Badminton and rain.....

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wildoat

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apparently this rain we are having is due to last for at least another week/ten days does anyone think it's likely Badminton will be affected?
any opinions or prior experience re rain and this event appreciated.

tony
 
I would imagine it will go ahead whatever the weather, but at least the ground won't be hard for once!!

The forecast for May as whole is not very good - cool and wet if we are to believe the forecasters.

Having been to Badminton in the rain, the mud is hell on earth, so be prepared - I have decided this year to watch it from the comfort of my sofa on the red button...

Enjoy!
 
I can only think of one time I've been to Badminton when it HASN'T rained!

Be warned - it does get VERY muddy so if you're going XC day be prepared. Remember one particular year when it rained loads - by the time it got to XC day the grass was just calf deep mud...but the untouched XC track was lush!
 
i'm camping for the whole event so am praying frantically for some sun and wind to dry things up a bit:eek: seriously hoping it doesn't get cancelled as taking my daughter and her friend for the first time and they will be devastated, they've been looking forward to it since last years:eek:
 
Guess it's a double edged sword, it would be a real shame if it were cancelled
for many reasons, must be a real headache for the organising team.

Fingers crossed me thinks!
 
I think as already said that the tradestand area will be a bog after the first couple of days, and where people walk the course - and the actual XC track will hold up well and still look good at the end. So I really doubt it would get cancelled - although I suppose if it was horrendous in the carparking on the XC day, it is possible they could decide to close to the public on the Monday, and finish it without the spectators? But only guessing...it has been pretty wet there in the past and still run fine. What we want now is lots of drying wind and a bit of sun, but dont think we will be getting it!
 
This year will be my first visit. Don't normally bother as I'm quite close to Burghley.
I will be camping too..
Best buy some wellies sharpish I guess :(
 
Been there in torrential rain. Had Stafford no 1 with me, complete with rain rug but mud was so bad she was completely coated by the end of the day and we had to be towed out. I will be watching the weather forecast as...when it costs £12 per car, £25 per person in the car and last year cost me £80 in fuel you do need to think!..some of the top horses will not be running as been given dispensation not to. Really want to go but will balance cost versus weather nearer the time.
 
alliersv1 said:
This year will be my first visit. Don't normally bother as I'm quite close to Burghley.
I will be camping too..
Best buy some wellies sharpish I guess :(
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hehe or just some flippers:eek::D i'm only an hour from badminton and the weather here today has been dry since lunch time, wind has been strong and even though there are big puddles in my field the higher ground has dried out!! if the weather stays similar to today for the next week i think we'll be alright:)
 
I hope the weather is ok. I really want to go!
Last year was my first Badminton experience and i loved it, me and my dad are hoping to go this year but it depends on the weather. he wont drive all the way up there for us to get soaked and covered in mud. i could drive, but as i have not long passed my test and havent ventured onto a motorway, i dont think its a good idea.
So im going to do a sun dance all week and hope it works :D
 
Blenheim was cancelled following the dressage days about 3 or 4 years ago. Badminton did not take place in 2002 due to foot & mouth. Loads of years ago (cannot remember exact date) badminton was either cancelled or abandoned due to the weather but that was when it used to run in April rather than May.

Agree with others that after a couple of days the tradestands will be a total quagmire but as the course if roped off it should stay "reasonably" ok! Anyone later on in the drawn order will find it heavy going in the stressage & also hope they don't mind s/jumping on heavy going.
 
it has been cancelled before. if it keeps raining like this and there's absolutely no let up and no dry windy days to dry the ground out, it might be at risk.
i think the safety angle gets more and more important every year, and if it is horribly deep and/or slippery xc there might be some not-so-good sights, which the sport can do without...
i wonder if it would be possible to postpone if the worst comes to the worst, and run a month later or something... has that ever been done anywhere?!
 
kerilli said:
i wonder if it would be possible to postpone if the worst comes to the worst, and run a month later or something... has that ever been done anywhere?!
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I'm not sure that would be possible due to the huge scale of the event. Also, would it have an affect on the olympics in any way?

Ps badminton was cancelled in 2001 due to foot and mouth, not 2002.
 
I am going this year - and the only other time I have been was the year Ian Stark and Jaybee won - late 90's??? It absolutely tipped it down from the start of Dressage to the end of the Show jumping.:):mad: We were staying in a VERY small B & B having driven from Scotland. No drying facilities!!! :eek: So a very damp few days - but still a wonderful occasion to remember, and am looking forward to going back and supporting the Scottish competitors - Olivia Wilmot, Louisa Milne Home, Charlotte Agnew (and Caroline Powell, even though she is not a Scot, just married to one)!
 
monkeybum13 said:
I'm not sure that would be possible due to the huge scale of the event. Also, would it have an affect on the olympics in any way?

.
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I agree, and was wondering if it would affect short/longlisted olympic people.. If not I expect there will be some withdrawals..

It probably would go ahead - Burghley ran a few years ago in a really wet period (2008?) and it was fine on the course. It was the spectators that suffered and the shopping village.

If you can be bothered facing the mud, there will probably be less people there! I was planning on going but won't now unless there is a dry week (unlikely!).:(
 
Really wanting it to be on as I am competing in the Grassroots 100 class. Long drive down from Scotland on Tuesday to get there though
 
Lyndsay said:
Really wanting it to be on as I am competing in the Grassroots 100 class. Long drive down from Scotland on Tuesday to get there though
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Aww. Fingers crossed for you.

If anywhere is going to have good ground at that level it will Badminton.. Also I think the main problems will be from all the spectators and their visitors on the Sat, so that shouldn't affect you... x
 
Big advantage Badminton has is that it is pretty flat... So it's MUCH easier for the emergency vehicles to get around (which is why Blenheim had to cancel a few years ago - not for the footing on the course, but for getting the horse ambulance everywhere.)

Might have to take out bits of the quarry, and worry about horses getting tired as the ground might be more tiring than if try/top of the ground conditions.
 
Ibblebibble said:
hehe or just some flippers:eek::D i'm only an hour from badminton and the weather here today has been dry since lunch time, wind has been strong and even though there are big puddles in my field the higher ground has dried out!! if the weather stays similar to today for the next week i think we'll be alright:)
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Here's hoping you're right.
I do have some scuba gear so if you could update me nearer the weekend, that would be great! ;)
 
I've been very lucky to have had sunshine every time I have camped. I'm going this year so perhaps the sun will shine again! Failing that I'll be taking wellies!
 
Well the land don't get a lot lower than where we live (below sea-level) and the ground hasn't even gone really soft yet (maybe even good to firm in places) so unless it continues with torrential rain for the next week or so I reckon it'll be OK for Badminton if a bit muddy for the spectators once it's been churned up a bit by the hoardes!

We'll be going to watch the Grassroots on Thursday and 'red button' for the rest, so hopefully not too bad for us!! :)
 
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