Fed up - Oldencraig and the Parrots!!

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Merlotmonster

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Went to Oldencraig on Saturday for their Championship show.. it was a disaster! The two blue and gold macaws in the cage were squarking and doing laps at a rate of knots... Hartley saw them as he came in and turned into a giraffe...He even spun round twice in the test as he came near them..
Fuming..you would think for a championship they would take them out. Paid £22 for 4 minutes of hell!
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Went to Oldencraig on Saturday for their Championship show.. it was a disaster! The two blue and gold macaws in the cage were squarking and doing laps at a rate of knots... Hartley saw them as he came in and turned into a giraffe...He even spun round twice in the test as he came near them..
Fuming..you would think for a championship they would take them out. Paid £22 for 4 minutes of hell!
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Oh dear thats not good - i know my friend also had a bad day there at the championships !!

Yes i would of thought they would of taken them out to x
 
what on earth ?!?!! haven't been there for years but the geese and ducks were bad enough in the old warmup but parrots ???

where on earth has Ian put those ??
 
Oh how nice - right by A so that right from the start you have problems. My boy spent a long time hating the old mirrored wall and that didn't flap and screech.

Always has been a venue where the home team had a distinct advantage, particularly when it came to winning the jaguar saddle for the series. That stayed 'home' 4 times on the trot when I was there.
 
my reason for not doing the champs-at £23 a class the parrots and the way they allow people in and out of the resturant during tests is a farce...its nearly always the stable horses that win (although two mates came 1st and 2nd in the prelim open secion
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...last time I went indoors there I complained..had a caller and couldnt hear her because of the blooming squarking and my lad was very tense at A..really helpful to come down the centre line-not!!!...aparantly they have had loads of complaints..interestingly though the Stable blocks have them in as well so of course the horses take no notice!!!.....
 
Does anyone complain - properly in writing about it?

I won't go there because I think at £15.50 a class for unaffiliated there are plenty of other venues that regularly have dressage and use list judges.
 
Yes and the rosettes have gone down hill too....not that I win them very often!!!
Royal leisure have a lovely arena and the biggest rosettes ever! went there last week and had a lovely time and won 2. Think I will be going back there instead
 
Also they are no longer giving prize money instead they are giving vouchers instead!

I came second restricted and 2nd overall on Friday in a class of 12 and didn't get anything. Bearing in mind it cost me £30 to enter two classes plus the same again in fuel.
 
The vouchers are a whole £5 to spend in their shop...sooo generous! I certainly would expect prize money if doing affiliated competition.
Whilst im having a winge, they only did rosettes to 7th despite a class of over 30 last time I went. Typically I came 8th.
Dont think Im going to bother going back.
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Also they are no longer giving prize money instead they are giving vouchers instead!

I came second restricted and 2nd overall on Friday in a class of 12 and didn't get anything. Bearing in mind it cost me £30 to enter two classes plus the same again in fuel.

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what thats rediculous !!!
 
I'd ring BD and see what they say. I rang them the other day about something else and asked about prize money and not getting any for second and it was fair enough as there were only 4 in the class so they didn't have to pay out but for 12 I would have thought that they would
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His reputation preceeds him
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Heard a very unflattering story at the regionals about something that happened in the morning between him and one of the judges...
 
that's why the parrots are removed for affiliated - 'cos BD would listen - and not for unaffiliated.

don't bother complaining by the sounds of it - merely vote with your feet (and your wallets).

I wanted to goto the last lecture-demo they had there but at 45 quid a ticket (or more-can't remember) I didn't bother.
 
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that's why the parrots are removed for affiliated - 'cos BD would listen - and not for unaffiliated.



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They're not removed for Affiliated though. Have written there and they were very present! Although not many horses took offence to them.

The rosette prize money issue pisses me off totally, not just OEC but generally. Really, how much is a bloody rosette! They can at least give them to 6th what ever...if unaffil and RC can do it. Tight arsed venues doing BD really irritate me
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There is a centre local to me which shall remain nameless who only give out rosettes to 4th place for BD, have to say I thought that was stingy.

Now Bluegate Hall Farm on the other hand give very good rosettes and prize money as well as being friendly and well organised so will always get my entry.
 
Thats awful! when you have paid all that money to enter an unaffilliated competition! I agree that the Parrots should be removed!! however because the owner man doesn't ride or necessarily have horsey experience, he maybe doesn't understand. probably thinks ' they look good though'. It must be quite dusty conditions for those Parrots as well, living near an indoor school!

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they dont live in the school -they only go in there for competitions...check out the stable blocks and you will see where they normally are..most biziarre..but then Ian probably wants the confrontation!!...when we went to see Leslie Law Demo there (free tickets I have to add) my friend complained that the hospitality box (where the judge normally sits) was making soo much noise we couldnt hear the demo...bloke came back and basically said Ian said if you dont like it leave!!...needless to say I wont be paying to attend a demo there !!....its such a nice venue just shame about the owners!!
 
I completely agree with the rosettes I now where you mean and if I have a choice I always go to Bluegates Hubby works some sats so its dependent on him. The riding club I belong to always give to 6th even with less in the class (you all get a rossette -
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It's a shame you've had such a bad experience at Oldencraig. The woman who organises the dressage is lovely and the facilities are fab. I've never heard the parrots squawking when I've been there, maybe you were just unlucky?? I agree that's too much of a distraction for most horses.

Have to disagree with the comment about people going in and out of the cafe while a test is on though. I reckon horses have to get used to that sort of thing.

I don't think the parrots can normally be that much of a problem because their dressage classes tend to fill up usually. Anyway, sorry to hear you had bad time but I just wanted to say that all the times I've been there the organisation has been fantastic and the atmosphere very friendly. I've never had to deal with Ian though!
 
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