Rockhampton EC

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bethanys

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Thinking of doing some BSJA there this weekend, is it any good? never been there before see. Have to choose between that an unaff at hartpury.
Thanks.
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I like Rockhampton - but it is a funny place. Horses always seem to jump really well in the classes - which are well built and not over big. But you might not like the warmup as it is in a barn that has some telegraph poles down the middle of it.

The people that run it are really friendly. It is a low key, no pressure type of venue.
 
the indoor arena is fairly small, but the courses are well designed and very jumpable. Indoor warm-up is a bit grotty, as it is hard to work on both reins - as dieseldog says, its a barn with telegraph poles down the middle!
 
HAve to admit I've only been once, beginning of this year, and I was pretty shocked - warm-up is beyond interesting (admittedly there had been a lot of rain and so it was flooded as well as everything else), and arena is tiny and dark. It was fine for smaller classes but I was trying to jump 1.20 Amateur Qualifier and that was a bit hairy, particularly having only jumped a x pole outside as that was all it was safe to do! Wouldn't say I'll never go back but won't be rushing... Agree that the people were really friendly though.
 
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Is the warm up better or worse than Blewbury??

I'm at Blewbury this weekend and Rockhampton on the 30th!

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Actually the whole place is propably worse than Blewbury. You can only warm up on the right rein, you can't really fit 2 horses side by side, you have to overtake on a corner and it is normally very muddy. You have to keep your horse straight over the practice jump otherwise you will head butt a telegraph pole.

But horses do seem to jump ok there, i haven't been for a few years because i wouldn't want to take the one i've got now there, he's spooky enough as it is, and the indoor is very tiny.

Oh and i wouldn't sit down if they still have those coach seats, they always smell of cats pee.
 
as much as it is not the most glamorous place in the world, I do have a very soft spot for the place. The people who run it are all lovely, and very helpful. The coursebuilding is always good - and I have to say, I have found it quite good for youngsters as despite being a bit dark, it isn't particularly spooky, and the atmosphere is so chilled.

We used to ride just a few miles away and would hack over for the wednesday evening jumping, and saturday morning jumping most weeks... lots of fond memories of that place!
 
I have jumped here many times with PC and taught PC here over the winter, personally I wont take my horse there BSJA as I have alot of other venues with better facilities within easy reach. The owners are great and the courses normally well built but the warm up isnt good. I have jumped 1.20 course here and that was on a 15.2 and that would be my limit!
 
This horse was 16.3 and not the quickest thinking horse in the world - but we always had fun at Rockhampton. It isn't comparable to Hartpury/The Hand but it does have its own charm and if I had a horse that worked I would go there.

The Warm Up,


The Arena,



 
Erm.... personallly - I wouldnt bother... go to Hartpury Unafil !!

I have a horse that will jump ANYWHERE but he always gets elimiated there. You cant warm up properly.. totally agree with comments made by Kal - on something a but lively or over 15.2hh and its a disaster waiting to happen, and thats if you can get on the carpark in the first place.
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As far as good course building goes, everything is built on a related distance purely cause they cant build any other way, and I wouldnt jump over 1m in there, the once I jumped 1.10m and it looked like a grand prix !!!!! HA HA
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Having said that they are nice people and everyone is very friendly, one of my first horses used to love it there but then she was 15.2 and thought she was a pony
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Echo RachelFerd. Haven't been there for about 6 years as don't jump nowadays but was one of my favourite venues, everyone friendly, helplful if on your own and both my horses always went very well there. Far preferred it to West Wilts which although much better facilities just never seemed to have any soul.
 
Thanks for vids...but I think i'll go for a bit of hartpury unaff, have a relaxing bsja free weekend!

If massive-lump-donkey cant warm up properly it gets a bit...hairy! Nothing against them though... im sure there lovely, just not the venue for me

Thank you all for making my mind up
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