Disappointed with Windsor Horse Show today

Shellby27

Shellby27

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My family and I went to Windsor Horse show today. We went last year (and have been quite a few years before too) but today has completely ruined the show for me. To start with I feel that half the show has vanished!!! I know there are different events on each day, but today seemed dead! Many trade stands missing (I guess companies are feeling the pinch this year), but also seemed to be missing a many classes? I'm sure there was showing in the fields past where the land rover course thingy is last year.

My main rant though was the showing in the afternoon. The judge was over 30 mins late for the side saddle class. When she did finally turn up (probably too "bungalowed" to remember she had to judge!) all the horses were incredibly wound up. One young girl's horse began to buck and she was very upset and left the arena. Another lady's horse misbehaved and she was asked to leave also. I feel that these horses were incredibly bored waiting almost an hour for the over run class to finish before them and then the judge not turning up! I can only imagine these people pay a small fortune to enter their horses and I really don't think its on for the judge to be that late. No apologies were made either!

Another thing I witnessed was a lady hitting her appaloosa stallion across the head with her show cane when he decided to toss his head in the air. It was completely out of order and hearing it crack across his head was very disturbing!!! It was very tempting to whack her across the head with my umbrella as she walked past to see how she liked it!

To top off my day I was charged £27 for three chicken burgers and chips!!!!! RIP OFF BRITAIN!!!! I think I will stay in bed next year :(
 
I went to windsor about 5 years ago with my friend. she was competing in the 148cm show ponies, we bought him out half way through as the ground was awful stoney and rutted. It was a disgrace many ponies came out of the class lame after they had done their shows, we didnt want to risk ours. I havnt been since, i heard the ground has not been great this year either and also heard this year alot of entries were misplaced so some people were not able to enter as they didnt find out until a few days before.
 
I went last year and there wasn't enough there to justify going every year.

You don't have to buy the food, if people pay for it then they will keep charging that amount.
 
Went to do the Trec demo/charity competition and windsor hadnt organised anything they were meant to (Correct passes, equipment delivery, stabling) and none of us were very impressed by the lack of organisation. I had a quick walk around the stands and noticed there wasent that many.
 
Shellby27 said:
but also seemed to be missing a many classes? I'm sure there was showing in the fields past where the land rover course thingy is last year.
Click to expand...

Nope, rings where all the same as they have been for years! And I'm pretty sure all the same classes as last year

dizzydancer said:
I went to windsor about 5 years ago with my friend. she was competing in the 148cm show ponies, we bought him out half way through as the ground was awful stoney and rutted. It was a disgrace many ponies came out of the class lame after they had done their shows, we didnt want to risk ours.
Click to expand...

They have done a lot of work on the ground in the past few years, 2 rings are now all weather surfaces and the grass ring isn't stoney like it used to be - and looked to be good ground when I was there on Friday - certainly better than most showgrounds!
 
I competed this year theres the same amount of rings as usual, there used to be 2 grass and the main arena but now theres 1 grass 1 sand arena and the main arean so no different. There is actually more classes than ever now as theyve introduced some of the ametaur classes and apprently they had more entries than ever this year, and had to limit some of the showing classes, the only ones that were down a bit were the M&M classes, but that was due to the introduction of having to register them ponies and riders with the bsps.
I competed 3 time and one of them was the lead rein class so was running on it and found the going exellent, the first year it was on the private grounds it was stony but now the grass arean and been dug up and its near as perfect as a grass arena will ever be i found it had quite alot of give without been boggy.

I took a picnic all shows the food is expensive at all the shows so i wont buy food at any shows anymore.

I dont know about the judge i didnt have any problems in all 3 we went in on the exact time so cant comment on that.
 
I went to Windsor on Thursday and Friday. Thought there were a lot less spectators than last year.

The shopping was great. No tripping over masses of children and dogs, you could actually look at the stuff without being shoved and bumped into!!

There seemed to be about the same amount of horse boxes in the car park as last year, but I agree that there wasn't the same buzz this time. But maybe that's because last year was my first time going there, and it was all new and exciting!

But this year we saw the Queen!!! ;o)
 
Went on the Sat and agreed it seemed very quite compared to previous years! Shopping was ok but only as I had limited finds so liked less shops! I have to admit might not attend next year but in all met up with friends so had a good day with them! Roll on Hickstead next month thats always fab! Fingers crossed.
 
I went yesterday and for the first year ever was really disappointed. There were much fewer classes with less entrants and far fewer trade stands. The food was exhorbitant (£2.80 for a small scoop of chips) when you could find any as lots of stalls had run out even at the start of the day.
 
I went for the first time yesterday, im glad id payed for the tattoo or i would have been really disappointed! Didnt think there was much in the way of trade stalls, watched a few classes but think i will stick to the new forest show in future!
 
Am glad we didn't go this year then. We normally go every year but last year we thought it a bit ' flat' and this year the itinerary didn't have enough jumping to keep us interested so decided to give it a miss.

Also a lot of top riders weren't there just the usual suspects, the jobbing showjumpers. Would have liked to have seen Laura Kraut in action though.
 
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