John Pearce, Olympian and World Cup Show Jumper, was kind enough to let Jacki and I tag along on his course walk for Friday's $25,000 1.35m FEI Speed Class. Hearing the game plan for a class full of world class competition was incredible. We've got a few notes and videos below!
Jump number 1 is a large oxer on a slight diagonal close to the rail with an option for a handy inside turn to fence two:
Angles, angles, angles! Lots of bending lines and turns in this course make angles a big piece of John's strategy.
Coming off a short approach, fences 4a-b was a bending 7 stride to fence 5.
Bending line to another combination right on the rail:
To a direct six:
Bending line to finish (with more angles!):
Name of the game in indoors is all about being strategic and nimble.
Thank you so much, John Pearce, for letting us walk with you! We learned so much and enjoyed being in the company if such an expert horseman.
