For the Preliminary Round, Chrystine Tauber and Jimmy Torano have created a course of 11 obstacles, all in traditional hunter form–nothing too spooky and minimal decoration.
Fences 1 to 2 (a vertical to an oxer) are set 6 strides apart. Then riders make a right turn to 3AB, which is riding as a long in-and-out. 3B is a skinny white gate.
A tough spot comes after 3B, because it’s a tight four strides (or a forward three) to the fourth fence, a post and rail vertical. Riders have a lot of impulsion to make that long one stride, so to get in four even strides is a test. It is also siutated right underneat the judges’ table.
If riders choose to take the three strides to fence 4, many will opt out of an inside turn (in front of fence 1) to fence 5, a right roll back to a swedish oxer with hay bales.
Competitors then ride through the far end to 6AB and 7AB, set right on the rail. Each is a one stride combination, separated by six strides. 7AB is two birch railed verticals.
Fence 8 comes up quickly after 7AB, a left turn to a vertical, and then a right rollback to a white triple oxer. Riders coming in long to fence 9 will have a little trouble getting their lead change and reorganizing for a tight left turn to the narrow wood coop flanked by brush (fence 10).
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Riders then must hand gallop to fence 11.
See the Second Round course here.
See the final Standby List here.
