**STATEMENT**

[Tempi]

I feel i have to write this after certain incidents occured on the weekend whilst i was competing.

I have not (at any stage) 'sl*gged off' Moreton Equestrian Centre. I personaly did not like the way the music was run and thought it was unfair to the final competitors in my class (only 6 of us) in the area festivals a few weeks ago that we had music blasting out over the arena we were doing our tests in. The other competitors involoved also felt the same way.

I understand totally that they needed to do the music qualifiers, but as Moreton have said the music class was small, so couldnt it have waited until everyone else had finished their classes?

I have never made any nasty comments against the above Equestrain Centre and feel saddened that i am acually having to write this after being acussed of something i havent done.

 

[frannieuk]

I remember your previous post and didn't think it sounded like you were slagging anyone / anywhere off, just a statement that you were, as you say above, disappointed about the music. Sounds like you've had the edge taken off your weekend because someone has been sh**stirring.

 

[Nic]

Ditto that, shame you had to post this PG.

 

[Judie]

PG - I've obviously missed what's gone on for you to feel the need to write this post, but I never read your previous one as slagging the venue off, you were just rattled by the situation.

 

[Tempi]

i know and thats not how i ever wanted it to be interpreted too either.

I hear you did very well at the Nationals - well done you

 

[not_with_it]

Have I missed something?

I read your last post and I think you have every right to be a tad annoyed. I think anyone else in your situation would feel the same.

 

[kick_On]

Shame you had to post this PG.
I read you report i thought you were not way 'sl8ggin off' venue, but i does show that things can be taken out of context, which is such a shame

 

[FRODO1]

Parisienne Girl - A number of our competitors saw your posts and told us what you were saying, and we are not very happy. It is one thing to have a complaint, and it was dealt with by the regional chairman on the spot and subsequently by the organiser. But it's not fair to slate everything including the organisation of the whole event.

It is quite important to be accurate because while you think you are just talking to your mates, you are read by many more, and if you say things that are not quite true, everyone who does not know better will just take what you have said as fact and a small hard working business loses custom - and one day you will understand how important a mistake that can be.

Just some stark facts for you; no other riders complained to the organiser, you have not written to BD (confirmed by BD RDO and your mother), the prize giving was announced - all the prizewinners except those who had already left and those about to compete in another class were there (except, of course, you).

If you had bothered to talk to the organiser, she would have explained in detail why the classes took place as they did. We always listen to constructive criticism - we do not pretend we have got everything right all the time. We have already told the BD RDO that it was not ideal although on the Wednesday (the next day) the music classes did not seem to bother anyone.

We spent a week trying our hardest to deconflict all the various requirements of the festival, judge training (your mother might like to wonder how you are to be judged if judges are not allowed to train) rider times (especially those with multiple entries) while ballotting (BD Requirement), stabling for long distance and two-day competitors etc. It is no mean feat to pull this all together and to then run the event trying as hard as we can to look after all our competitors. You should not be surprised that when your post was brought to our attention, we felt more than a little unhappy.

Perhaps you would like to come and help at one of these events and then you will see how much effort goes into it, mostly from volunteers, so that you can enjoy your sport.

We do enjoy running these and many other events, and what makes it worthwhile is a quick 'thank-you' from competitors at the end of the day, even if things might have gone wrong for them. If you learn nothing else from this post, at least learn to be polite and thank the organisers, judges and helpers for their efforts.

Finally, despite your posts here, it was good to see you return this weekend to compete in the combined training.

Look forward to seeing you here again in the future and we will put this business behind us. Agreed?

Moreton Equestrian Centre

 

[Ferdinase514]

Hang on...I think this is a bit harsh.

Don't think that PG's comments in her previous post were particularly harsh or uncalled for. She was just voicing her frustration.

 

[FRODO1]

Please note that PG's previous post has been edited by H&H, therefore removing much of what we were unhappy about.

Moreton Equestrian Centre.

 

[henryhorn]

Sounds as if best if this quietly dies a death and disappears, it's a lesson to us all that many people read these forums yet don't appear on the forum as posters.
I missed your initial post and it sounds as though music was played when you did your test, now I don't know about dressage but it happens a lot show jumping and most horses comletely ignore it as do the riders.
I would perhaps write to the organisers and explain you weren't happy but didn't mean to embarrass them, and offer to help one day as they suggest.
It's a shame if you don't because it will be a difficult place to compete if you ever want to again without bad feeling, they have offered an olive branch , why not take it?

 

[Tempi]

i cant believe you are making this into such a big issue - i know a few of the people who were in my section at the end, and they were all upset about the music situation - im not making a big deal about it and you shouldnt be either. It was one mistake made at a usually very efficient centre.

I had a great time jumping on sunday at your yard and i thought the course and the way it was run and layed out was brilliant. I thought the fact that you approached my mother was very unbusiness like and what has happpened has happened and thats the end of it. myself and my mother said that we would contact BD about the incident but decided to leave it as its not worth the hassle - at no one point did we say to you we HAD contacted BD.

It was an unfortunate incident and i never said a bad word about your yard which i personally think is very nice, ive been competing there since you first opened and ive seen it change, watched the yard being built and have always admired how good its all looking.

I now feel highly unwelcome at your yard - I shouldnt in anyway have had to have been made to feel like this over such a silly incident which has been blown totally out of proportion.

 

[Tangaroo]

As a complete outsider to this debate. The venue is local to me and i attend most of their events and also help. I was actually helping at the said Area Festival. I have followed these threads with interest, and PG, your first thread did actually say ' the whole thing was very badly organised', it also said 'we have written a compaint to BD'. Most of the content of that thread have now been deleted by H & H because of it being a bad advert for the venue.
The organisers did a very good job of organising the festival and when i was stewarding everyone seemed very complementary and happy. If the organiser had not approached your mother on sunday, this could have brewed on for a long time, and also other things could have been written on here in the future about this venue or others.
I really think you should stop being so defensive and admit maybe you made a mistake in writing your first thread. This way, the whole issue can be finalised and hopefully forgotten. I know for a fact that the owners of the yard would still be delighted to see you at their competitions and would not hold this against you in any way.
It just goes to show that it is great to tell everyone how you got on at your competitions and to share tips and advice on these forums, but it is not the place for complaining.

 

[Tempi]

Both myself and my mother had forgotten about the whole thing until it was dragged up again on sunday - if nothing had been said then then i wouldnt have written this in the first place.

 

[Rambo]

As a complete neutral in all this, I don't think anyone is benefitting from a public mud slinging exercise, which is what this is becoming, whether that was the original intention or not

I think it does serve as a good reminder to all of us though, that our views and opinions can be interpreted in more ways than we perhaps intend when we post.

 

[Sparklet]

Hi PG - I orangise a unaffiliated dressage champ for my RC on a voluntary basis, which is suspect is nowhere near as complex at the comp held at Moreton. Its always really pleasant when a competitor does take the time to come up to us after the event and express their thanks - something which I easily forget to do myself (particularly if I havent won

). I am also really good at having a grumble if I feel I have been disadvantaged at the competition and must make a mental note myself not to do so on this forum because I could so easily be in the same position as you.....there but for the grace of god!

To be honest I do think that it would be best to eat a bit of humble pie and ring the organisers offering your services for their next competition and I am sure if they have anything about them they will welcome you with open arms and a huge smile. If they dont then perhaps they are worthy of your critism.

 

[Tempi]

i have asked for this post to be deleted

 

[wessexyeoman]

Stilton beat me to it...and may I add that the 'thankyou' bit from Frodo is very good advice too. The great and the good of this sport find time to pop their head in to the secretary and say thanks, and as they walk the course, stop and chat to the fence judges and it makes it all so worthwhile.

So if you want to be the next William Fox Pitt or Mary King, ride like they do, train as they do, and have their outstanding good manners.

I strongly suspect that if you indicate that you understand what is being recommended in this post, Moreton will be delighted to see you again and you and they can continue as if this had never happened. Whilst it is sometimes true that 'least said, soonest mended', and it is clear that option no longer holds, you might like to heed the words of Valentine from Bridesgead Revisited...'to understand is to forgive' and I'm sure that Moreton understand and forgive, and all they are asking is that you at least understand.

So, enough resistance, accept the advice you have been offered here by a number of posters, put it behind you, compete at Moreton as if nothing has happenned, remember to say thanks to the volunteers and organisers, and I bet nobody will bat an eyelid. And put the whole thing down to 'a lesson learnt' - we've all been there!! Honestly!!

 

[Sparklet]

Thats fair enough - but do believe me when I say your words could just have easily been mine about a different venue PG

 

[wessexyeoman]

PG - perhaps you should consider whether your original Petplan post should have been deleted as well.

 

[lordflynn]

[ QUOTE ]


To be honest I do think that it would be best to eat a bit of humble pie and ring the organisers offering your services for their next competition and I am sure if they have anything about them they will welcome you with open arms and a huge smile. If they dont then perhaps they are worthy of your critism.

[/ QUOTE ]

very well said.