Blenheim Horse Trials

[Velcrobum]

It will be interesting to see how the Jockey Club get on with running this competition. Horse & Country are live streaming the XC at a cost!!

Was on site today as am volunteering tomorrow so needed to see how it had been set up. The trade stands are very much reduced to less than half of what it has been in the past. There are giant screens dotted around the place with lots of tables and chairs surrounded by food and drink outlets. Grandstands look much smaller from a distance - did not go to look though.

Where the arena eventing used to be is now a dog agility, BMX, a ring that will be ROR showing tomorrow then used for displays on Saturday and Sunday. There is a Big Top for "family entertainment" in the same area. It is all very racecourse in feel/look and not very 4* horse trials at all. All the horsey things that happened in the attractions arena have all gone. Members overlooking the main arena has gone.
Hospitality seems to be the main focus check out these prices https://bpiht.co.uk/tickets-and-hospitality/hospitality-packages/

Volunteer wise they have cut back hard on the "perks" if you volunteer for two days or more you get 2 extra tickets for Thursday and Friday only. However as a volunteer your accreditation does get you in for all four days. Entrance ticket for Saturday XC is £35.00 plus another £10.00 parking (in the cheapest car park) Sunday is £30.00 plus parking!!!

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I’m not going this year. I usually volunteer in the RC arenas but there’s been nothing about it this year so I’m assuming it’s not on. I did notice a lot of horseboxes on the M40 this morning as I was going into Oxford.

 

[Velcrobum]

I’m not going this year. I usually volunteer in the RC arenas but there’s been nothing about it this year so I’m assuming it’s not on. I did notice a lot of horseboxes on the M40 this morning as I was going into Oxford.

RC and PC competitions are no more!!

 

[Lexi_]

Tbf I did always think that the ticket freebies for vols (two full passes for the whole event) were quite lavish - I always ended up giving them away on here to people!

We’re heading down south to it tomorrow. Will be going for a wander round the event and XC course on Fri and then FJing Sat and Sun. I’ll reserve comment on the arrangements until the event is done!

 

[teapot]

I noticed when I looked at the timetable it read far more like a racecourse programme, not a three day event. Course looks good, or at least looks like a Blenheim course.

Doesn't surprise me re sunday costs as you get the 8/9yr old xc and the 4* sj, it's actually the better day now imho.

 

[Orangehorse]

I was a grateful recipient of a freebie pass, thanks Lexi, but you are correct, really it was a bit overgenerous if you could give them away like that.

I hope that the event is a success for everyone.

 

[OldNag]

RC and PC competitions are no more!!

That is a real shame.

 

[OldNag]

It will be interesting to see how the Jockey Club get on with running this competition. Horse & Country are live streaming the XC at a cost!!

Was on site today as am volunteering tomorrow so needed to see how it had been set up. The trade stands are very much reduced to less than half of what it has been in the past. There are giant screens dotted around the place with lots of tables and chairs surrounded by food and drink outlets. Grandstands look much smaller from a distance - did not go to look though.

Where the arena eventing used to be is now a dog agility, BMX, a ring that will be ROR showing tomorrow then used for displays on Saturday and Sunday. There is a Big Top for "family entertainment" in the same area. It is all very racecourse in feel/look and not very 4* horse trials at all. All the horsey things that happened in the attractions arena have all gone. Members overlooking the main arena has gone.
Hospitality seems to be the main focus check out these prices https://bpiht.co.uk/tickets-and-hospitality/hospitality-packages/

Volunteer wise they have cut back hard on the "perks" if you volunteer for two days or more you get 2 extra tickets for Thursday and Friday only. However as a volunteer your accreditation does get you in for all four days. Entrance ticket for Saturday XC is £35.00 plus another £10.00 parking (in the cheapest car park) Sunday is £30.00 plus parking!!!

Interesting about the cutbacks. I have volunteered before and felt well looked after. I wonder if they will be able to retain the volunteers.

 

[Velcrobum]

Tbf I did always think that the ticket freebies for vols (two full passes for the whole event) were quite lavish - I always ended up giving them away on here to people!

We’re heading down south to it tomorrow. Will be going for a wander round the event and XC course on Fri and then FJing Sat and Sun. I’ll reserve comment on the arrangements until the event is done!

It is good that you have remained on the FJ list. Many other longtime FJ's seem to have been ditched. David Evans has delivered the XC course. The competitors will be happy as that is their focus.

I am not sure that 2 full passes were lavish in the general scale of things however the passes were meant in goodwill for family or close friends as a thank you to the volunteers. You did not need to give the passes away if you thought they were over generous!!

 

[Lexi_]

Well this only works if you have family and friends in the vicinity… we shell out a fair amount from our own pockets to drive down from the NW and stay in the area for 4 days (personal choice obviously, no-one is making us do it!) and don’t know any locals to pass them onto them. I was always v happy to share the treat with HHO-ers on the basis that the wristbands were automatically issued and sent to me, and it was probably better that people made use of them, spent money on the trade stands etc, rather than me just throwing them in the bin. The RRP on a full event wristband must have been worth a fair whack though and it was overly generous IMO. I’m not surprised it was one of the things that got trimmed as it never seemed particularly essential to me.

Free Thurs & Fri tickets and parking, lunches on your volunteering days, a BBQ on the Sat evening and discounted camping if you want it is plenty generous enough for me. Not sure how it compares to vol perks at the other three day events though!

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

We’re going on Saturday, will reserve judgement for then! But as long as I can walk the course, do some shopping and get some tasty food I will be happy!

 

[RachelFerd]

It is interesting. I am sure there will be teething issues this year, but ~*if* the Jockey Club can bring eventing to a wider non-horsey audience it does have the potential to bring new participants into the sport - particularly attracting those from the racehorse owning world into the event horse owning world could be a good thing. That said, I've never particularly enjoyed myself at a raceday, and i've been to gazillions at JC run courses including Epsom and Newmarket, so who knows....!

 

[teapot]

I've already unfollowed the fb page as the marketing's a bit too much of not the important stuff. I see they're even using the main racing photos site for competitor photography.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

A friend went today, not a patch on previous years.

 

[humblepie]

Been there today competing RoR showing which was fab. Lot less trade stands but not a usual year. Cross country looks huge.

 

[Billyandme]

Went today. Good day out and bumped into people I haven't seen since COVID. Tradestands decimated in number but still managed to spend too much. XC country course does indeed look challenging to say the least.

 

[rara007]

Been there today competing RoR showing which was fab. Lot less trade stands but not a usual year. Cross country looks huge.

How did you get on?

 

[humblepie]

How did you get on?

He was placed in both classes and got his Aintree qualification for next year. Strong well supported classes so pleased. Was really sunny once the morning fog cleared.

 

[Lexi_]

I was pleasantly impressed today! Course looks beautiful, the parking and arrivals were v smoothly organised and I like the new hospitality/food areas around all the big screens. There are lots more places to sit and chill and watch the action, and there were more stalls than I expected after seeing some of the comments on here. It felt quite nice and busy in comparison to previous Fridays.

Yes, it’s a shame not to have the arena eventing classes running but I’m not sure they ever really gathered much in the way of spectators. Also not sure if them not being on this year is a Covid/lack of qualifiers issues or a Jockey Club not wanting to include them issue? It’ll be interesting to see how things grow and change in 2022 to see what’s a permanent difference and what’s a one-off.

 

[Carlosmum]

As a volunteer for 2 days over the dressage, we were disappointed with the catering. No tea and coffee provided, only water. No bacon roll or pastry for breakfast, some volunteers had been there from crack of dawn. Sandwiches on first day were ok, 2nd day they appeared to be remains of first day. Volunteer perks... free entry and the 2 dressage tickets for 2 days and a 20% discount for event clothing. I would like to have seen a voucher for at least one tea or coffee, I believe it was available in the 'staff welfare tent' but this was at the bottom of the site, whilst we were at the top. Not enough time in our 20 mins breaks to get there and back and drink a hot drink. Definitely a few teething problems, but the side by side arenas seemed popular and as a volunteer on the 8/9yr old class it was nice not to be banished out of sight as in previous years. Look forward to improvements next year!

 

[Velcrobum]

I was pleasantly impressed today! Course looks beautiful, the parking and arrivals were v smoothly organised and I like the new hospitality/food areas around all the big screens. There are lots more places to sit and chill and watch the action, and there were more stalls than I expected after seeing some of the comments on here. It felt quite nice and busy in comparison to previous Fridays.

Yes, it’s a shame not to have the arena eventing classes running but I’m not sure they ever really gathered much in the way of spectators. Also not sure if them not being on this year is a Covid/lack of qualifiers issues or a Jockey Club not wanting to include them issue? It’ll be interesting to see how things grow and change in 2022 to see what’s a permanent difference and what’s a one-off.

The arena eventing classes kept the "old" Blenheim financially afloat. They also brought in huge numbers of supporters ie friends and family who spent a lot of money in the trade stands / food outlets. A fair few competitors who had travelled hundreds of miles booked stabling locally and made a long weekend of the trip.

 

[Velcrobum]

As a volunteer for 2 days over the dressage, we were disappointed with the catering. No tea and coffee provided, only water. No bacon roll or pastry for breakfast, some volunteers had been there from crack of dawn. Sandwiches on first day were ok, 2nd day they appeared to be remains of first day. Volunteer perks... free entry and the 2 dressage tickets for 2 days and a 20% discount for event clothing. I would like to have seen a voucher for at least one tea or coffee, I believe it was available in the 'staff welfare tent' but this was at the bottom of the site, whilst we were at the top. Not enough time in our 20 mins breaks to get there and back and drink a hot drink. Definitely a few teething problems, but the side by side arenas seemed popular and as a volunteer on the 8/9yr old class it was nice not to be banished out of sight as in previous years. Look forward to improvements next year!

Agree about tea and coffee provision. The chances of any volunteer getting to and from the welfare tent during the competition is in reality zero. I never found it but knew it was there somewhere. Tho operations centre was not marked on any of the maps or correspondence sent to me. The competitors could not care less about the volunteer welfare they only care about the competition. Not one of them said thank you as they walked past me on their return from dressage I would not expect them to en-route to dressage as they would be concentrating on their test.

 

[fankino04]

Has anyone got a link to today's running order for the xc?

 

[Tiddlypom]

These are the xc start times for the 4* long, but the competitors are listed in order by their dressage placing so you have to hunt about a bit.

https://bpiht.co.uk/2021-scores/cci4-l-scores/

 

[Carlosmum]

Agree about tea and coffee provision. The chances of any volunteer getting to and from the welfare tent during the competition is in reality zero. I never found it but knew it was there somewhere. Tho operations centre was not marked on any of the maps or correspondence sent to me. The competitors could not care less about the volunteer welfare they only care about the competition. Not one of them said thank you as they walked past me on their return from dressage I would not expect them to en-route to dressage as they would be concentrating on their test.

The only person who thanked me was my dressage judge and one of the buggy drivers. but of course they are all volunteers too ( perhaps not the judge!)

 

[teapot]

Looks like they’ve utterly ballsed up the traffic management today.

The Jockey Club can organise big events, so why the oversight re numbers on the Saturday? First big event in 18 months, free for under 16s, good weather…

 

[Velcrobum]

Rooting for Yasmin Ingham when she was a child I gave her a lead over XC fences on her pony on various XC schooling sessions when we were being trained by the same trainer!!

 

[Velcrobum]

Nice clear round Yasmin!!!!!!!!!!

 

[OldNag]

Looks like they’ve utterly ballsed up the traffic management today.

The Jockey Club can organise big events, so why the oversight re numbers on the Saturday? First big event in 18 months, free for under 16s, good weather…

Yep, we went early and cripes the queues!

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I tried to watch the live coverage of the XC on H&C TV but it was really naff. It firstly wouldn't work at all on Chrome or Internet Explorer, only Microsoft Edge - and then the coverage was utterly crap. 90% of it was just the camera's filming trees, or the crowd.. they only covered about 6 of the jumps it felt like. They would film the jump and then follow where the horse would be but super zoomed in and blurry and the horse was behind a copse of trees. Bizarre. And then even when the horses did come to a filmed jump sometimes they either zoomed ahead way too fast and the horse was then out of frame, or the camera moved in a jerked way or they filmed a patch of grass and you just see the horses legs at the top of the frame.. I won't continue to subscribe that's for sure.

The commentary was interesting though, especially with WFP in there.