SNEC or Osbaldeston BSJA

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Super_starz

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Im planning a wkend away showjumping wkend after next. SNEC is on and so is Osbaldeston, and i cant decide where to go! I havent been to either, and i know they are both in totally different directions but im in the middle of both
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Is it busy at either venue and whats the arena's like etc?
Thanks
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SNEC yesterday was busy - placing to 8th or so. The arenas are fine to jump in and they have a nice set of fences but they have a really dreadful judge who forgets to ring the bell and awards the wrong faults and so the whole thing takes ages longer than necessary. The small cafe only sells paninis and closed 4 hours before the jumping ended yesterday so you'd be stuck with no facilities for most of the time there. Never been to Osbaldeston so couldn't compare it. SNEC is two sheds, nice sheds, and a car park so don't expect toilets, showers or a bar. There are no facilities like Rowallan or Ingliston. Rowallan is on Fri-Sun next weekend - why not stay there for £20/stable?
 
I thought that SNEC wouldnt be like Rowallan or Ingilson, they are extra special!
I would be going to Row next wkend, if i wasnt working, but i should get to the December show.
 
Osbaldeston warm up can be madness and the surface is basically peat. Reasonable jumps and super canteen, toilets but no showers (who would want to in this weather!) Osbaldeston is colder insid ethan out most of the time and quite 'dim' although not dingy. Norman is lovely and his wife keeps everyhting on track (believe me
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SNEC is a newish facility built with european funding as a centre of excellence for scotland
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. It is part of oatridge college campus.
It is well laid out, with the warm up right next to the main ring and you can see right through, so no probs. seeing what's happening. The surface is pretty good (geltrack?) and the set of jumps are new belgian type. The lighting is excellent.
There is big parking area, but it is hardcore so watch any sensitive feet. There are toilets and I think maybe showers in the main block and good seating for spectators. The cafe is just a small kisok, pretty basic, but the soup's good.
Getting there takes less than 10 mins from the M9, but the road in is not really ideal (could have been better thought out imo).
It is a popular venue for show jumping so prob. big classes.
Hope that helps!
 
i think that norman who runs osbaldeston is lovely and so is the cafe and they have nice jumps. BUT, i avoid sjing there like the plague- the warm up is tiny and gets completely mental and the surface in the main arena can be slippy on the corners IMHO...not great coming off a corner to an oxer
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Echo all that has been said above about Osbaldeston.

BUT...the working in may not be as mental as usual as they seem to have been fairly quiet there recently. My friend was there today for BSJA & was aiming to get there 'bout 11am to jump the Discovery but it was finishing when she arrived 'cos it was quiet. She ended up jumping the 1.05 & Newcomers & was on her way home by 3pm.

If you do choose Osbaldeston I recommend Sausage, Egg & Chips from the cafe. Oh, & wear plenty of jumpers!
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Never been to SNEC but go to osbaldeston often. Realy nice. they have started restricting th number of horses in the warm up so its much better. Ive never had a problem with the surface, always been fine and they flatten it out with a quad bike and chain thing(?) after most classes. Quite good prize money too! Norman and his wife are realy nice, keep everything in order. just make sure you dont mess around because youl get a telling off!haha
 
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