Hickstead Derby meet - outside ring questions

Weezy

Weezy

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Am planning on taking Ted to Hickstead at the end of June to jump in the outside ring comps - prob a 1m class to warm up then 1.10m classes the rest of the time.

To those who have been, how have you found it? What is the stabling like? Warm ups? Are the courses nicely up to height or nasty, trappy and stupidly up to height? In the Am Derby are there any special jumps that need addressing BEFORE we go?

Also has anyone transferred classes once there, if so how easy was it or do you have to scratch and re-enter losing your initial entry fee?
 
From having spent numerous days spent at the outside rings, warm ups are fine diddly - you've either got the HUGE relatively new warm up to use - plenty of space and used by everyone - show ponies, the pros etc etc. There's also a smaller rubber one over in a quiet-ish corner by one of the other rings.

Oh and saw you at Bad today W - recognised the hair ;)
 
Thanks teapot :D And I wish you had have come and said hi, we have *known* each other for years, would have been great to put a person to the username! Was I shopping...*whistles*
 
Let's just hope your Dad is up for taking us and picking us back up LOL! Otherwise I will have to hire transport....and we need to figure out where WE are staying...eeek!
 
Both the shows at Hickstead really are fab and well worth going to. I like everything about them except for the long walk from the stables to the rings . . . . but it does keep you fit !!

Have a great time :-)
 
It's a lovely meeting, & regardless of what the weather does the ground is superb. Having said that, be aware that Ring 4 is on a slope & I hated it. Rings 2,3 & 5 are just brilliant.

It is very well run & although the classes are huge, they jump well (up to height & wide) & the outer rings have a nice calm feel. The polo warm up can be hectic, but there is plenty of space elsewhere.

I'm gutted that there are 1m classes this yr, as my comp horse is now out through injury. Last yr there were only 1.10 + classes which we had a bash at, but didn't come anywhere.
 
im taking my 5yo now !!! wooop wooop as i never got my ar*e into gear (and been too busy with Gadget) But can now do the 1m so i can go !!

I hate ring 3 !! though ring 5 is on a slope it has normal jumps in it

all the other rings have jumps that always look a lot bigger than what they actually are !!

PS ill be the one dancing on the tables in the beer tent
 
Weezy said:
Let's just hope your Dad is up for taking us and picking us back up LOL! Otherwise I will have to hire transport....and we need to figure out where WE are staying...eeek!
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I will convince him- lool. nah, im sure he'll be up for it! :D
I am SO excited now :D erm. we could stay in a tent? :p lool. actually, to be cheap, i may do a PC camp stylee and sleep in the lorry...shower in a bucket.. :p although may go with a B&B? and take the scooter down. lool. i can see this being highly amusing! ahah
 
Well i've been a few times now. The ground tends either to be rock hard or ankle deep in mud and the courses can vary from straightforward to huge depending on the day, the weather and the coursebuilder. The classes are usually huge and the amateurs are quick. Most rings have a slope...ring 4 i think it is is the worst but ring 3 can be challenging too.

All said it's a great experience...albeit an expensive one. I do wonder though if opening it up to the '1m brigade' might make the classes evev bigger than normal ?

Good luck if you go.
 
Will have to try and get in on the meet provided you don't mind speaking to a showing person! I love Hickstead despite the fact that it is miles to walk (at least it is for the groom, I ride it....) and is either very very muddy or very very dusty.
 
I am local but havent ridden there, however would definetly agree with ground varying! its either boggy or quite hard though the rings are generally very looked after. Again the ring at the far end (cant remember number) is on a slope which some horses struggle with, but does give anyone with a horse that copes well an advantage!

As for places to stay, maybe try places in Burgess Hill, its very close to hickstead but not the prices of brighton! If you need any local knowledge let me know! I hope to ride there someday! seems mad I never have when I am so close!
 
Well, if it rains, then it can be knee deep in mud, and if it is dry for a few days, it is absolutely rock hard. The stables have been known to flood and are MILES away from the rings - and the rider facilities are basic to put it mildly. Having said that, I do enjoy both the Hickstead meetings, but as we don't stable there, and sponsor, so we are parked closer to the rings in the other car park, it does make life easier for us! But the going can be horrendous so do bear that in mind when deciding which classes to jump in.
 
Thanks M - hmm maybe I am safer entering 1m only and then see if I can transfer if going is good. I don't mind up to a metre with dodge ground, but any more than that and I refuse to put my horse's legs at risk.
 
Hiya jumped 1.10/1.15 last year at RIHS & due to some serious rain - horse being in season and courses really up to height i had a few problems so im so pleased to hear there is a 1m class :) at least now i can consider going back to prove my horse can/does/will actually jump a whole course!! Does anybody no if there is a 1m class at the RIHS?
 
The 1.10 classes have huge entries so I dont think there would be much chance of transferring entries or entering while you are there. Not sure about the 1m as this is obv new this year but imagine the entries will be even bigger!

Course are up to height, esp in ring 4 as many are built on the uphill part of the slope (but from memory they tend to run the 1.20 in there) so the 1.10 is usually in ring 3 so much more level.

Advisable to get into the big warm up first thing i.e 8.30am (if you are lucky enough to be drawn in the first section) as it gets manic - bit like trying to navigate round the arc de triumph!!

Re; the derby - make sure you are ok with water trays (usually about 3 involved inc the big one) The usually bank comes in about fence 4/5 so you need to be ok jumping the upright which is about 2 strides from bottom of the bank. The open ditch under an oxer at the back end of the course can catch alot out as it is quite dark and obv many sj'ers arent used to ditches. Other than that there isnt really anything nasty, just depends on how the horse adapts to a derby course when they have been doing coloured poles all week!!
 
Hello... I haven't even lookked at a schedule yet! Had no idea they were doing 1m classes?!? Last year they held 1.05m classes as The hand was on at the same time and they were really low on entries, but there was so much hassle with people careering round the walkways on horses they couldn't control, not knowing left to left and falling off here there and everywhere that I didn't think they'd run them again? Oh well. I think it's nice for the more amature riders to have a class to do at Hickstead as it is such a lovely show!

I'm not sure if the double of rails is in the smaller derby, but in the 1.35m derby ( which we won last year and shall be fighting to retain the title ) they have it...It is a double of rails, which doesn't look too complicated atall. However, you can either jump them straight ish and go on 2 strides or across the angle on 3...They usually cause a few problems... ( I probably have made no sense what so ever but hope you can at least half make out what I am trying to say )

As for the dancing on the tables at the beer tent... I shall defo be joining you... I shall have given birth to our first baby 2 weeks before and will most definately be wanting to ley my hair down...We are only taking 1 horse this year as we'll be so busy with the baby we should have a reletively easy week! We have a HUGE lorry that you guys can camp in the back of ( afraid the living is filled with people allready! )

xx
 
Thanks SO SO much for all of the info :D

One last question, are all classes drawn order? (Please say yes, please say yes....)

Egerden, that is really kind, thank you, I shall be in touch!
 
no not drawn order you have to get your bum out of bed and down to put your number down !!!!

egerden Farm Stud - thats fine more the merrier but please dont fall off xx

When you mean the 1.35m derby do you mean the speed derby qualifier ?? x
 
EgerdenFarmStud said:
Hello... I haven't even lookked at a schedule yet! Had no idea they were doing 1m classes?!? Last year they held 1.05m classes as The hand was on at the same time and they were really low on entries, but there was so much hassle with people careering round the walkways on horses they couldn't control, not knowing left to left and falling off here there and everywhere that I didn't think they'd run them again? Oh well. I think it's nice for the more amature riders to have a class to do at Hickstead as it is such a lovely show!

I'm not sure if the double of rails is in the smaller derby, but in the 1.35m derby ( which we won last year and shall be fighting to retain the title ) they have it...It is a double of rails, which doesn't look too complicated atall. However, you can either jump them straight ish and go on 2 strides or across the angle on 3...They usually cause a few problems... ( I probably have made no sense what so ever but hope you can at least half make out what I am trying to say )

As for the dancing on the tables at the beer tent... I shall defo be joining you... I shall have given birth to our first baby 2 weeks before and will most definately be wanting to ley my hair down...We are only taking 1 horse this year as we'll be so busy with the baby we should have a reletively easy week! We have a HUGE lorry that you guys can camp in the back of ( afraid the living is filled with people allready! )

xx
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oooh i just worked out who you are !!! didnt know about the baby huge congrats to you and Ben xxx
 
Ahhh....I have not worked out who you are Stacey ...Am I being thick??

No not the speed derby Qualifier - He did the speed derby a few years ago with a couple of horses, and was 5th! : ) but haven't got the horse power anymore ( best horse died : ( ... )

And the 1.35m speed derby horse that won last year has now been sold to Canada so we have 1 new trusty steed to try out with ditches, open water etc... Not sure how it'll work out though haha!

No not all classes r drawn, only the international ones and the newcommers i think - that is in 2 sections...If you are in the first section it's until about 2 o'clock, if u end up in the 2nd section you could be jumping at like 7pm!

I shall look forward to Ben looking after the baby and dancing the night away on the tables with fellow HHO's haha I promise I will not fall off the table!!

xx
 
EgerdenFarmStud said:
** Currentley waiting very paitently to recieve some sort of clue as to who you are StaceyTanglewood.... Guessing games r sooo not my strong point haha **


x
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ha ha ha sorry i left work as had someone looking at my horse !!

Name: Stacey Revell
Horse: Ullabaloo VI
Louise Pavitt rides him for me?? I think we have met only a few times in passing at shows - I used to ride at most shows Ben did about 10 years ago he carried it on i got a job in london !!
 
like others have said it's not drawn order but it's predeclared what section you're in and i think you stay in the same section for the whole week (well i did anyway) and numbers went down sooooo quickly!!

warm up is fine, but the big warm up can be spooky if your horse is that way inclined..! there's another smaller warm up but it's on quite a slope but great if you're horse is getting a bit over excited, like mine who was intrigued by the selection of stallions roaming around ;) not many people tend to go down that end though so was quiet whenever i went there :)

annnd, on the first day it wasn't up to height, some of the fences were a bit smaller and narrower, but every other day it was a full up 1.10m but nothing nasty, apart from a hedge?

and finally, the transferring class thing, i added myself into the 1.10m one day i hadn't booked it for and it was no problem, and i went with my instructor who transferred one of his entries from the 5yo class to the foxhunter and i don't think he had any problems
 
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