BD - worth it?

[BronsonNutter]

Just wanted to get some other people's opinions on this, because it's a lot of money for a poor student!

As Mr Wibs didn't sell this summer, mum's been hacking him out a bit to keep him ticking over and I'm planning on coming home every so many weekends to ride him (and to see my parents, of course ). As he probably won't be able to do enough jumping next year to event properly by this arrangement I'd been wondering about joining BD and just focussing on stressage with him. He also seems to prefer poncing!

We've done one elementary (2nd with a tad off 60%, plenty of 'lost marks there' moments) and a handful of novices with scores in the low 60s... He's only 6 and only started being a 'normal' horse last year.

So, is BD membership worth it? Are the training opportunities any good? I'm still eligible for BYRDs, has anyone done that (or do it now)? Or is it no different to unaffiliated?

I'd offer food to all that answer, but seeing as my student loan still hasn't come in and I need to buy a dissecting kit next week, I don't have anything to give away except Asda's smart price rice or pasta, and you probably wouldn't want that

 

[Sol]

Also interested to hear the answers to this

 

[millitiger]

Not sure what the training is like as I haven't done any of it, but BD definitely worth joining imo.

Firstly (and my main reason for liking it) you get actual CASH as prizes which is a new phenomenon for me and means you can basically have a free day out if all goes to plan!

The shows we have been to are well organised but also quite relaxed and low key.

When I start taking my youngster out next year I will be going to BD straight away and not bothering with unaffiliated as you can win money (unaffiliated round here just give rosettes) and he will get a record and points (hopefully!) when he moves up to Novice.

 

[Gamebird]

I enjoy (!) it.
a) Because I make it fun - don't take it too seriously, go with a friend and pack a picnic.
b) Partly because it's relatively easy to do well up here and win lots of £££s and rosettes - something I find quite hard at BE!
c) I like having something to 'collect' and BD points are sooooo much easier to grab than BE ones.
d) BSJA has a bit more buzz about it but you have to go home if you have one down and there's lots of waiting around. At least at BD you have times and one teeny error doesn't mean the end of the world.

In your situation I don't know whether it would be worth it over unaffiliated. I joined on the eventers' membership last winter and got 1 outing (combination of weather and lame horse). I think you have to do 10 classes before it's worth joining rather than competing on a ticket. However you don't need to be a member or buy a ticket to compete in the Open (or NQ ) section of Prelims so why not give that a go and see whether you think you'd benefit from it and how you fare %-wise?

 

[BronsonNutter]

GB, BE and BSJA are out of the question really for Wibs - he's not all that brave and his SJ record leaves something to be desired, so it would really be a waste of money! Whereas he enjoys dressage and I am beginning to enjoy it a lot more with him than with any other horse Will have a look for places doing the open prelims and give them a go - wasn't aware that you didn't need a ticket for those classes

Millitiger - what's this prize money?! I've never had prize money for dressage, although I doubt we'd be good enough to win anything anyway

It's such a shame that they don't do a six month 'summer' RC membership, as that would be perfect


Has noone done any of the training (byrds or seniors?) or know anyone who has? Are they only for the mega-serious-dressage-divas?

 

[rolls1392]

Hi BN
I joined BD this year and next Friday I am doing my first training clinic.
I am not a serious dr rider(if its not jumping, its not real competition), but enjoy the outings.
Agree with Gamebird, low key and usually a giggle.

I am only doing this as mare won't SJ and I can't abide just "happy hacking".
If you like I will let you know how the training thing goes.

 

[Jane_Lou]

We also did the BE member winter membership for a couple of years. The first year we got out a few times, last winter between finances and weather we didn't get out at all and then B was sold in Feb so a total waste of money! It was rather nice going out and thinking you had a chance of at least covering your entry fees with prize money which we managed most outings! We did struggle to find venues that ran BD weekends local enough to us in winter, many of the local centres to us just run BD weekdays. I don't mind travelling a decent distance in the summer for eventing but am not willing to travel too far in winter for a couple of dressage tests (bad experience few years ago with lorry stranded on way home on M-way in unforcast snow for a good few hours!)

I would check first to see if there are venues running weekends local enough to you and if there are, then go for it.

 

[dressagelove]

I went to a clinic at the wkend, my report is on here somewhere, and am going to another in a couple of weeks. I really enjoyed it, and although it still wasn't cheap (£40 for 40 mins) it was very worthwhile for me and my horse. I am also looking to get involved with byrds if we are good enough but still relatively new to BD myself! I used to BE but it became far too expensive and my bottle also went!

I am loving BD, and although there are some things which aren't perfect (getting the results online is a joke) I think its been totally worthwhile, and will defo be staying. I have only done 4 competitions and have already qualified for the Area festival which I am going to this wkend. The lower levels of BD are really quite accessible! There are so many more venues that run it than BE as well.

Go for it!

 

[JoJo_]

I'm trying to decide whether to join BD too. Living in Aberdeenshire means a lot of affiliated comps have unaffiliated running alongside so its not like I miss out on the atmosphere at an unaffiliated comp. My yard runs both once a month. I dont have a trailer/lorry so getting out to other places is difficult. Havent joined yet as I dont think the membership is worth one comp a month. But if I was affiliated i'd make more effort to find a lift etc.

 

[superpony]

Hi BN,
I joined BD in March on the PC Membership.

I am also a student and found that keeping 2 x horses fit and having time to compete and train regularly (I also live at uni in the week and come home at weekends to ride and days off) was almost impossible. However it seems Rebound is looking likely to be retired due to lameness so now only have the pony, I do manage to find time to compete but not enough time to train to do a excellent test and be able to move up the levels.

Hence I have decided not to renew in March (as I will have to pay full whack BD membership too as not rejoining PC) so I am just going to enter the open prelims and stick at unaffiliated until I have finished uni in June. This is my last year so I have decided to sacrifice regular competing in order to put 100% into my final year which I know I will not be able to do otherwise as I take competing far to seriously!!

However I think with one horse it is much more manageable and with your mum hacking him in the week (I have no one to exercise mine when I'm away) you should definately give it ago! But one bit of advice I wish I had know earlier - don't be too hard on yourself in terms of moving up levels and getting the really good scores... travelling, studying and general uni life made it almost impossible for me and I was way too hard on myself at the time in hindsight.

 

[BronsonNutter]

We do seem to have quite a lot of BD venues around us in a circle (same with BS and BE though - if you want to go to a proper show centre everything is 45mins+!) which run on weekends.

Rolls1392, if you could let me know how it goes that would be lovely

Hayley, just had a look through your old posts and found your reports - your horse is lovely you must be from nearish to me - I was at aintree watching the BRC dressage to music finals the other weekend, another reason as to why I'm contemplating BD...

Annabel, what are the venues and competition standards near you like? Seeing as you are pretty near to home-home I'd love to be able to go home every weekend, unfortunately Liverpool-Notts is a bit of a long and tedious journey (2 1/2 hours, 2 trains etc) to come back every single weekend but I seem to have pretty long uni holidays (about 10-11 weeks over the summer, although I do have EMS placements they shouldn't be too time consuming this year) I'm very lucky that Mum can hack him out, although he has been a naughty horse on occassion, escaping from the field and the likes...

 

[nokia]

hiya we are near to you, we have done some BYRDS training in the liverpool area, id say join BD..its expensive but i think worth it.

Think the nearest clinic to us would be croft used to be helen bradley doing it but not sure now, look on bd north west bit of BD gives lots of info about things in our area, also elaine grey is brill, give her a call

 

[superpony]

We do seem to have quite a lot of BD venues around us in a circle (same with BS and BE though - if you want to go to a proper show centre everything is 45mins+!) which run on weekends.

Rolls1392, if you could let me know how it goes that would be lovely

Hayley, just had a look through your old posts and found your reports - your horse is lovely you must be from nearish to me - I was at aintree watching the BRC dressage to music finals the other weekend, another reason as to why I'm contemplating BD...

Annabel, what are the venues and competition standards near you like? Seeing as you are pretty near to home-home I'd love to be able to go home every weekend, unfortunately Liverpool-Notts is a bit of a long and tedious journey (2 1/2 hours, 2 trains etc) to come back every single weekend but I seem to have pretty long uni holidays (about 10-11 weeks over the summer, although I do have EMS placements they shouldn't be too time consuming this year) I'm very lucky that Mum can hack him out, although he has been a naughty horse on occassion, escaping from the field and the likes...

I am quite lucky as I have a car and am only at uni in Nottingham so Sheffield - Nottingham isn't so bad for me. And I normally go to Yorkshire Dressage at Barnsley, thats the wrong side of you but its a lovely venue, everyones very friendly and theres a cafe! The classes range in size sometimes they are 4-5 then other times a dozen or so, but generally pretty competitive.

 

[Tegan]

Hi

Just to let you know I joined BD last winter under the 6 month Riding Club Membership and when it ended they wrote to me and offered a summer membership (6 months) for the same reduced rate.

I would recommend joining. I only go to one venue but it is very well organised and the facilities are great. It is really friendly too. I take my 14.3hh cob and although most people are on much bigger, finer horses I feel welcome (he holds his own against the horses too).

Tegan

 

[BronsonNutter]

Nokia, unfortunately the horse isn't at Liverpool with me I think 'home home' falls under the northern region instead? But thank you for the info, it's good to know that the north west is good too for if he does move over to uni with me at some point

Annabel, you're lucky - it takes me around 2 1/2 to 3 hours to get home from uni - I wish Sheffield had a vet school! Thankyou for the stuff about yorkshire dressage - I'd never heard of there before I looked on the BD calendar

Tegan, that's interesting regarding the 6 months summer membership - can't find anything on the website about that but that might because we're now in winter? Might have to give them a ring about that - if they're going to do that type of membership next year that would be perfect