if you know the course designer. Oh, and lets try to keep it positive, OK?

[Jupes]

It's been a little bit since I Evented, but I think Hunter Oaks in Illinois is super neat. They hold their event in October, so their beautiful, hilly property is fun and bursting with gorgeous, Fall colors.

And because I have some really fond, great memories from Wayne and Barrington, I'll mention those, too.
:)

(now I *really* miss it...)

[quietann]

I've only been a groom/spectator, but Groton House is the best I've seen in Area 1... Lovely old-fashioned gallopy course, and nearly everyone looks like they are having a blast out there!

[Timex]

Millbrook, its the only place you can find monkeys that close to a XC course. Lol

[xcPayge]

Millbrook, its the only place you can find monkeys that close to a XC course. Lol

I agree. It is GORGEOUS! The jumps and great, its true to the level, the people are very friendly, it's definitely well run, and the epitome of a perfect event. Everyone should go at least once. I am in love with Millbrook :P

[lionstigersbears]

I loved the novice courses at Menfelt (which I don't think exists anymore) and FHI...
also Full Moon Farm, did a 'pipe opener' there and was very cool to get to try different jumps on course depending how it was going :)

[chestnutwithchrome]

The Kentucky Horse Park, because when I moved to KY from CA, I thought it was the most amazing thing that I was riding on the same land, and by the same fences as the Rolex competitors :) Every time I ride there I get a chill as I go into the infield. And the course is always beautiful, with good footing and fun fences!

[retreadeventer]

Oh you are so lucky to be able to ride there! I am very jealous!

My favorite is Plantation, and for the same reason previously mentioned, I always seem to feel like a million bucks after finishing a ride there...for some reason I can see my spot to the fences...I remember doing novice, and thinking how scary the Weldon's Wall and privet hedge was on the Training course....then I did training, and now they aren't scary any more...and am looking forward to possibly getting the Preliminary course under my belt some day, too. Everything seems so easily progressive there and the footing is to die for. My horse "got" eventing there. It was his first event and he figured out what I wanted him to do there....it will always be good for me there no matter where we finish.

[scubed]

Hunter's Run which has great questions and just enough terrain to make it interesting.

Galway which is a wonderful galloping course

Pine Top which just always seems great, though sometimes hard

[Fergs]

I got to ride at Lexington Horse Park (KY) once for Pony Club Championships, and it was one of the best rides of my life! It's such an honor to do that course.

My favorite course from yesteryear was Blue Ridge. It is too bad there is no event there anymore.

As for current events, I will always love Waredaca. Morven is wonderful, too...it's so great when the courses are gallopy and inviting while also posing appropriate questions.

[LR1976]

Otter Creek in Area IV. Great footing, big gallopy courses, and the grounds and facilities are gorgeous!

[ens0613]

I absolutely loved Inavale, in Oregon. I competed there for the first time this year, and after competing on California dirt, the grass footing and the wooded XC course was just lovely :) Many of the jumps were maxed out, but open and inviting to riders and horses alike.

[piaffeprincess98]

I like the VA HT's in Lexington. The course is always friendly. I've ridden from BN-P there. I think sometimes they can be good move-up courses. Maybe it's because I always have good luck when I go there! I have quite a few firsts and seconds.

I also like the logical course design, like the fact that they usually have the ditches/treks. at the end of the course, so you and your horse are feeling confident. Plus, I love fall weather, even if I might be cursing it in the mornings when I go to feed my horse at the Horse Center.

[inquisitive]

I've only ridden at four recognized HTs :lol: but have to say VAHT and Middleburg. They're both big open, gallopy courses. And VAHT probably wins because the facilities are amazing :D

I had fun at Morven Park on the longer stretches, but the middle of the course was just packed.

I've seen pictures from Groton House and really want to ride there some day (mostly because of the cool water complex :lol:) And of course I want to hit up KY Horse Park and a lot of the courses in the Carolinas :)

[secretariat]

Richland Park, MI. Beautiful, galloping courses, tough questions, horses seem to love to jump there.

[Catalina]

I LOVED Waredaca's August Novice course- I hope the one on Sunday is similar. It was big, technical, had room to gallop and lots of places where you needed to think. I was smiling the entire way around.

Morven was our first recognized Training ever and I thought the course was huge, but amazing to ride. I was scared to death walking the course and on top of the world when we finished clean.

[Couture TB]

Chase Creek in British Columbia here is a short vid of my retired horse and I on their course http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsH_a5VTfAE It was just a blast to ride.

Now for the area I live in (please can I go back to BC? please?) Hands down I would say Otter Creek. The course is fantastic. The people are great. You just can't beat them in the area.

[tbeventer]

I've competed in CA, the SE, NW, and BC at nearly every event and can honestly say that there is a tie between Galway Downs, 3 Day Ranch, and Twin Rivers... Ironically, they are all in Area VI! Ian Stark has created a wonderful galloping course at Galway, but there are some very technical questions and even at the early season events, fences are typically maxed out, but very logical and inviting and easy to establish a rhythm on. 3Day is designed by David O'Connor and the course has some lovely rolling terrain and very tricky questions. Different parts of the course have different themes and even with good galloping spaces, it's hard to make time. Twin Rivers is designed by Derek diGrazia and is as technical as they come, but with some good hills and great footing--plus being in the heart of Central Coast wine country with a winery across the street-- it's beautiful, too. In Area VII, my favorite course is Aspen Farms, owned and designed by Jon Elliott. I rode there the first year the event ran and the quality of the fences brought tears to my eyes. Not a single detail was left off and again the course had different themes, including a sailing ship and an ice chest filled with beer and candy at the water! In Area III, Poplar Place is a favorite and probably the most technical course I've gotten to run on the East Coast. And the poster that mentioned Chase in BC hit the nail on the head! Losing that event was a tragic loss to all eventers in the Western Hemisphere!

[Tucked_Away]

I love Huntington Farm (VT). It's not the fanciest course around, by any means, but it--the whole event, really--just makes me feel good.

[Phaxxton]

Carolina Horse Park, probably because I've ridden there the most.

Groton House I love for the save reason as a previous poster -- nice, gallopy, open course.

And of course Morven Park because you feel like a total rock star when you survivie - er, I mean finish. :lol:

Man I miss eventing!

[Outyougo]

Very fun course. Good to gallop very fast so you out run the bears!

The Herron Park course in Montana rode really well too

[KMErickson]

Poplar Place in GA and Galway in CA - Poplar is a little twisty but always so so much fun and Tremaine Cooper is a genius; Galway is big and open and galloping, a total blast to ride.

[Nomini]

I've ridden almost every course in Area II, but I love Middleburg.

1. It scares the crap out of me.

2. When I survive, I'm so excited that I survived! (the prelim was my deciding factor in entering a CCI*, I have not been brave enough to try the Intermediate. I jumped a brush wall on a bank where the solid part was past my fingertips above my head when I stood on the landing side. I did it instead of taking the option, and its one of my favorite XC pics ever. My pony's feet are still above the brush on top while her front feet are touching the ground!)

3. Its hilly, gallopy, challenging, and gorgeous.

4. It is in one of the prettiest areas of the country I've ever seen, surrounded by stone walls, farmhouses, and coops in all the fencelines. If I had a billion dollars I'd live there in a second.

I'm also quite fond of Waredaca, for many of the same reasons. Maryland at Loch Moy now too!

[CANTEREOIN]

There is nothing bad to say about any of these courses... and the events are fun and for the most part well run.

GMHA - beauty, terrain, water everywhere and gallopy

Groton House... everything that's been said already

Valinor - beautiful, big, terrain and challenging without being terrifying

Town Hill - again, beautiful, great footing, fun challenging jumps and long... its a great ride

[Melevents]

Without a doubt, hands down Poplar Place is my favorite! Rocking Horse is awesome too, and rounding out third would be a close tie between Pine Top and Groton House.

[Melevents]

oh yeah, I forgot the old school North Georgia = classic! The stone circular jump/ combination was so cool.