Competition yards in/around Cardiff

[dchorselove]

I'll be moving to Cardiff in a few months and taking my horse (very easy and straightforward gelding) with me. We compete in BSJ, I have made a search of competition yards around Cardiff but there doesn't seem to be that many. Can anyone recommend anything?

Wish list:
Full livery preferred, but part livery also ok. No DIY
Well run yard with good facilities, indoor school a must, outdoor school and full set of jumps
Nice hacking a bonus
Decent turnout (horse stabled at night so 24/7 not essential)

I don't know the area well but happy to travel 20-30 minutes for the right place.

Also any suggestions of SJ coaches in the area?

Thank you!

 

[HelenBack]

Welcome to Wales and good luck finding somewhere. I'm not from the area originally and have found that there is a lack of decent livery yards overall. I think you'll struggle to find exactly what you're after as I really can't think of anything that fits the bill off the top of my head. Hopefully if you're prepared to compromise a bit though you might find something vaguely suitable. Here are a couple of suggestions:

Alps Court in Wenvoe have a decent sized indoor school and a 40x20 outdoor. They hold unaffiliated competitions there so can put a full course of jumps up. In normal years they often set a course up on grass too and they do have a bit of a criss country course there too if you fancy that. Nick and Richard are both into jumping so could give you lessons, probably Nick would be more suitable if you're doing BSJA but you could try both and see. I believe turnout is fairly limited in the winter and I can't imagine the hacking being all that great given the location but perhaps worth asking about both of those.

If you're prepared to compromise on the indoor school then Ty Wyth Newydd stables is probably about half an hour out of Cardiff and is easily accessible off junction 34 of the M4. It's not a competition yard but they have a big outdoor and plenty of jumps and the horses get daily turnout all year round whatever the weather, although sometimes just for a few hours a day in the depths of winter. There is pleasant hacking in some forestry nearby and the owner is very knowledgeable.

Further out again there's Ponderosa EC on the far side of Newport. Depending where you live in Cardiff you could get there in about 30 minutes if the traffic was okay. They do BSJA and I'm fairly sure they do livery but not sure what packages they offer. They have a big outdoor but I'm not sure about an indoor and the hacking is probably fairly limited there too.

There's also Pencoed College just outside Bridgend but it might be getting a bit far. They do a bit of BSJA there and have a huge indoor, an outdoor and a smaller indoor. I don't know how much turnout they offer and what sort of livery packages there are. I think the hacking would be non-existent.

That's all I can think of for now but if you join the Facebook group Livery Yards Are Us Wales you can ask in there and might have more success.

As far as instructors go, you could try Nick and Richard as mentioned above. Also Sian Edwards is based just outside Bridgend and she's a showjumper who also teaches. I don't know if she travels or you have to go to her but she has a big outdoor at her place.

Katie Williams is a BE coach but I'm pretty sure she'd do straight jumping lessons. She's based up just outside Monmouth but regularly travels for clinics etc. She's very good.

Good luck, it's not really a very showjumpy area unfortunately so I hope you can find something vaguely suitable.

 

[Annagain]

Croeso / Welcome!

As HelenBack says, there aren't a huge number of full livery yards around, it's mostly DIY. Where in Cardiff will you be living? That would change my suggestions as getting from one side of the city to the other can be tricky at certain times of day. There are a couple in north Cardiff / Caerphilly and a few out west towards jct 34 of the M4.

We're not blessed with lots of show jumping trainers either - although we have lots of really good flat instructors. I'm involved with my local riding club and we struggle with jumping trainers beyond a certain level. Nick at Alps is the only really local one (with Sian in Bridgend about 1/2 an hour away) but the last I'd heard, when coronavirus forced him stop he decided not to start again and to retire from teaching. Whether he's changed his mind or not since we've been able to get going again, I don't know.

As a riding club, we tend to book a visiting trainer for a whole day and run clinics to get the right level instructors in. Some of the others in the area do the same. It might be worth you looking into a few local clubs when you get here so you have access to trainers from further afield - it's a nice way to get to know other people too.

 

[HorsesRule2009]

Hello,

Welcome to Wales, in a welshie living in England.

With all you are asking for I would definitely take a look at Sunnybank EC it is a lovely full livery used to dealing with competition horses.
The owner is very knowledgeable, the yard itself would tick most of the boxes on your list and there is some nice Hacking.
Before CV they had once again started holding BSJA shows (always did when first opened).
Terinna (owner) is a fantastic instructor and would be able to help with sj lessons.

 

[Annagain]

Glyn Farm in Tonyrefail near jct 34 is quite a new yard but I've heard good things about it. Run by a farrier and his partner so lost shoes no longer a problem! It definitely has an indoor, not sure about an outdoor but very good hacking. It would be a bit further out from Cardiff though.

Sunnybank usually has a competition every weekend and is a riding school so I don't know how much you get to use the school. It's probably got the best hacking though. There's also Cwm Farm near Sunnybank but they only have a smallish (maybe 20x40?) outdoor and I know you have to book it to ride at weekends as it gets well used. Excellent hacking.

Lower Stocklands in St Fagans is one of the closest to the city. It has an indoor, an outdoor, good hacking all on its land (they do fun rides occasionally so it's a decent ride all the way round) It's DIY but I think some of the liveries there offer services to others (all above board) so it might be worth enquiring. They do BD there but not BS but have quite a few visiting instructors.

Argae House in Dinas Powys have an indoor and outdoor but turnout is limited in winter and hacking is mediocre - you can get places but have to go along a fairly busy road to get to them. Owners are lovely and very knowledgeable - one is a vet and runs his clinic from there - very handy! His partner is an instructor - very experienced team chaser and show jumper. It's not far from Alps (that Helen Back mentions above) Alps would have slightly better hacking as you access the same areas from opposite ends and the roads around Alps are much quieter.

Spring Meadows would be another one - it's a bit further out again in Llandow at least 30 minutes, possibly 40 in traffic. It's home to show jumper Marc Edwards and his father Martin. 20x40 (possibly slightly bigger?) indoor and they're having a HUGE new outdoor built at the moment. It's just known to most people locally as Martin Edwards's place - most won't have a clue if you mention Spring Meadows!

I think Sian Edwards (mentioned above again) does livery too. She definitely does DIY, not sure about full/part. Nice outdoor (full course jumps almost always out) small indoor. Fairly decent hacking.

Liege Manor in Bonvilston has an indoor and an outdoor and are putting a small XC in - it's a riding school but I think they do livery. Hacking wouldn't be too bad in that area and they have quite a lot of land but not sure if you can use it. Georgia the owner (or rather owner's daughter but does most of the day to day running) does BS so might be a good contact.

Talygarn is the same as Liege - a riding school and daughter Amelia does a lot of BS. I don't think they do livery but it's worth an ask.

There's one called Oaklands in Pencoed that I've heard good things about and they're having a big new outdoor school put in but not sure if it does full/part or just DIY. That's off jct 35 so a little bit further but fairly quick on the motorway.

As Helen mentioned, Ty Wyth Newydd has a very good reputation.

I'm sure there are a few smaller yards around too that I've forgotten. If you were asking for DIY and not bothered about an indoor, the list would be endless!

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

Hello & welcome to Wales!

Nothing much to add bar to echo what the others have said above & add some extra bits that I know. Also another which maybe worth checking depending which side of Cardiff you are is Cricklands/Broomes as I'm sure they offer livery although not many spaces & they do a lot of BSJA & fantastic facilities, no indoor though.

Further out again there's Ponderosa EC on the far side of Newport. Depending where you live in Cardiff you could get there in about 30 minutes if the traffic was okay. They do BSJA and I'm fairly sure they do livery but not sure what packages they offer. They have a big outdoor but I'm not sure about an indoor and the hacking is probably fairly limited there too.

Ponderosa definitely have an indoor & do livery, but again I'm not sure of packages. They do run a riding school as well though so you would be slotting in around lessons. Hacking is very limited too as Helen said.

There's also Pencoed College just outside Bridgend but it might be getting a bit far. They do a bit of BSJA there and have a huge indoor, an outdoor and a smaller indoor. I don't know how much turnout they offer and what sort of livery packages there are. I think the hacking would be non-existent.

I lived in Pencoed for a few years & loads of yards around but again nearly all DIY, the college is great but I think they only do working livery? You would have to check. And again, unless you hack up through the village & up the back to the mountain, hacking is non existent.

There's one called Oaklands in Pencoed that I've heard good things about and they're having a big new outdoor school put in but not sure if it does full/part or just DIY. That's off jct 35 so a little bit further but fairly quick on the motorway.

Oaklands is definitely just DIY from memory as I contacted them when I was looking to move, I needed assistance.

As Helen mentioned, Ty Wyth Newydd has a very good reputation.

My friend is here on full livery & very happy! Outdoor but no indoor.

 

[HelenBack]

My friend is here on full livery & very happy! Outdoor but no indoor.

Do you think your friend would mind speaking to me privately about the yard? I've been for a look round and it seems lovely but I'm not quite sure it's what I need. Basically need restricted grazing and I'm not sure they can cater for that there!

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

Do you think your friend would mind speaking to me privately about the yard? I've been for a look round and it seems lovely but I'm not quite sure it's what I need. Basically need restricted grazing and I'm not sure they can cater for that there!

I'm sure she wouldn't mind at all! I'm in work with her Sunday so can get her to contact you if you drop me a message ?

 

[dchorselove]

Thanks everyone, that's more than I thought! I'm coming down to Cardiff in a few weeks so will check most of these out.

 

[Annagain]

This is Glyn Farm that I mentioned above. I know the owner, she’s lovely.

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