Hickstead Derby yesterday :-)

[mytwofriends]

I've never been to Hickstead in my 50+ years and have always tried to watch it on tv. However this year my daughters and I made the trip and it was excellent seeing all those iconic fences being jumped live.

We had seats right near the bank and could see pretty much the whole course from our carefully picked seats in the grandstand (who are those nutters - up a row, across two more because of that speaker, no down a row .....!?) when there only 3 others there doing the same as we were so early!

The people behind us were chatting non stop and loudly between themselves about anything and everything. Could have been mighty irritating but life's too short! They were having fun and we were astonished how many topics they found to cover!

The weather was kind and the quality of riding was staggering. We were able to see close up the minute adjustments the riders had to take between a very tricky seven strided distance. We'd watched them walk the course and noticed how many of them had to walk that distance more than once. It just brings it home what incredible athletes these top horses are.

No clears except for William Whitaker's near perfect round with his single time fault - and as ever the faults were spread around the course (mostly at the Devil's Dyke but no surprise there!) The course held up well and kudos to the ground staff who'd had to deal with atrocious weather conditions in previous days - there had been talk of calling it off by all accounts.

Anyway it was great, even though mud was rife (but I didn't get stuck in the car park which many did, and I was convinced I would!) We'll definitely go again.

Sorry, a pointless post, but it was a blast. Did anybody else go, or watch it on tv?

 

[Shay]

I love going to Hickstead. Its one of the few showgrounds where you can get a decent seat without having to pay a fortune. Although you do have to get there promptly and stay sat! Sadly these last 3 or 4 years it has clashed with our PC Area competitions which we need to prioritise either so my daughter can have a shot at nationals herself or our little share rider for the PC Competition pony can.

 

[mytwofriends]

Yep, that's just what we did, Shay! One of us was in the seats at all times, and we got there 45 minutes before the start of proceedings!

Definitely be going again and worth the trek from the West Country, then home via (that's a joke) North London to drop my daughter back. Only added 2.5 hours to my trip due to horrendous traffic. Lucky we'd enjoyed our day so much, otherwise the car ride might not have been so lighthearted!!

 

[ROMANY 1959]

I watched on tv, but found it very annoying as all I could hear was some dog barking all the time while comentator was talking! Why do people take the dog when they know all it will do is bark and bark..

 

[Clodagh]

Romany - that dog drove me nuts too! I did go a few years ago and loved it, a really good day out.

 

[mytwofriends]

I watched on tv, but found it very annoying as all I could hear was some dog barking all the time while comentator was talking! Why do people take the dog when they know all it will do is bark and bark..

Yes, there was a dog barking right at the base of the bank. It was annoying, but nothing was said or done about it. They did ask some kids to refrain from dangling their legs over the sides of the fence into the arena. On what planet is it ok to do that kids?

But apart from those things, it was great. Makes a change from Badminton, which isn't far from us.

 

[MyBoyChe]

I watched it on the Hickstead live stream. That dog kept my jack russell awake all afternoon!! He was trying to snooze on the sofa but kept hearing barking and had to get up to see where it was coming from

 

[dixie]

I watched it on tv and thought it was a great derby day- didn't mind the commentating either as usually Stephen Hadley makes me fall asleep.
Perhaps the barking dog kept me awake !!
Would have liked to have seen more of the Speed Derby though.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I live quite locally, so go most years to both the Derby meeting & RIHS. I've not been on Derby day for years though as normally go on a weekday.

Glad you had a good day though

I know Hickstead TV were showing the recordings of the jumping in - I've not checked, but assuming it is still possible to view so you might be able to watch the Speed Derby in full dixie!

 

[mytwofriends]

I live quite locally, so go most years to both the Derby meeting & RIHS. I've not been on Derby day for years though as normally go on a weekday.

Glad you had a good day though

I know Hickstead TV were showing the recordings of the jumping in - I've not checked, but assuming it is still possible to view so you might be able to watch the Speed Derby in full dixie!

It's nice when there's an event local to you, isn't it? Badminton is ours, but Hickstead was obviously novel and very different, which is why I think I enjoyed it so much.

Will watch the local forecast more vigilantly next time though, and take wellies. We didn't!

I recorded it, so will watch it again later - after the footie!