XC Review: Wandin ODE

Everybody knows Wandin.  It is open and undulating, with the odd steep section.  This year a new Intro and Prelim course have been built in Big Wandin.  Before these courses were built, they were run in Little Wandin.

The new Intro course is big.  The jumps are big and solid, and if you're not comfortable jumping the 80cm, then don't attempt this.

Other than the jumps being imposing, the course is actually a very good Intro course.  The jumps are spaced a long distance apart, giving you lots of time to catch your breath and balance in between.  There are no difficult banks, drops or ditches, and the water is simple.  There is a sunken road section that has a steep slope going into it.  I am not sure how it rode, as I didn't ride it (finding the constant 80cm too much for me), but it's a solid half way into the course, so by this stage you and your horse should be travelling well and it shouldn't cause any issues.

The second half of the course sends you up a hill that's more in the steep zone, so your horse needs to be fit enough to jump the big jumps that follow.

To me, as a pretty inexperienced eventer at this level, it seemed like a fairly advanced course simply because of the height.  (Keep in mind that my mount is 13.2hh.)  Something you would do before going Prelim.  The jumps are also solid and inventive - trains, chook houses, that sort of thing.  However, when I think of the technical difficulty of the course, its actually quite simple, with most jumps on a fairly flat approach and landing.

So, if you and your horse is comfortable with the 80cm required, then I would definitely add this course to your eventing calendar.  Perhaps not as a first up event, but maybe third or fourth.