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It is with much disapointment that I find myself posting my feelings of utter disgust at the manner in which the RIHS is being managed this year.

I have witnessed many, many disappointed faces, both adult and juniors, when they are dismissed at the offices at Hickstead.

We are all aware that no one is in control of the weather conditions, however, someone is responsible for the rude and dismissive manner in which people are being treated at the RIHS.

Feelings are running high, competitors have telephoned Hickstead before leaving home to check that all is running and that classes are running in the main ring to be told, 'yes, the Wednesday classes will be run in the main ring, after all, they are finals and it is at the begining of the show'

On arrival they find out that they are running in the warm-up ring !!

The office are threatening to have people escorted off the showground because they dare to complain of the treatment they are receiving.

The juniors that were competing on Wednesday have competed over the last six months to qualify for the finals. Finals which were to be held in the main ring at Hickstead. Wow, the same ring as many, many world class riders, what a buzz - NOT

On listening to many competitors and their accompanying parents, sponros, owners I think that they have been very harshly treated.

Hickstead should really remember that todays juniors will be tomorrows seniors, and they will expect them to support their shows in future - I think you have lost a good few future customers Hickstead - the word out there is not good !!
 
It is a shame that's how people are feeling, but tbh if you were in the same place surely its important that they keep the going for all the show and not ruin the surfaces on day one?
I understand the disappointment but if you get to HOYS some of the classes arent in the main ring so its not much different.

it is a disappointment but a level of understanding has to be applied surely?
 
I agree to a certain degree, however, I think what people are feeling very disappointed about is the fact that they have been told, without a doubt, they would jump in the main ring.

This was the reason they left home, they would not have gone, from what I can understand, had they been told they would jump in any other ring.

The manner in which they are being treated once they are there is unacceptable - but they are already there !

Also, from what I can understand competitors are feeling so badly treated that many of them will consider not including Hickstead in their calender next year.

This is a blow for a venue of Hicksteads caliber, but not only that, is Hickstead only interested in the world class riders, who, lets face it, when it comes to shows of that class, its the smaller, unknowns money i.e. entries, stabling, membership etc that pays for them.

Like I said, it is todays juniors that are tomorrows seniors, and if they feel that Hickstead didn't support them in their early days why, oh why, does Hickstead think that they will support them in the future.

Europe offers so much more, are we to accept that our future great riders will compete abroad instead of home soil just because we do not know how to treat people with a bit of decency ?
 
Think its a bit silly to qualify for a final and not go just cos its not in the ring you want to ride in!
I would guess that the guys are hickstead are probably quite stressed with the weather and have tried their best to accomadate everything they can.

I've jumped abroad and have been treated worse than at some UK shows so it really comes down to the people there on the day not the venue as a whole.

I also wouldnt say that hickstead are only interested in World Class riders! If that were the case then why would they run so many classes for the ametuer that would love a run at hickstead? Or the Schools comps in August????

Anyone can be treated wrong at times and this may be a slight mishap for hickstead this time but they cant help the weather!!!!!!
 
Hey, I'm only saying what I'm hearing.

They do not want to discuss anything in the offices, they show you the door - en mass - not just the odd trouble maker !

No one is blaming them for the waether - that would be silly !!

What they are all taking about is the manner in which they are dealing with it.

With respect to your comment about being silly not going if you qualify - well they qualify to be in the main ring, not be sent out to an outter ring (bog) where there's no cameras, no grandstand and no atmosphere.

Give them a break, they competed hard to gain their qualifying places, don't fob them off when they get there. Treat them with a little more value.
 
from what i understand all natinal champ classes have been put in the new all weather warm up which is far beter going then in the main ring at the moment, i think most people will be glad to be in there i cant see that there will be meny complaints, and at the end of the day its the same title and prize muney they will competing for.
 
With all due respect the people who are contesting the national finals are doing so to become national champions at their level...irrespective of which ring they are held in. Yes, of course it would be hugely disappointing not to get to ride in the main ring, but Hickstead has corporate responsibilities to the likes of Sky TV (who's money makes the show viable in the first place !) and so have to make sure the venue is at it's best for those televised classes.

I don't condone competitors at any level being treated poorly or disrespectfully, but conversely I can see the scenario now where a few very vocal 'parents' will be voicing their opinions to the people in the office. Not all of those competitiors or associates are nice, reasonable people !

I can only comment on my personal experiences of the people there and i've never had a problem...
 
Yes, to a die hard show jumper a National Championship final is just another class, but to the juniors, some of which were making their first ever visit to Hickstead, the whole buzz of qualifying was to have the honour of competing in the main ring, lets face it only a handfull get through for every class out of hundreds trying.

And, yes, Hickstead have to look after their responsibilities to Sky TV etc, but like I said earlier - todays juniors are tomorrows seniors.

Its like a foal, you nurture it, teach it, bring it on properly and years down the line you have the real deal. If you didn't look after it in the early years it wont do 'diddly scwat' for you when the time comes !

Future customers are no different.

And, just for the record, it wasn't a handful of vocally loud parents I spoke to, it was a great deal of competitors, parents, owners, sponsors and traders.

There was an overall feeling of unhappiness, which, I agree, is a great shame, but could have been so avoidable.

Like yourself, Rambo, I have never had any problems with the people in the offices, and I am sure they have been put in an impossible position, however, it does not give the excuse to behave in the manner in which I heard of.

Why do the management not surface and have a meeting to calm the waters and speak to their customers ?
 
I for one would not like to be working in the Hickstead office at the moment. I'm sure they are usually very busy during shows but I bet they are having a very stressfull time trying deal with all the changes and competitors.

Yes it must be gutting for the juniors to not have the chance to jump in the main ring, but how gutting would it be to have come all that way to jump in bad conditions? Or even worse have the final canceled? Much better to jump on good going in the warm up.

With the conditions as they are it will be impossible to satisfy everyone and I'm sure they are doing the best they can.
 
OK so we've got people flooded out of their homes and 1000's without water or electric.
Most shows and competitions are cancelled.

But some are whinging about not being able to compete in the main ring? Sorry but I'm with the management on this once, suck it up and deal with it. It's unfortunate but unavoidable.

If you're only going to the competition because it's in a posh ring then you need to take a serious look at yourself and your values.

On the other side if people are being dealt with rudely that is also not on, despite the circumstances I would think the organizers can have some understanding and sympathy.

Not being there I have no idea what is actually happening.
 
I'm already thinking of writing a letter to H&H regarding their new website which contains absolutely NONE of the important information like ground conditions, ticket prices, car parking costs, whether classes have been moved/cancelled etc.

They seem to forget that it's the spectators and the competitors that keep Hickstead running money wise! I was pretty dissapointed with the Derby meeting this year, and well for the RIHS, I'll find out on sunday!
 
If the going is that bad do u really think their first priority is to update their website on the ground conditions???? and with the weather how it is what do people actually expect? Every knew how it was for the Derby, so not really a shock!

Fair enough about ticket prices the old website did have that.
 
Totally agree about people without water/electricity.

Unfortunatly this is not the first time there has been this problem at Hickstead when it rains and I suspect people are getting a bit fed up with it. I have witnessed a very public display a few years ago by some of the top riders in the world complaining about conditions at the show (not just the ring), many since have not returned even since a few improvements have been done.
I understand what sponsor is saying and bearing in mind how expensive it is too compete there. You pay a top price you expect a service and remember they pay to compete so that we can go and watch them. Are you happy to pay an entrance fee to watch competitions with riders that you can see compete nationally for free normally in a warm up area or the main ring? You would also be amazed how many riders do not and would not go unless they were in the main arena, because of cost, the outer rings are not that good and the facilities are poor.

Hickstead is special and I feel sorry for all the staff who work very hard behind the scenes and I suspect that they are frustrated by weather which has happened over the two major shows and caused all this grief, and I hope they make enough profit and get funding to make additional improvements otherwise this will keep on happening.
 
Have to say that I thought they were mad changing their website just before RIHS!
There are a number of other things happening behind the scenes which the OP is not aware of (not their fault, just some things have not been publicised). The organisers are doing their best to keep the show going.

My horse won the coloured class yesterday and should have had his championship in the main arena. That too, was held in the warm up arena. It was a shame he did not get his moment of glory in the main ring, but at least the show was held where so many have been cancelled. I am due to be riding on Sunday - don't even know if there will be a showground left at that point. Personally, I would rather be riding n the warm up than one of the sodden rings, but I expect I shall be splashing through the mud with everyone else.

Our HW hunter won his class and they were allowed in the main ring for the championship, but were not allowed to gallop. Our horse has a fabulous gallop and was not allowed to show off his best pace. However, we were just pleased to be there.

Anyway - your juniors have not been treated any differently to anyone else.
 
My point is that for anyone who is travelling big distances to compete etc, just a little update to say what the lorry park is like or whether new entrances have been opened up (like they've done at the NFS) would be useful.

All it takes is what 10mins to write a notice on the home page of the website. Where classes are being held, or whether they've been moved/ changed times etc would I think be pretty useful too.

Even my local show managed to keep their website updated for all of last week saying what the ground was like, whether they'd moved rings etc etc. Or take the BE/BDWP website - each event updates their page with regards to weather conditions etc. Ok yes, we all know that it's been bloody wet for the past 8 weeks BUT some areas have barely been touched compared to others, and without local knowledge you wouldn't know this
 
Hunter results as follows :

LW Hunters
1st - Lorraine Homer (Bow River)
2nd - Guy Landau (Finn McCool)
3rd - Katy (Advance Party)
4th - no idea
5th - Titterington Tom (us!!!)

MW Hunters
1st - Rob Walker
2nd - Katy Jerram
3rd - David Tatlow

HW Hunters
1st Silverstream (us!!!)
no idea on the rest of the class.

Champion - Rob Walker
Reserve - Lorraine Homer

Sorry the results are a bit ropey - my sister was giving them to me and her battery on her phone kept dying!
 
Likewise regarding people flooded etc, that should be another topic on another web page.

Thank you, The Voice, someone who is obviousely in the position to understand the nitty gritty of show jumping.

The expenses and the expectations, like you said, it is not cheap to compete at Hickstead, which is why, when you get there, you do not expect to get 'fobbed off'.

Yes, the big classes are important, however, without the 'little' classes there would be no big classes.

It seems to me that if you are a big name you'll be heard, but if you are a unknown (as yet, because lets face it do any of us know who's the next big name could be ?) you just have to grin, bare it, pay for it and go along with it !!

Wrong as it is, it sounded to me that that is the way it will be.

If no-one will speak up then nothing will change.
 
My lil man came 3rd!!!!!! I used to work for Katie so nce to see the babies i helped start are doing so well.
Big woohoo on HW tho!
 
While I have every sympathy with the dilemma the Hcktead staff have, I must agree that the website is no good. It was unavailable just before the Derby meeting, and again earlier this week. Over the years I've found it's a matter of luck as to who in the office you speak to. Some are fine, others notoriously unhelpful or downright rude. But I know too that some competitors and/or parents are rude and unreasonable.
At New Forest Show on Tuesday, Tom Hudson kept announcing that the RIHS would definitely be going ahead. I thought it rather rash at that stage, given the forecast for yet more rain. GB is not alone in being hit by wet weather - Falsterbo had to cancel its GP last Sunday.
 
I would just like to say, we travelled around the country to quailify for the main ring at hickstead costing us thousands of pounds, my daughter was over the moon to be riding in the same arena as all of the top riders that she has admired for many years, we phoned the show the night before leaving on our very long journey to be told it was definatly going ahead and the ring was not being changed.On arrival we was informed we were jumping in the COLLECTING RING, when we tried to talk to some one about this we was told if you dont like it go home, can you imagine the dissapointment of my daughter, i do understand that they are trying to save the ground for the super league but the going was perfect on the day. They had 2 weeks proir to this show knowing the conditions they could have postponed the notional fianls to a later date but at the end of the day it all comes down to the same thing MONEY, no one stopped to think what these kids went through to be thier.
 
Everyone is missing out - not just a few people. But I repeat, surely it is better to have the show than for the show to be cancelled. You can hardly blame anyone for the weather. I would prefer to be part of the main show with all the famous people milling around and riding in the collecting ring, than coming back 4 weeks later with no stands, no famous people and jumping in the main ring. That really wouldn't do it for me.
 
No i do not agree they have had the eventers galloping horses across the wet arena today !!! as i said all comes down to money thats good for tv, you cant tell me some small ponies could have done as much damage on a dry day as the eventers would have done on a wet day today.
 
Some of the people I spoke to did not mention the trade stands or actually meeting the famous riders.

They had spent 6 months qualifying to compete in the main ring at Hickstead and were so terribly disappointed to be turned away on what was a sunny day !

Like showjumpers said, they have been more than willing to put the eventers through there today, when it was raining.

Why could they have not let the smaller ponies jump in there on Wednesday when it was a lovely sunny Day ?

Seems to me that most of you only have eyes for the senior scene, hardly fair when you think that all todays seniors were once juniors !
 
I can only repeat that the class my horse won should have been held in the main arena, and we were in the warm up arena instead. I think that you need to look at the bigger picture. Do you think that the organisers have changed it all around for fun? They have now got six times as much work to do, trying to reorganise a whole show in a matter of minutes.

Sure - part of the issue is that the popular TV stuff will be held in the main arena. Well of COURSE it will - what do you expect? The same thing happened at the Derby meeting but at least nothing was cancelled.
 
May be because you won you dont have a problem with the show, things may have been different if your class was were it should have been!!!At the end of the day we quailified to jump in the main ring i would rather it have been cancelled the kids deserved better.
 
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