rextherobber
Well-Known Member
I think this is the best Derby in years!
HICKSTEAD
- Thread starter rextherobber
- Start date
AmyMay
Situation normal
Is it on tv?
LEC
Opinions are like bum holes, everyone has one.
Website I think
Snow Falcon
Hoping for drier days
I watched it on clipmyhorse. Fab Derby
EventingMum
Well-Known Member
It was very exciting. It was my first visit to Hickstead and we certainly saw some great jumping. I especially loved the fact that there was a public course walk this morning so we got to see the fences up close.
The Xmas Furry
🦄 🦄
I hope you enjoyed your stay away then? X
EventingMum
Well-Known Member
Yes, very much so, than you. The flight down was delayed multiple times - an assistance animal with incorrect paperwork and then Gatwick too busy for us to take off. Then a plane with technical difficulties needing to land, followed by runway inspection and finally a mechanical failure preventing us getting to the stand!
However once we arrived everything was fine, we got a free upgrade on the hire car and the place we were staying in has been fab with great food and a nice relaxed atmosphere.
Hickstead itself was good with excellent disabled parking. I think I expected it to be bigger in terms of stalls etc and perhaps busier but it was easy enough to get around even with my crutches.
It has been a lovely birthday trip, bringing back a lot of show jumping memories from decades ago when I was vaguely fit and competent! We have an early flight home in the morning then it's back to reality!
Northern Hare
Well-Known Member
So glad you enjoyed your trip to Hickstead! I have been a Hickstead volunteer for the first time, and I had a really wonderful five days (arrived on Tuesday). The weather has been amazing, and I've really enjoyed meeting so many lovely people. I've camped in the motorhome, right beside Ring 2 - almost ringside camping, and I was able to watch the Derby this afternoon, which was incredible. Roll-on RIHS in July!
EventingMum
Well-Known Member
All the volunteers we encountered were very polite and helpful! The weather was almost too warm for me but better than the rain at home.So glad you enjoyed your trip to Hickstead! I have been a Hickstead volunteer for the first time, and I had a really wonderful five days (arrived on Tuesday). The weather has been amazing, and I've really enjoyed meeting so many lovely people. I've camped in the motorhome, right beside Ring 2 - almost ringside camping, and I was able to watch the Derby this afternoon, which was incredible. Roll-on RIHS in July!
MuddyMonster
Well-Known Member
The shopping is usually much bigger than it was at this meeting. It doesn't seem to have quite fully recovered from Covid & there were so many stands missing from previous years this time around.
Very glad you had a lovely trip down South though and got to bring back some memories
Safe journey home & hope the return to normality isn't too painful!
humblepie
Well-Known Member
Have been lucky enough to ride in the RoR finals in the main ring just before the Derby on a few occasions though not there this year. It is a huge honour as a good crowd and a fabulous atmosphere and definitely an arena for a good gallop. Used to love watching the Derby when it was on BBC and just totally hadn't realised it was available to watch this year. Glad those who went had a good time.
AShetlandBitMeOnce
Well-Known Member
We went and had a brilliant time, yes it was smaller than previous years but the derby is what we went for - what an 8yo to get that win! Lovely riding all round too.
Made us chuckle when one of the riders let out an almost worried sounding 'wooooaaaaahhhh' just before the Devils Dyke!
Made us chuckle when one of the riders let out an almost worried sounding 'wooooaaaaahhhh' just before the Devils Dyke!
Fransurrey
Well-Known Member
Shopping was massively scaled down, even from last year! Still managed to flex the card a bit. Curses on Ariat for all their kingfisher blue stuff. It's my colour and Eileen Douglas had a lot of it massively reduced.
rextherobber
Well-Known Member
Agree - was a family favourite, watching the Big Bank! Hickstead TV is free to view though if you want it full screen, you have to sign up for Clip my horse, though you can apparently just do the free trial.
humblepie
Well-Known Member
Indeed always remember Rex the Robber over the huge parellels there with the bushes in the middle, didn't he try to bank one? Not sure that was the derby itself or another class.
rextherobber
Well-Known Member
That does ring a bell - there's also a picture of him sliding into a ditch under the jump , not sure Hickstead was his favourite course. Isn't it noticeable how few European riders we get now? Even pre Brexit?
Snow Falcon
Hoping for drier days
Tutein flying off the top!
humblepie
Well-Known Member
Yes indeed. It was the Global Champions Tour in Paris over the weekend so big money there, but yes all the major European riders used to come over. I won a competition in H & H and had lunch with Frankie Sloothak and some of the other Erickson phone sponsored riders which was amazing and used to love standing by the warm up watching them all - have a fab picture of Deister jumping a little crosspole!