10 reasons why I should go back to being a showjumper...

[Cruiseonamiro]

1. They dont have to get up at stupid o'clock to plait.
2. They don't get called posh little rich girls by the horse world.
3. They don't have to do boring stuff like circles.
4. They don't even have to do trot if they don't want to.
5. They don't spend £60 odd quid entering on class, risk their horse going lame and losing their entry fee for withdrawing.
6. They get good prize money.
7. They get to compete indoors, in the warm.
8. Their events don't get cancelled constantly, see number 7 above.
9. They can compete all year round.
10. They don't get f*****g balloted! GRRR. First Burnham market, then Keysoe's PN was full, so I entered the intro. First I was in, now i've been wait listed, but I don't know what to do because i'm at the top of the list apparently! It's so frustrating! My horse won't have been to a party from the 6th september to the 5th october, and that's if we get into oasby! And he won't have been xc since 16th august. Sorry for the moaning post, I seriously am considering going back to showjumping! Heehee.

^^ There's just one flaw with that... they don't get to go xc

 

[carthorse]

Sorry you haven't convinced me, all that waiting round in a carpark or grotty cafe, then you have one fence down and have to wait hours and hours for another class and another fence falls down.
Give me a nice stately home to compete at and a lovely xc to walk, and the feeling of getting round even if you don't get placed.lol

 

[kerilli]

but:
there isn't the lovely camaraderie you get when eventing. (which is a very polite way of saying that show-jumpers can be a bit nasty at times!)
you are unlikely to drive on icy roads for 2 hours, jump 1 round in a class of 80, and have to wait 4 hours (or more) to do the next class...
you get 5 or 6 minutes (or longer) of galloping and jumping and having a really fun time.
you can have a little hiccup xc and get away with it and have a really good rest-of-the-round... in bsja, you have a hiccup and flatten the next 4 fences, in my experience.
need i go on...?

 

[billyslad]

Dont do it , I know you will save a fortune on hairnets and plaiting thread but you will have to change your name to Waynetta dye you hair bottle blond and have your name embroidered on the back of your jacket !

 

[seche]

[ QUOTE ]
2. They don't get called posh little rich girls by the horse world.

[/ QUOTE ]

I far rather imagine myself as one of those anyday!

(As opposed to a scruffy, rude, gobby, gum-chewing, un-hairneted, grubby booted, loud, ungracious, cheap perfume smelling showjumper)... (ducks, sprints away = awaits shrapnell falling!)

I agree with everything the Carthorse and Kerilli have said!!!

 

[milz88]

No, don't do it!!! You'll regret it, for all the cold and expenses etc you have to endure as an eventer surely the thrill of the xc and the not waiting around, and having a chance to redeem yourself in each phase, makes up for the reasons you list to be a showjumper.

 

[Gamebird]

I really don't want to get dragged into stereotypes here *proceeds to anyway* but.....

if anyone on here was the nameless SJ I saw warming up on Saturday with the hipster skintight breeches (with pink piping, natch), crop top and two spare tyres worth of permatanned, tattooed belly spilling out between the two then..... EEEUUURRRGH

Please keep your jacket on in future.

I'd frankly rather keep the tweed coat and silk stock image and leave my own spare tyres well concealed under my XC colours and BP any day of the week!

 

[billyslad]

And all the showjumpers wonder why they get stereotyped, with the exception of a few you only have to go to Norton eef over the winter to see why

a pity more Eventers dont wear crop tops though as most of them are really fit ! ( Only my humble opinion )

 

[AutumnRose]

I'll take ballots/early mornings and mud anyday over waiting for hours in the rain watching show jumpers in their bling (horses and riders) and very tight white jods

. Plus i agree with kerilli about people being much more unfriendly than out eventing....

Hehe, still i'll be hanging around with them all winter in my tweed!! Couldn't do it all year though....

**runs for cover with other tweed clad people before the sjer's see this thread**

 

[Halfstep]

Waiting around for hours and hours, fighting to get into the ring, stupid idiots cutting you off when you are about to jump in the warm up, oh, and waiting around for hours and hours. Give me dressage any day. You get your times, you ride your tests, you leave an envelope and bugger off home. So civilised, darling

.

 

[Baydale]

I agree, the pros outweigh the cons - eventing it is. I'm old and set in my ways and there is no way you will catch me riding round in a cropped top

.

 

[Lolo]

Cruiseonamiro- there's something at Burnham Market around the same courses as the BE version a week later on the 28th. Pretty professional, usually high standard, listed BE judges only. My Mum takes all the entries so PM me for more info if you want. Goes from 2'6 to 3'6-3'9.

 

[Rosiefan]

I absent-mindedly left my camcorder on the step of the lorry at LD on Saturday when we went across to check the results. Panic attack when I realised but daughter said 'is OK Mum, it's eventing - not SJ'. Also, when you do go SJ, you're thrilled to bits with a place and a bit (sometimes a lot) of prize money rather than having a tantrum 'cos you haven't won.

 

[DollyPentreath]

[ QUOTE ]
**runs for cover with other tweed clad people before the sjer's see this thread**

[/ QUOTE ]

''Pass me my tweed and an elasticated breastplate..''

I think that's my stance made clear.. Agree with all of the above.

 

[NewHeights_SJ]

Whoa...you guys are so harsh!!

Im a sjer through and through, yes, i do wear a fancy hat and boots, one of those new outdoor coat jacket thingys...but i havent any spare tires and i certainly dont use fake tan or wear makeup all the time!!!

I guess all disciplines have pros and cons.

 

[1588]

plus it's perfectly acceptable to not see a stride when eventing

 

[Charlie-M]

hmmm harsh....anyway, eventers may actually like show jumping if they bought a horse that thought the aim of the game was to clear all the fences, not have as many down as possible

 

[kerilli]

oh, i forgot, when you go eventing you are allowed to warm up on both reins...!

 

[Groom42]

There are certainly very "different" people showjumping! As Winkburn was abandonned we went to play at Keysoe. My friend who was coming to "groom for three" eventing,came to "groom for one" showjumping. I actually told her it was so friendly - boy! did I get that one wrong! A gentleman (in the loosest possible way) took great exception being politely asked by a young girl to leave the warm up fence at 95cm (as per class in progress) instead of the 110 he'd set it to. He then started to berate her with sarcasm and sideswipes to the extent that she was obviously upset.More of the same ensued when a further request (this time to officials, but quite discreetly) that 120-130 was not suitable for a 110 warm up. This time the poor girl ended up in tears,and I heard the official telling someone that the man was a "gob*****, always had been and always will be!" Does this make his behaviour all right,then? Said official then spent some ten minutes or so having nice buddy,buddy chat. I suppose that as his entries made up nearly two thirds of the class,she couldn't risk alienating him? The man in question has children competing at very high level,and I understand he has done himself. I thought the more experienced were supposed to encourage the less so, not intimidate and bully,which is certainly what I saw! No doubt he is very proud of his offspring,and with good reason, but I wonder if they are as proud of him? All in all,an appalling display, and a dreadful example to set. Looking forward to the mud at Burnham!

 

[Cruiseonamiro]

Ah kerilli, that's it. That's why I go eventing! *Trundles off to check BE website for yet another event to attempt to enter!*

 

[kerilli]

ooh, groom42, i have my suspicions... what are his initials, please? go on, you know you want to...!
yes, have seen similar at keysoe (and other places). i don't think i've ever seen anything like that at eventing.

 

[Thistle]

The girl who requested the fence to be lowered is one of our members. Her post is here http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/3515773/an/0/page/1#3515773.

Yes she prefers eventing too!

 

[billyslad]

Most showjumpers seem to work on the principle " I know I am over horsed and it is far too big for me but if I put some draw reins and a load of metal in its mouth it will look like I can ride it on the bit "

It will be interesting if BD are going to offer a reduced membership to BSJA members ?

there are a few exceptions of course roll on cruiseon amiro ! glad to have you in the set

 

[Gamebird]

Reason number 11 - ALLERTON cancelled

 

[Gamebird]

[ QUOTE ]
ooh, groom42, i have my suspicions... what are his initials, please? go on, you know you want to...!
yes, have seen similar at keysoe (and other places). i don't think i've ever seen anything like that at eventing.

[/ QUOTE ]

No you blooming don't because they put coloured tape on the wings at the max. warm up height so it's blatantly obvious if people jump overheight.

Plus if people are really horrible to you BE do actually pull them up, discipline them and give them a temporary ban (viz all the shennanigans at the start of this season).

 

[Nats_uk]

Hey!!! I'm a SJ at heart and don't wear any bling, skintight breeches and certainly don't wear a crop top (yuck - keep my tyres to myself

)

And I have to say as far as being cut up in the ring - these BD people are just as good at doing that as any BSJA'er

 

[Weezy]

Wow, I think some of us SJers need to fight back here!

I have never had anything embroidered, I own no bling, although I do have a sheepskin halfpad

but, iirc, have never competed with it. I do wear white breeches and they are fitted, but they do not expose any bits I do not want anyone to see. I am polite and follow CR etiquette to the letter. I ALWAYS shout when I am going to jump and I would NEVER cut anyone up.

Reality is...I am a shrinking violet, I shuffle around praying that someone will put the fences down so I can warm up, I spend my whole time apologising to people who are in the wrong anyway, I hate the fact I can never warm up correctly as warm ups are soooo small. A lot of people ARE unfriendly and it makes me sad as in Spain even the international jumpers would help out the little people (I have had an Olympian get on one of my horses in the warm up as it was being a prat), and a lot have no manners at all. The waiting around is excruciating, the fact that drawn order here seems to be disliked annoys me.

I dislike SJing more than I like it at times, but I will defend it to the death...until I take up dressage

*Weezy saunters off to continue fittening work for hunting...on her SJer...*

 

[digger2]

**Pops head over parapet**

I'm a nearly converted SJ'er (only everything i've entered has been cancelled!!) agree snotty sulky spoilt brat attitude of many sj'ers, hate the "pros" who think they can just take over the practice jump when you're using it er no sorry i'm in this class too -especially if you're on your own with no one to say get lost

and do you get those two blings at your shows!! walking round side by side chatting oblivious or on mobile oblivious to you warming up coming into jump landing etc.

At least you get your times arrive get 3 goes and pack up, no guessing what time your class is/how many are there and getting it wrong rushing to get ready or sitting around for hours

*ducks back down rant over*

 

[Nats_uk]

**bravely appears again to defend herself**

I do understand about people being a pain with the practise jumps but I am quite lucky that my mum always comes and will just put it down to the correct height regardless of how special the "pro" thinks they are

I always announce when I am going to do a jump even if there is only a couple in the arena
I've generally found people quite friendly in my area BSJA to be honest but I do know most of the judges, course builders and some of the trainers so that may be why

 

[billyslad]

as I prevoiusly stated there are exceptions but for us eventers that is the feel you come away with when you have been Showjumping

For me eventers event for the love of the competition ( mainly a personal one ) where as a lot of SJers seem to crave status and seem very self important

only my observations