NPS Dressage Championships - Who`s been - Questions...

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Milkmaid

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Has anybody been to the NPS Dressage Championships at Addington and if so, what was it like??

Was it well organized? Do they have any other tests running or is it just literally the two tests that you can only compete in if qualified? Is it run as one class for each section i.e Registered M&M exceeding 138cms and then the winner of that goes through to the freestyle?

Did you have your Freestyle test ready to go even though its only the winner in each section (highly unlikely!) that gets to perform it from what I understand?

Would you go again?

Sorry so many questions but trying to decide whether to send off my card & payout to register with NPS Dressage!!
 
Hi,

I groomed at last years and competed two new forests the year before.

Was it well organized? The first year I went when I was riding wasn't too bad although it was a very long day. The scores took a long time to go up and they didn't reveal the top ten until prize giving which was late afternoon/evening as far as I can remember. Last year however was pretty dire!We had made it to top 10 and were called in first place, then told second, then first again, then third and then we all got sent out the ring whilst they rechecked the scores! Eventually we were first and got through to the freestyle... I think after last years shambles they are doing a big overhaul of how it is run this year.

It's literally just the one prelim and the one novice test running. Can't remember re: sections, sorry!

I had an old freestyle I took along the time I was riding, which wasn't needed (placed 6th and 10th with my two). Rider I went with last year didn't have one prepared and we weren't the only ones! They have a few cd's upstairs you can borrow if you are without music - our rider literally made it up as he went along. Was highly amusing!

Would I go again? Yes, despite how stressful last year was. The rosettes are beautiful and it was a fun day out plus a pleasure to see so many of our native breeds excelling between the boards.
 
I was there last year but wouldn't go again. On the plus side, it was fun to compete at such a grand venue, and, I agree, lovely to see so many natives doing dressage nicely, On the other hand, the way the scores were handled was absurd. We hung on for over 2 hours after my test, till my non-horsey OH was on the point of filing for divorce. Facing a 3 hour drive home, we had to leave long before scores were up. The organisers said the sponsors wanted the results to be a surprise at the prize-giving. I also thought the entry fees were very steep - £25 for the prelim class, plus another £25 to join NPS as a 'dressage member'.

I don't know how it compares for prestige, but I had a much better experience at the UK Riders national finals - friendly people, much more attuned to the needs of ordinary riders, and scores posted regularly as the classes progressed.
 
Ive done it on two occasions and after the first said that I would not do it again...... wish I had stuck to it!!! with the way it is organised it makes it a very long day for anyone who is in the top ten if you want to stay for your sheet and rosette. I also found it very expensive...... with the £5 that you sent of per class just to receive the schedule it made the entry fee £30 for a test, and that is prelim/novice!! as pretty as the rosettes are I feel that is too much. I can see that they were trying to create a championship atmosphere by having the evening presentations etc, but I feel that it failed as nobody stayed that were not involved as it was so late and on a sunday evening when those of us who work or have children have work or school the following morning!!
best of luck to you if you do decide to go, you may have a fantastic time there!
 
Charem said:
Would I go again? Yes, despite how stressful last year was. The rosettes are beautiful and it was a fun day out plus a pleasure to see so many of our native breeds excelling between the boards.
Click to expand...


Hi! Just qualified, and have a few questions too! Sorry :S
Does everyone get a rosette because they've qualified, or is it just the top 10?
Thanks!
 
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