Have just walked Askham Bryan...

Gamebird

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...and it's lovely. The fences are beautifully built, the going's perfect and the show-jumps are all from Port Royal so are very familiar!

Here's the run-down:

The BE90 and 100 pretty much follow the same course. There's a brush rolltop to start followed by some upright-ish rails in a hedge line. There's a chair (90) and a churn stand (100) downhill on a good gallop followed by a 3 stride double (separately numbered) for the 90 and a single fence for the 100, again in a hedgeline. There's then a scalloped brush in a hedgeline for both classes and the 100 one is the first part of a double.

From there to a coffin. The 90 jump an open ditch, two strides to an easy house, the 100 is house, two strides, ditch, one stride skinnyish house. Another gallop to a haywagon (90) and table (100) then a sharp left turn to a corner (100) with an alternative (skinny jumped the opposite way). The 90 fence here is another 3 stride double of pheasant feeders - you'll probably want to ever so slightly angle them.

Steeplechase fence uphill for both classes, rails in hedgeline for both classes, house for both classes then step up, 2 strides to skinny brush (90) or 1 stride to skinny brush (100). Then a log for both classes on rising ground, rolltop thing - tracks separate here but both jump a similar fence. Both classes have separate boat houses on a downhill approach to water. 90s splash in and out, 100s splash in and out, loop round and drop back in and run out. Then a drop and the final fence: a vegetable box (very similar to the WEG one!!!) with a roof .

As before it looks like a perfect first-timers course at both levels and is beautifully built and dressed. Good luck! :D
 

Gamebird

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I think we'll wait to see whether they've 'got it right'. The course is right but the management is very similar to Bishop and they seem to have trouble organising an alcoholic party in a lager factory :rolleyes:....
 

Hels_Bells

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Thanks so much for the update GB. I have just got back from walking and agree it's a lovely course. Really unsure about the drop back into 2nd water on BE100 as my boy has never ever dropped into water before!!!! So far we have always had an alternative run in to a drop. However, his confidence with water is good now and it's the end of the course heading home, hopefully he'll be full of running with the wind on his back and its a nice enough setting, plus he'll have already been in the water at the first bit, so if he's ever going to do one first attempt this is it. I hate the idea of trying something for the first time at a comp though!!! :eek:
 

Gamebird

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Thanks so much for the update GB. I have just got back from walking and agree it's a lovely course. Really unsure about the drop back into 2nd water on BE100 as my boy has never ever dropped into water before!!!! So far we have always had an alternative run in to a drop. However, his confidence with water is good now and it's the end of the course heading home, hopefully he'll be full of running with the wind on his back and its a nice enough setting, plus he'll have already been in the water at the first bit, so if he's ever going to do one first attempt this is it. I hate the idea of trying something for the first time at a comp though!!! :eek:

Preparation, preparation, preparation!!!!!! Naughty!!! :eek: I would fully expect to find a drop into water at BE100 and would have schooled over similar fences from the word go! :)

However, like you said, if you're ever going to do it this is the one - it's a tiny drop, there's no jump element to it and he'll have already been in the water and got his feet wet already. You couldn't ask for a better chance.

Oh, and isn't the Land Rover cool? We used to have one identical and I had a good peer in to see if it had an overdrive etc. like ours :rolleyes: :eek: Try not to bump it on the way past - it'll be older than me!!
 

Hels_Bells

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I know, it's not ideal but we tried to school drops into water at the beginning of our season but everywhere we tried the water was all dried up or they were just too big a drop for a first timer!!! Have been trying to get out schooling since but have been competing every or every other weekend and it just hasn't happened. I agree it is naughty though! Will just have to see what happens and bear the consequences of non preparation if it comes to it!

Having said that this is the only BE100 so far I've seen a drop with no alternative (Beckwithshaw and Watlass have alternatives and all others I've been to are run ins).

Promise we will take utmost care around the landy too!!! :D
 

Foxford

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I think we'll wait to see whether they've 'got it right'. The course is right but the management is very similar to Bishop and they seem to have trouble organising an alcoholic party in a lager factory :rolleyes:....

Second this!! They are my local ag college and I've tried and tried to do a couple of courses while my youngster was on his winter hols. It's like trying to get blood out of a stone. You wouldn't think I was trying to give them money. ;)
Still, glad to hear there they've done a good job with the event.
 

tilly17

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I think we'll wait to see whether they've 'got it right'. The course is right but the management is very similar to Bishop and they seem to have trouble organising an alcoholic party in a lager factory :rolleyes:....

Can you clarify this? I have always found Bishop to be a well organised event in recent years. OK there were some problems a few years ago but now they seem to have got it right. The Pony Europeans were fantastic and must have been immense to organise so I feel your comment is a bit unfair.
 

Lissa

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I think we'll wait to see whether they've 'got it right'. The course is right but the management is very similar to Bishop and they seem to have trouble organising an alcoholic party in a lager factory :rolleyes:....

Agree with this have been there for 3years now (god knows why sometimes!) and organisation quite often leaves a lot to be desired! Was very surprised how organised they seem to be for this though, was helping set up the showjumping warm up on thursday and couldn't believe how organised and good it all looked. Have also got roped in to helping on dressage and showjumping tomorrow.

Good luck everyone who's going.
 

yeeharider

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Have to say am very impressed all roped off with proper crossing points and the fences did not disappoint the sj looks interesting line depends on how tight the time is good luck to all going will see you there
 

Gamebird

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Can you clarify this? I have always found Bishop to be a well organised event in recent years. OK there were some problems a few years ago but now they seem to have got it right. The Pony Europeans were fantastic and must have been immense to organise so I feel your comment is a bit unfair.

My dealings with the entries sec etc. for Bishop have always been exemplary but I have had numerous problems with other aspects of their organisation, mostly on the day, and I've gone to most of their fixtures over the last 8 or 9 years. I've certainly hit enough organisational problems to suspect more than just coincidence. I've also heard some behind the scenes feedback (not hearsay: from people directly involved) from the Europeans which would suggest that they were very, very lucky that it all came off. As it happened, they made the best of what must have been a logistical nightmare.

Askham looked fantastic today and the course and ground were perfect. Forgive me if I'm a little circumspect about the other aspects. Once bitten and all that... I'm very keen for it to suceed as it will be by far my closest event (just under an hour) and ideal for taking babies to.
 

Gamebird

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Have to say am very impressed all roped off with proper crossing points and the fences did not disappoint the sj looks interesting line depends on how tight the time is good luck to all going will see you there

I agree re the SJing. Have advised the girl I was there to help not to cut inside any of the fences but reminded her that she will need to keep the pace up round the turns to avoid time faults.
 

yeeharider

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Askham looked fantastic today and the course and ground were perfect. Forgive me if I'm a little circumspect about the other aspects. Once bitten and all that... I'm very keen for it to suceed as it will be by far my closest event (just under an hour) and ideal for taking babies to.

I so wish them well and hope it is successful as only 16 miles away by far our nearest event
 

tilly17

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I've also heard some behind the scenes feedback (not hearsay: from people directly involved) from the Europeans which would suggest that they were very, very lucky that it all came off. As it happened, they made the best of what must have been a logistical nightmare.

I am not sure it was luck, more like bloody hard work by all concerned.
 

Gamebird

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It sounds really nice, is it up to height/technical?

I'd say there were a couple of up to height fences in both classes but not particularly technical and the bigger fences are single fences and very inviting. Would be happy to take a green first-timer at either level and hope to get a positive experience.
 

yeeharider

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not such a good day mare and new jockey had a disagreement in the dressage resulting in a score of 48 then rolled a pole sj then the best bit clear and fast xc inside the time to finish on 52 not good but that is the end of the season for us will work on dressage over winter and see you all again next srping roll on march Yeeha!!!!!!!!!
 
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