Ground report at Hickstead (with pics)

teapot

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Just read the really long thread, and noticed a couple of you were worried about the RIHS in 4 weeks time. Well these were the tradestands today:

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And that shows the GOOD bits!!! Ground around the outer rings and international warm up was awful. Although it was still hard underneath, mud at one point was definately over ankle high! A lot of it was surface mud obviously, but dont think the RIHS will be looking as good as it normally does.

Lorries were being towed on and off today. Cars were being parked in places they don't normally have the car parking. Outside rings were ok bar number 2 which was very very cut up. Ring 3 wasn't as bad, but certainly was kicking up during the showing classes.

If we get dry weather for the next 4 weeks it might be ok, but anymore rain will be a nightmare

Ground down by the international arena:

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Rambo

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I wouldn't be worrying about the RIHS just yet. The collecting ring for ring 2 was worse than those pictures on thursday morning but after a few hours of wind and no rain it dried up considerably. Four weeks with no people or horses on it and that ground will have recovered just fine
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FMM

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It will dry very quiclly, but they just need to ensure that it is rolled etc at the right times otherwise it will be awful. They do have very experienced ground staff (which is why the show was able to run at all I expect), and I am sure RIHS will be fine. Two days of sun and wind and the ground will be dry - a week of watering and sun and the grass will be back. May not be the usual bouncy turf you get at RIHS, but will be as good as most of the shows.
 

samp

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Its 3.5 weeks yet, this in England and anything can happen. I worked there on Sat and it was pretty grim
 

Doublethyme

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It was drying very quickly between rain bouts yesterday. We really aren't getting as much rain as everyone else down here in the South, so hopefully things will improve and I think they will do a good job at repairing the ground for the RIHS, unless of course we have torrential rain again the immediate few days before and during the RIHS.

I did feel so very sorry for all those competing in the outer rings though. All those beautifully turned out horses for the showing classes, particularly the greys and the coloured and it was impossible to keep them totally clean. So much hard work, it must have been really disheartening.
 

Rambo

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[ QUOTE ]
Don't they have underground heating in the main ring at Hickstead? If that's the case then it should be OK for RIHS...

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL!

No......they only just put drains in this winter.....it's not quite a Premiership football budget we're talking about here
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