Anyone going to YHL this year.

[HappyHollyDays]

I’ve heard very little about YHL this year so have just had a look see who’s exhibiting. I don’t really need anything but do like to go for a day out, wander around and meet up with friends and was surprised not to see Hope Valley there this year.

Anyone going or has it run it’s course with the same old shows in the arenas and no real bargains anymore.

 

[Sandstone1]

I am giving it a miss as to be honest its got boring. Its always Oli Townend and Geoff Billington who I am not a fan of. No real bargains to be had and expensive to get in. They need some fresh displays really. I think its had its day.

 

[Areyoukiddingme!]

We’re giving it a miss this year. We don’t need anything but would probably end up spending just because it seems a good price.

 

[Landcruiser]

I haven't been for a few years but I'm giving Horsemanship Showcase a go this year. No idea how it will be but I know a couple of the exhibitors and there look to be some good demos.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Haven’t heard of the Horsemanship Showcase before. YHL layout was much better last year and it’s nice to see things in real life but £25 to get in just to shop is bit steep. I think I will be giving it a miss this year.

 

[Landcruiser]

Haven’t heard of the Horsemanship Showcase before. YHL layout was much better last year and it’s nice to see things in real life but £25 to get in just to shop is bit steep. I think I will be giving it a miss this year.

This is the demo line up for the Saturday - I must say it's more up my street than YHL
WARWICK SCHILLER

STEVE YOUNG

LEE RUTTER

BEN ATKINSON

MIRI HACKETT

SEAN COLEMAN

TRACEY DUNCAN

HOLLY BARBER

FREDDY STEELE

OLIVER PHILLIPS

JOE MIDGLEY

THINK LIKE A PONY

BERT SHEFFIELD

REBECCA HARRIS

GEORGINA ATKINSON

DAVID & ALISON ZUEND

JENNIE BLAKEHILL

SABRE HOLISTICS

CLIVE JOHNSON

ASK THE PROFESSIONALS

MEET THE HORSES

HORSEMANSHIP SHOWCASE CONTEST

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

A friend is taking her horse as part of the meet & greet a heavy horse thing.

I've never been to YHL

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I haven't been for a few years but I'm giving Horsemanship Showcase a go this year. No idea how it will be but I know a couple of the exhibitors and there look to be some good demos.

I am also going to this, I know a couple of people doing demos personally and have followed some others online.. looking forward to it!

 

[Orangehorse]

I'm thinking about it, as I haven't been for years and years. To start with I went every year without fail and demos from people like Heather Moffett, Michael Peace, etc. and a very interesting year when saddles were featured and there were a couple of mechanical horses and people could see if they were sitting straight on the saddle and had a little print out to take away. It was worth the entrance fee to watch, usually, Carl Hester. They used to have the equine colleges, farriers, new saddles, new products (the solo comb!), most of the breed societies, riding holidays, instructional holidays, all sorts of interesting stuff. I can look round my yard and see things that I bought at Your Horse Live over the years - multiple rugs, a hay feeder, high viz stuff, tack, riding clothes.

Then it became a "shopping experience" and more of an entertainment event than a technical event. Yes there are still the main arena shows which can be good if it happens to cover what you are interested in. But a lot of the interesting little stands have been priced out. If you haven't anything to sell, then it is a big amount out of your publicity budget to attend. Then I stopped competing and discovered that there were an awful lot of things I simply didn't need any more. No more longing looks at the horsebox stand, etc. So I haven't been for ages.

Thinking about it, the entrance fee isn't just for shopping. There are some free demonstrations in a couple of rings and these events cost a fortune to put on and run, like going to any large show.

There are some things I have been looking out to buy but I haven't seen them at any of the shows I have been to this year, so was thinking that maybe I might go along. It is relatively close for me so not a big effort.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I've not been for a couple of years. Debated about going this year but doing Olympia instead - I do enjoy it so might go again next year!

I did do HorsemanshiP Showcase a few times but was a bit underwhelmed so haven't made the journey, despite knowing a few people that demo. The organiser's are lovely people though so perhaps I should also support it again!

 

[Birker2020]

It got very expensive so we stopped going. We only ever went to shop, rarely watched anything.

 

[Birker2020]

Dont forget the Horsehealth stand for Le Mieux deals on seconds. Saddlecloths £25-£45 for the half sheepskin seconds with the girth strap sewn the wrong way (as if anyone can see or cares). Amazing deals on boots/pads/bandages and Acavallo pads £20

 

[Dontforgetaboutme]

Friday is a great good day to go if you are not fussed about the main arena shows. I enjoy a browse if there is something I need like a new hat or riding coat as you can try lots of different ones. Not convinced you get real bargains anymore but if you watch some demos as well as shop it’s not bad value. A few years ago they had issue with the small arena so they couldn’t run the demos which was annoying

 

[Identityincrisis]

I was a regular when it first started, we live in the NE so it was a weekend away and we loved it. But then they started to get really greedy with charging for wrist bands and evening shows etc. The bargains in the shops vanished (we shopped till we dropped!) and i just felt the ‘star riders’ weren’t as good.

Had a desire to go this year but looked at the line up and decided against it

 

[LEC]

I used to go every year but stopped. The demos on the Friday have become a bit crap and the Saturday/Sunday is a terrible line up and I like Jay Halim. Plus you can never see the demos as queues are stupid. Shopping has become weak and so given up.

The demos used to be very good but it’s all become a bit Geoff Billington which is essentially crap. Do I want to watch a fat middle aged man take his top off? No, I can walk down weston super mare sea front and see that for 4 months a year. I also find the demos are lowest common denominator which means they don’t provide anything particularly useful.

 

[Horseysheepy]

Used to go back in the 2000's decade, but as others have said, there's no more genuine bargains to be had, and that's what me and my friends would go for rather than the demos.

 

[humblepie]

Used to go every year for a day out with a friend. Was lucky enough to compete there in the showing championships year before last which was amazing. Would still go if friend wanted to but they’ve moved too far away. Only ever really watched one or two demos and those would be in the small arena. Have had the odd good buy but other times not bought anything.

 

[scats]

I used to go years ago when it first started, but it got very samey and I found the demos boring.
I mainly went for the shopping but you don’t get any real bargains now.

 

[ElleSkywalkingintheair]

I rarely watch the arena stuff, sometimes watch clipping demos etc but mainly go for a walk round and see what is new to the market. I will probably go this year on the Friday.

Although small I really liked the new national equine show at the NEC. There were a lot of smaller businesses that probably can't afford YHL prices so was nice to see some different things for sale and different companies (such as equine planning consultants) Have already got tickets for next year. They are generally free of you look on exhibitors socials, you just have to pay NECs extortionate parking fees

 

[Follysmum]

Always went as don’t live far away and was always a good day out. Varied displays and demos , police horse training , western, endurance etc .
Many bargains

Fast forward to last few years and it’s the same demos and stalls.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Everything is always a himalayan trek away for me so no I wont be going

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

I'm going for 2 days & staying overnight. I used to go every other year & enjoyed but found it too much for one day with the shopping & the demos I wanted to see, so used to do a day shopping & day to sit & watch demos.
I haven't been now for years, probably 2015 or 2016, so it'll be all new to me. I enjoy a plod around & have my eye on the masterclasses for a few hours Friday afternoon & then the main arena demos for the Saturday. Doing just one day for me is a killer due to the long drive either side, I've done it before but avoid it now.

 

[Muddywellies]

Crikey, so it looks like I'll be there on my own then. Ah well, no queuing for the loo I guess

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Crikey, so it looks like I'll be there on my own then. Ah well, no queuing for the loo I guess

Not quite, ElleSkywalker will be there

I took a friend last year who loved it but it was her first visit so I suppose it is all fresh and new if you haven’t been before.

 

[tatty_v]

I used to love it but last time we went there weren’t many bargains to be had and the queuing for the demos was really offputting. A shame as it used to be a great day out!

 

[Supertrooper]

Used to love it and over the years they’ve had some brilliant demos, it was worth the price to see Carl Hester for example.

One year they had the Met police showing how they train their young horses and that was brilliant.

They used to have some good evening demos, one year was Pippa & William Funnell and it was brilliant.

But now it’s always the same people and I don’t have a horse so no point going really. I would if they had demos I wanted to see.

 

[Pippity]

I went a couple of years ago, largely because someone on my yard organised a coach trip. It was fun, and helped me decide on which clippers to buy, but I'm not frothing at the bit to go again. There was a possibility of organising another trip this year, in which case I'd have gone, but it didn't happen and I'm not heartbroken.

I would love to go to Olympia one year (largely due to happy memories of watching it on TV as a kid!) but it's so far, and none of my friends are interested in going.

 

[Muddywellies]

Not quite, ElleSkywalker will be there

I took a friend last year who loved it but it was her first visit so I suppose it is all fresh and new if you haven’t been before.

Yay, two of us ! See you there

 

[ElleSkywalkingintheair]

Yay, two of us ! See you there

And I'll know exactly who you are as you won't be me Stall holders will be fighting over us

 

[dottylottie]

Yay, two of us ! See you there

i’m going on the saturday

i was planning to go with a friend, first time for both of us, but i’m too wimpy to drive so far and with trains etc it wouldn’t have been worth it, so we cancelled.

my nana informed me today she’s going with her friend who’s doing something or other with the donkeys there, so i can go with them! downside is i’m going to be shopping with my nana, so will probably come home reasonably empty handed