Markfield Building HUGE for BS!

[kp31]

Markfield have always built big tracks. It used to be said if you could win at Markfield you can win anywhere. I always find the courses very good, considering how old the surface is it jumps far better than some new ones. The warm up has always been an issue but now they don't get the hundreds of entries you can get by. I have been lucky my horses have always gone well there and i like the fact you can turn up and jump without the hanging around. It is easy to get to straight off the motorway. It was for sale a couple of years ago and it is a shame no one has picked it up and given it an overhaul as it used to be a top class venue in its day. I have competed there for well over 25 years!

 

[KatB]

Apparently they have spent some money on it recently and lightened up the indoor?! Not sure how true that is... have to say my horse jumped ok off the surface, and she will tell me very very quickly if she doesn't like it!! Will be interesting to see how she goes after being spoilt all summer on the "super modern" surfaces.

 

[sassybebe]

Hi, the rule for Newcomers and Fox was changed last year to add the 2 extra height fences. Have dug out my rulebook and it's in the table on P177. Incidentally, the mandatory water quoted for the first round is a printing error!

You're right about the "express" midweek shows though - it was trialled last year (for winter only) and they're doing it again this year. All classes can be scheduled as single round (ie 2 phase or single phase) and non-qualifying opens can be A4. In my defence (hopefully), the show being discussed was at weekend

As an aside, I think it's quite good if centres can provide an extra (larger) warm up area - especially if taking babies but hadn't heard of Stoneleigh ordering it before - wow. Does that mean they're going to be up the creek if it freezes in winter?

Ahh right cool thanks and yes last year at a 4 day mid winter show the start of the first classes were delayed because the outdoor surface was frozen, BS also apparently said that people were not allowed to stand at the entrance of the indoor but there was some kind of argument between the show centre and BS so could be special circumstances

 

[Weezy]

Oh I wish there was somewhere around here that had such small entry numbers!

I think I am different - I get cross when courses are NOT up to height. If I enter a 1.10m, then I want to be jumping that height, not 1.05m. I have no problem with the last couple of fences being bigger than the *class* height either.

Small warm up areas are, however, the thing I hate the most.

 

[oofadoofa]

Ahh right cool thanks and yes last year at a 4 day mid winter show the start of the first classes were delayed because the outdoor surface was frozen, BS also apparently said that people were not allowed to stand at the entrance of the indoor but there was some kind of argument between the show centre and BS so could be special circumstances

Yes, I'm pretty sure I know which centre you're talking about and I think there probably are special circumstances in this case as there does always seem to be some sort of argument between this show centre and the BSJA!!