Best competition venues

[ironhorse]

Following on from the anti-Addington thread, which is a bit sad cos it has such lovely facilities....how about we big up our favourite venues, and add pros and cons?
Now I know the colleges have had mega funding so can afford great facilities, but it's about more than that, as the Addington story shows

Hartpury College - great arenas, mostly nice stables, show team can't do enough for you. Gorgeous location if staying away.
Downsides - very steep hill to climb if you leave something in the stables that you need in the ring! Need inside knowledge to find the loos other than in the main arena.

Warwickshire College - nice arenas and stables, ditto the helpful show team and cheerful stable staff. Jolly caterers with burger-free choices. Downsides - will they ever sort the lorry parking out? Need wellies even on the concrete if wet. Very cold in the gallery even if weather is tropical

Hand EC - nice arenas, great catering, very compact site so low hassle for grooms. Didn't like the deep litter in the stables but haven't been this year and that might have changed by now.

And one that few of you will know as it's mainly a western venue, but will put it in anyway: Court Lodge Farm, Bodiam.
Three huge arenas, amazing views of rolling countryside from lorry park/stable area, great catering, riders and grooms well looked after with nice new loos and showers. Not very easy to find and rarely signposted!

 

[Halfstep]

My favorites:

Hartpury: gorgeous venue, great food. Downside: long walks between lorry park and arenas.

Sparsholt: fab huge warmup, runs like clockwork, very friendly. Downside: Spooky indoor.

Hunters EC: brilliantly run, friendly, clean toilets. Downside: wish they had proper coffee!

There is no doubt that the surfaces and facilities at Addington are second to none, but the inflexibility of the organizers does detract from the experience.

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

Vale View Equestrian, Leics.
fab facilities ( 2 x big outdoors and 2 x huge indoors), all weather Xc schooling and showjumping. brill shop too!
but more importantly-the people that own and run it are lovely, friendly and helpful,nothing is too much bother. so glad im only 20mins down the road form them!

aparet form tehefact the indoor warm up is like a sauna in summer, i love College EC too, again very helpful people and a lovely shop!

 

[Halfstep]

I've never been to Vale View, but it sounds lovely! I'm making the trip up to Fry's in June for the first time, I hear that it is very nice there and can't wait to see it.

The College is nice but urrggh, that indoor! Sauna and tiny!

 

[CrazyMare]

The shop at Keysoe (The College) has gone now.

Bodiam always looks lovely in my friends pics (she has a reining horse).

I like Arena UK - Its always been lovely when we have been - good surfaces, plenty of easy viewing for all arenas.

Vale View is good as mentioned.

 

[monkeybum13]

Burrows court for BD and unaff - Because I get free food there
Badgworth for BD, unaff Dr, BSJA and unaff sj - Plenty of surfaces and the food is lovely
Also like Leyland Court for unaff stuff, shame they no longer do BD there.

In other words if the food is nice, then it's one of my favs

 

[tinkerbell88]

Another fan of Vale View-perfect for yoiungsters as I find it all quite quiet and not stressful for them.
Also love Hartpury!
Halfstep-I did my regionals at Fry's last year and really enjoyed it as I usually go to Addington. The arenas were very grown up (I was on a 5yo at it's first regionals) but far enough from the trade stands so you feel like you are in the test, on your own and I found it really helped me relax and take some of the pressure off as people weren't standing 2 feet from the edge of the arena staring at me!! Also, score boards were up high on a trailer so that even when it was crowded everyone could easily see the results without the ususal pushing and shoving to get to the front.

Towerlands-I went there a few weeks ago for the first time in about 2 years and forgot how fabulous the outdoor arena is-it's huge!!! The people were helpful and friendly, very relaxed atmosphere and it's lovely sitting on the bank looking down and watching everything-similar to Hartpury in that respect. Dislike the indoor warm up though as even though it was extended a few years ago it still needs to be bigger to accomodate the huge number of people in their classes.

 

[glamourpuss]

Eland Lodge! Without a doubt. Lovely facilities, friendly helpful staff, great shop. Nothing is ever too much trouble for them and yet they are still totally profesional.

Yesterday the owner found me a comfortable chair in a cool spot for me to breastfeed my baby in...IMO that goes above and beyond.

 

[Firewell]

Merrist Wood is my fav. It's close which is a bonus. My main reason over other bug venues in the area are:-

Big outdoor arena to warm up in. I dislike crofton manor because when warming up outdoors all the arenas are too small, Sparsholts warm up is on the small side too.

Big, airy indoor school with lovely surface.

Very well organised, it used to be terrible but now it's brilliant. Entrys are strictly limited so no huge crowds of people turning up to pay on the day and consequently having to wait 3 hrs to jump! They are also very accommadating with times for dressage ect and they also leave perfect times between 1st and 2nd tests. No waiting for ages

Downside is rubbish food. They have a horrendously expensive and not very good food van. I MUCH prefer crofton for food as they have a lovely cafe with seats and a view of the indoor

 

[charlie76]

I love going to Sparsholt, whenever I have been the warm up has been huge. My horse seems to like the spooky indoor school but hates the bottom arena for some reason.

Merrist Wood is nice as warm up is big.

Patchetts is nice but I don;t like warming up in the arena near the cafe as it seems tight.

Summerhouse- lovely big outdoor arena but warm up a little tight and a bit slopey? People are nice, carpark in field. Difficult to hear readers though as the dual carriage way is so close.

Bury Farm- lovely people, nice arenas, huge warm up. Indoor schools a bit spooky.

Checkendon- warm up too small and arena spooky and distracting

 

[Tempi]

Hartpury - Fantastic arenas, lovely stabling, great food and very friendly staff! Yes the hill is a downside but i can put up with that!

Kingston Maurward - Lovely big warmup area and lovely arenas, good food and the woman who runs it is super friendly and very lovely.

Sparsholt - same as above really - great arenas (especially as its been redone), great food, very well organised and friendly helpers

Crofton - Ive not been since its had another arena put in, but i used to go before that and it was lovely then.

 

[Tempi]

.........Sparsholts warm up is on the small side too.

Have you been since they have their massive new arena? As its certainly not small anymore!! Agree it was a bit small when they just had the little outdoor to warmup in.

 

[Santa_Claus]

Stockland Lovell and Pontispool are both high on my list in terms of good facilities locally (well within 2 hours ). I also like Bicton arena as the SWSJC organisers are so friendly and accomodating (as long as you are!) even for little old me who is a total nobody!

 

[StaceyTanglewood]

I like Patchetts though the indoor is a little small and the outdoor warm up is a bit deep it is a lovely place to go and has good facilities

The Hand was great people really friendly and a great bar and restaurant

Towerlands - its close and nice though yes the indoor warm up is a little small - they also take fab photo there

I dislike Arena UK i think they are really rude there they forgot to give me a H&H rosette for winning a foxhunter so i asked them to send it too me they said they would look for it - also the normal rosettes are awful they are like Clear Round ones i got 20 years ago

 

[MissSBird]

For me it's probably Rowallan Activity Centre. The arena's are alright, warm up's not too far away from main ring though a lot of horses really don't like the tunnel. Food isn't bad, though can be a little pricey. I've always found the staff to be accomodating at the least and usually very friendly.

It is a close call between Rowallan and Ingliston, but the cost of food at Ingliston and the fact they don't even have a tannoy down to the lorry park (which is totally out of sight and sound of the arenas) clinches it for Rowallan at the moment. Though this is from a showing perspective where you don't have times, and just have to monitor class progress. I imagine with set times Ingliston would be easy enough to work with.

 

[Saratoga]

Addington - great facilities, sh*te service. Enough said.

Blewbury - really run down, but horses never seem to mind oddly enough. Warm up tiny and **** surface, but arena ok. Cafe ok. Parking very tight.

Patchetts - love the outdoor arena to jump and dressage in, less so the indoors as can be really spooky. Good food in cafe. Parking can be a pain as limited and overflow is over a motorway bridge.

Merrist Wood - good sized warm up, can get a little boggy if had lots of rain. Indoor arena is fab. Crappy catering service - just one expensive van.

Hunters - only been once, thought it was a good venue with fab staff, but indoor arena can be spooky. Outdoor lovely. Warm up arena pretty small. Limited catering facilities.

East Soley - warm up quite small and i don't like the surface. Indoor VERY spooky! Very limited catering facilities.

BCA - warm up limited to number of horses who can be in there, so although small is managable. Surface good, and main arena really nice. Lovely relaxed atmosphere, but rarely any catering facilities!

 

[Equus Leather]

Well, it seems like the southerners have bigged up their venues, so time for the oop north lot to join in.

Richmond - excellent outdoors and indoors, though the BE dressage arenas are on a hill. Good food and nice people.

Todburn - have done BD here, small warm up, but arena nice, hard standing to park on which is always good!

Holmeside Hall - Excellent! Great indoor and outdoor, proper parking, friendly folk, good food and viewing gallery

 

[shark1]

i'll narrow it down to my top 5 or I'll be here all day !

i love Onley, the outdoor is great for young horses and i love the sofas inside as well!

Weston Lawns is perfect, maybe warm ups a tiny bit small if you're on a skitzophrenic (i often am!), but always so busy which can be a downer!

Dorset showground is great as the going is always really good and the main arena is so different - quite imposing and fun to ride in and has good atmosphere. plus loads of room to warm up and nice stables.

Aintree is brilliant, so light inside! bar the trek from the stables

Hand I really like in the winter when its indoor and you can defrost in the cafe and watch and their stables are FAB, but i dont like it so much in the summer when its outside.

 

[Hornby]

My favorite in the North West is Myerscough, always plenty of space to park on clean hardstanding, big arenas with good surfaces, friendly and helpful staff, dressage always runs to time, results are quick and accurate and rosettes pretty! If I was being very fussy I would like a nicer choice of food in the cafe but all this within 30 mins of home - priceless!

 

[Mari]

Osbaldeston in Lancashire. Super surface in main arena. Really friendly helpful people. Warm toilets! Good food in cafe. Best of all - my horse likes it there.

 

[TheoryX1]

Love Badgeworth. Nice venue, 40 minutes from home, nice atmosphere. Has won the Chav Pony Club Mum's cheesy chip award consistently over the last 4 years.

The Hand - fab facilities, full of cliquey sj types (sorry to sjers out there). Especially when vile sj mummy tried to carpet me when eventer daughter beat her daughter in whatever is the next class up from BN, is it 1.05 m? (Sorry, dont do the 'darkside' much).

Pontispool is great - another CPCM award winner and great xc course (so I am told, I just walk 'em). Stockland Level ditto.

West Wilts is a great venue and on a level. Not keen on cheesy chips as a bit greasy.

Hartpury - out of this world and fab food (havent tried cheesy chips there, so may be up for an award).

 

[Holidays_are_coming]

I go to The College a lot as its so close to me, and they are always very accomadating, that indoor gets very hot, but the fans help!!!

Also Weston Lawns as the arenas are huge!!!

 

[BronsonNutter]

I dislike Arena UK i think they are really rude there they forgot to give me a H&H rosette for winning a foxhunter so i asked them to send it too me they said they would look for it - also the normal rosettes are awful they are like Clear Round ones i got 20 years ago

I absolutely love the facilites at Arena UK (always wanted to jump Bronts in the indoor there, finally did it in December; he went brilliantly and was one of his last competitions ) but I do agree about the snottiness... One time I was there and they treated ponies like dirt, and when Bronts decided he would play up going into the ring (he was fed up having been there about 6 hours waiting while all and sundry jumped 3 horses in 3 different SJ classes ) so I got yelled at to 'get on with it' - I was hardly asking for him to rear up, was I?

The people at Laughton Manor were lovely when I went for the trailblazers 2nd rounds - wasn't long after we'd had a fall when Bronts had flipped overa filler SJing and they let me take him in the clear round, let him have a look at all of the fillers and were just generally very kind and helpful. Nice springy arena too

And everyone knows Osberton is the best place in the world

 

[doctordoolittle]

Myerscough - probably one of my nearest venues - lovely big arenas, lots of good parking, friendly staff. My horse prefers warming up and doing test in same environment (both indoor or both outdoor) Only downside is food in cafe is very expensive and not that great!

Aintree - really nice big comp arena - very light and airy. Warm up is pretty small when its busy though. Food is nice. Parking is close anc convenient but could get quite busy!

Arkenfield - not a big fan of the indoor warm up. Really like the big outdoor but horse finds it quite spooky and a bit too exciting there!

Bold Heath - surfaces are fine, just very windy and horse not a big fan for some reason. Just dont get a great vibe there.

Kingswood - nice surfaces, indoor feels smallish as arena is right to the wall (prefer it when arena larger so can ride round boards like aintree and myers) good food! friendly people.

Weston lawns - surfaces are good. warm up small if busy. they tend to have 2 or 3 arenas on at once. they have flags flapping which can upset some horses. they have shop and food

Allens Hill - horse really liked it here, when it was snowing they still managed to run shows. Nice big arenas, bit spooky but good atmosphere and friendly.

Vale View - really nice big arenas and surfaces. food and shop (i have yet to go since they had shop!)

Ps i used to live in midlands and now north west, i don't travel that much!

 

[Chloe_GHE]

Another vote for Sparsholt lovely surfaces indoor is a little spooky but fab staff and lovely snack van with home made cake and nice baguettes rather than chips or burgers! blurgh!

Have heard that Hampstead Growers is nice but haven't been there yet

Don't know of many other nice south west wilts/hants venues...

 

[charlie76]

Hampstead Growers have lovely arenas but the rest of the place is a little 'basic'!

 

[gabanna]

love hartpury apart from the hill!
arena uk great facilities, snotty service
laughton manor lovely and friendly, just a bit chaotic when busy
aintree is fab except the distance from the stables
towerlands great arenas, small indoor warm up
weston lawns great all round, warm ups could be bigger
college lovely, and very friendly, good food

 

[Befney3]

I love Aintree for jumping. It was lovely jumping on the grass in the middle of the racecourse last year & I'm gutted they're not doing that again this year.

I also really like jumping at Church Farm, Myerscough & South View (especially over summer when they use the outdoor). I think the working in at South View is a little small & can get a bit scary but they make up for it by having the best cafe.

For dressage I really like Crow Wood 'cos it always seems nice & friendly & Chilli really likes Myerscough. Arkenfield is good for me for dressage 'cos it's where I'm stabled so even if I ask for an early time I usually get a lie in 'cos there's no travelling involved.

 

[Baggybreeches]

Aintree all the way for me! It's 10 minutes door to door, lovely arena, nice jumps, friendly people and the surface is fab, the warm is small but is usually managable.
Osbaldeston is also another favourite although I don't go that often now, Norman and Molly led the way facilities wise in the early 1990's and they did it with their own money, yes they been overtaken slightly by the likes of Aintree, Myerscough andothers but the majority of these took advantage of funding available to get grants which obviously lessen the burden.
Church Farm is also very local to me and I do enjoy jumping there but the ground gets very hard and the food van is SO SLOW to get served!
Not going to mention anywhere I dislike because I usually get found out!

 

[Gamebird]

I don't think I go anywhere half as fancy as you southern lot!

Port Royal for me: Big arenas, lovely surface, good food (not posh though, cheese and ham toasties, filled rolls, chip etc.), nice indoor viewing bit. The riding's all outdoors though and as I'm usually there in witer with babies it's a bit miserable. They could change the looped tannoy music occasionally too!

Sitting out in the sun at 9.45pm on Wednesday night with a cold beer waiting for the last class to finish Port Royal was pretty much unbeatable.