FAO people that compete at vale view

[Tiarella]

Hey I'm getting a bit bored of competing at the same places all the time so I am wanting to find other places to compete at. I live on warks/Solihull boarder and vale view would be over an hours drive for me. I've looked at the website and they seem to hold good events like arena eventing, trailblazers jumping and dr which is what I am looking for. I wouldn't visit for a nosey before taking my horse so I was just wondering if anyone could give me any more info on the place?

What is the parking like?
Are the warm up areas/surface nice?
What are the sj and arena xc jumps like, are they spooky?
Do they have good food facilities? (Always thinking of stomach!)
Is it well organised?

If anyone can input any more info that would be perfect.

Thanks guys

 

[EventerMum]

Vale View is great.
The cheesy chips are sublime!
2 indoor arenas, one can be spooky as has windows to cafe down one side & mirrors too.
Surfaces all good although bottom outdoor warm up can be wet.
Excellent facilities with water complex & steps for arena eventing.
They use all the jump for joy type fences and lots of different fillers/planks etc - it's a really excellent set up, courses are always well built, well organised etc.
Its a good 1.5 hours from us but always reliable and worth going to time & again.
Parking large and pretty flat.
Oh and there's a shop too

 

[Gamebird]

If it's just an hour why don't you take the plunge and have a go?

The SJ uses normal wooden fences, not jump for joy and I wouldn't say it was spooky. The arena eventing always catches a few out. There's a water complex with steps etc. which you will go through at least twice, sometimes there is a fence in the water. There are usually about 28 fences on the course so you will need to walk it. There are fairly skinny skinnies from 75cm upwards. I would generally drop down a class if it's your first time. Everything else is pretty standard and the car park is... a car park. There's also a shop. They're nice people and it's a nice place and easy to get to. Popular though so can be busy.

 

[Tiarella]

Thanks guys I've just youtubed the arena eventing and it looks super but not sure it would be too much with the amount of fences (my fitness!) haha. I've done 1 arena eventing before, just a 70 at Onley which we enjoyed but they're not holding any more so trying to find a different venue. It's great some is indoors and then outdoors etc. think I will hire first!

 

[Horsemad12]

You may struggle to hire VV, they pretty much have lessons on all day everyday, but if you want to try first then book a lesson with Caroline Moore in daylight hours and ask to do the XC fences as part of the lesson.

Having said that you may work harder on that than doing the arena eventing ;-)

 

[Tiarella]

Ahh okay, thankyou for the heads up hm12 - will see if I can drag a friend along too!

 

[nikkimariet]

Agree you'll struggle to hire VV - might be able to hire it in the evening after a show with boards out though? Our livery did this the other weekend.

If you did just want to hire a full size arena with/out boards, then Brooksby is within 15 mins of VV.

P.S. let us know if you come up, we only like 15 mins away so can come and wave pom poms!

 

[Tiarella]

Agree you'll struggle to hire VV - might be able to hire it in the evening after a show with boards out though? Our livery did this the other weekend.

If you did just want to hire a full size arena with/out boards, then Brooksby is within 15 mins of VV.

P.S. let us know if you come up, we only like 15 mins away so can come and wave pom poms!

It's more the jumps id want to hire, and that scary water thing rather than the dressagey bit. It's just that little bit too far to drive and not do well (wouldn't be to pleased if he got eliminated at fence 1!) haha. But he isn't too spooky so might just risk it.

Hahaha I will let you know if I do go, you can wave the pom poms and then catch me when the little toad bronks me off!!

 

[ConnieX]

If you can get there during the week, Caroline runs clear round on a Tuesday and Alex on a Friday. 2 rounds of SJ for £15 with help from trainer at whatever height you chose. Can highly recommend both trainers. Starts at 1pm usually until about 7pm but if you're coming long way for after 5pm worth phoning and letting them know so don't finish early!

 

[morrismob]

Hi, Haven't been there to compete but have just spent 3 days there with daughter having lessons with Caroline. Daughter did the clear round training which was great and very useful. We thought the venue was fab, friendly people and the xc bits with steps and water was very useful. Just wished we were closer but we are in Kent and nothing like that here! Give the Tuesday a go, they are really helpful. Although the cafe wasn't open which was a shame as we stayed on hook up and would have died for cheesy chips. Shop was lovely, thank god I left my credit card at home.

 

[pipsqueek]

I'm not a Vale View regular as it is a bit further to travel for me from more local arenas but have been there a couple of times recently when they have had qualifiers on. Parking - plenty of space on a big flat yard, warm-up is big arena too, café with viewing down one side of it (and café is good too!) I have only been for sj but it is a large, well-lit arena with colourful jumps. There is someone in the warm up arena (which is separated from the main arena by an outdoor arena) calling out with how many left to jump so well organised. Definitely worth the trip

 

[nikkimariet]

It's more the jumps id want to hire, and that scary water thing rather than the dressagey bit. It's just that little bit too far to drive and not do well (wouldn't be to pleased if he got eliminated at fence 1!) haha. But he isn't too spooky so might just risk it.

Hahaha I will let you know if I do go, you can wave the pom poms and then catch me when the little toad bronks me off!!

Snort!!! Where's your PMA?!