The Winter Dressage Champs & Blue Chip SJ Champs @ Solihull in April

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Hatty

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Has anyone been to these before? I am going this year and I was wondering what it was like there? Is it a good atmosphere?
 
I'm not nearly good enough to qualify to ride there so cannot say what the atmosphere is like for competitors. Went as a spectator on the Friday night, nice atmosphere but not nearly enough seating and very limited food, think there was only one stall in the entrance.
 
Hey i'm going too and have also never been before...am feeling nervous already
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What you doing there? I am doing the BD petplan finals.
 
I have competed at the Blue Chip winter SJ finals and must say had a great time. Other than the weather being freezing (literally) and a severe lack of showers it was a fun show and had a great champ atmosphere in my opinion. I competed in a warm up class the Performance (1m20) champ and the open 1m25 winter classic which was easily 10cm higher.

The courses were very up to height, technical and solid but rode well if ridden correctly.

Was also great to see some of the 'big guns' in action and in fact compete against them. The 1m25 classic which had well over 100 entries turned into a whos who of showjumping! The Winter GP was fabulous to watch especially as got to watch Russel and Arko amongst several others in action that year.

Can imagine the dressage has a similar champ atmosphere especially on gala night. Something to go watch most definetly if near by.

Was going to go do some qualifiers again this year (haven't done any in a few years now) but haven't got my arse in gear! next year maybe LOL
 
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its good my local! xx nice place xx any body got an idea wher a blue chip BN qualifiers are held !

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The BSJA website has details of ALL the qualifiers
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i competed at the winters last year, i loved it. had the bets time ever! we stayed in the onsite hotel which was definately a luxury, but it was gorgeous! onsite restaurant is a bit to be disered, unless you love chips, chips, burgers, chips
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Petplan arena is outdoors and nice and friendly. Arena walks in the mornings can get hectic, id advise wearing a neck strap if you want to take part in one. Collecting area is tiny for presentations.

Warmup can get hectic as people who arent competing in the classes that are running can ride in there at all times aswell, and there is always two classes running at anyone time (the petplan and the main class).

The presentations are hectic too, music is mega loud! my horse reared in mine last year and the woman who won (i came 2nd) had no control over her horse whatsoever and it just charged off
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Good luck, and enjoy, i loved it!
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I did the Petplan Area Finals at the BD Winters last year. My first time staying away with my horse and it rained horizontally and hailed into his stable all night - was very glad I took him a turnout rug to wear as his stable was open to the weather. I stayed in the lorry. The warmup indoor arena is tiny for the number of horses they have and found it absolutely manic, but the actual arenas for the tests are lovely. My presentation was very civilised, perhaps coz half the horses in it were native ponies
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yep Foxhunter one is the Performance. Be warned its starting height was 1m25-1m30 easy when I did it and a very strong field. But i went for the competition not to win (like I ever could have done at the time anyway PML ) and didn't embaress myself in the process
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went last year to groom for my aunt some people really friendly some werent as usuall but all in all good show was freezing and wet though.i have qualified this year for petplan elem rest what is everyone else doin
 
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