Am I just being a wimp, or was this totally against competition etiquite?

[russian_charm]

Hello everybody
I just wanted some other people's thoughts on something that happened at the event I was at this weekend, as IMO there was some incredibly bad conduct from some other competitors (and okay, a part of me just wants to vent it out).
But anyway, at this event, it was the Friday night with dressage and showjumping starting the following morning, and at about 8.30pm some of the other competitors started having a bit to drink and decided to crank up their car speakers with rock music, so loud I swear it must have been vibrating their horse truck. At first I thought this was fair enough, whatever, they were just having some fun and would probably turn it off in an hour or so, and so I finished dealing with my horse then went to bed about 30 m away in my float.
Except they kept playing the music full blast and drinking and shouting and swearing for about 3 more hours when my lovely mother got up and asked if they could quieten down. Well they said they would then kept carrying on for at least another half hour (with many shouts of "**** JUST ONE MORE SONG" and a lot of screeching that must of been heard across the showground), when they finally switched off the music and instead fired up their diesel generators. By now it was well past midnight and I was still lying awake delighted at the idea of getting up at 6am to compete, and feeling like I was camping next to a concert or rave party.

So idk, whats your opinion? Am I just being a complainer or was this seriously bad and inappropriate conduct of a handful of competitors. Now this was a CIC event that went up to 3*. To me it seemed just plain rude, disrespectful and dangerous
(and by the way, I had a terrible competition because I spent the entire time feeling like I was about to fall asleep, thanks to our rowdy neighbours)

 

[Alfiem]

Disrespectful and rude and just no need for it. They should have been asked to leave.

 

[Leg_end]

IME that's the joys of being at a stay away! There will always be the party crew and it's just unfortunate if you are parked near to them. If I had been there I would have gone over and asked them to quieten down.

 

[Addicted to Hunting]

Was fairly common at a lot off overnight shows I went to, but most pep did at least turn music down after 11pm, ad think most schedules said generaters and loud music off by 11pm, which is still not that early. Most off the 'party' trucks used to park near each other and perhaps further away from others, it was often the end off season shows that seemed to have more parties. Take ear plugs your own iPod if your a light sleeper. I would off complained esp after 10.30-11ish it is possible to have good lorry partys without loud music full sympanthanys though, let's just hope they had horrible hangovers all te competition for keeping you awake!

 

[kerilli]

i don't think it's got anything to do with competition etiquette, i think it's just plain bad manners and selfishness/thoughtlessness. unfortunately it is par for the course at a lot of events and, as said above, it's just bad luck if you end up parked near them. you could always ask the Stable Manager to intervene (if they're there 24 hours) if a polite request gets nowhere...
I stayed over at an event last year and next door's truck's dogs barked incessantly from about 4am onwards. when we asked about it in the morning (we couldn't believe they hadn't got them to shut up) the people said they'd left them in there for the night and gone off elsewhere... great, thanks for that, lucky we didn't want any kip then. Ggggrrrr.

 

[DragonSlayer]

Never had any bother on stay-aways with Trec....maybe it's because riding that day for miles has exhausted us....??

Bad manners, maybe a word with the secretary, and something can be written into schedules about 'being considerate' during the overnight stays.

It costs enough to compete, and yes....we all like to have some fun, but I'd not be happy if my performance suffered because of it...

Hope you did well anyway...?

 

[russian_charm]

ah no we did verrrry badly on the first day...
second day was alright but that was after we moved away from the party-ers and got some sleep

oh and yes, my mother did hear a few of them complaining about hangovers in the showers that morning (and when she was marshaling, apparently glared at every one of them as they rode past when they weren't looking)

 

[Lyle]

Loud music and excessive noise frustrates me to no end, however it is the unfortunate reality of staying over night at a competition. People can be incredibily selfish, and have no consideration for others if it might interfere with their 'good time'. I think you can still have a great truck party without loud noid and keeping half the venue awake. I always see it as rude, I go to competitions to compete with my horse, and have spent a lot of time and money preparing and to have preperations hampered due to a crummy night sleep for myself and the horse, well it's downright unfair.

It's a topic that really irritates me! sorry

 

[thetrainer'smissus]

IME this is fairly standard practice eventing. Going to dressage winter finals was a revelation - all the nice ladies tucked up in bed by 9 and lights out all around shortly after!

 

[Kat]

I think it would be sensible to add some ear plugs to your stay away kit. The mouldable ones you can get in boots are very good. Ever since going on holiday and staying near some glaswegians who enjoyed a late night sing song right outside our window they have gone on holiday.

No recorded music or dog barking could be worse than a shrill drunken out of tune rendition of "memories" at 2am, especially when the singer only knows the chorus and one verse and just repeats that over and over and over and over and over...........

Add in some nytol and you should be able to get a good nights sleep whatever!

 

[humblepie]

We nowadays always try and stable off site at a farm or similar near to the showground as we need our sleep. Only place we don't is if we are fortunate enough to get to HOYS as it is not practical to stay off site. Appreciate that at some levels particularly eventing it is compulsory to stable on site though. My advice would be if you don't have to stay on site, ring round some local riding schools/farms and find somewhere off site to stay, generally cheaper, often cleaner and much better quality of sleep!