Tweseldown Roll Call

Someone's just posted on the BE fb page asking that given over half her section had withdrawn after dressage, shouldn't have been withdrawn...

Hope, if it's still going ahead that a friend's first run on her new horse goes ok...
 
Two friends have just withdrawn tomorrow. One bringing back an experienced horse after 2 years injury in the 100O and the other doing first 100 after an excellent first year at 90.

Neither want to risk injury so early in the season.

My trainer went and did Novice dressage yesterday but didn't run today.

It's like bludy groundhog day :(
 
teapot said:
Someone's just posted on the BE fb page asking that given over half her section had withdrawn after dressage, shouldn't have been withdrawn...

Hope, if it's still going ahead that a friend's first run on her new horse goes ok...
Click to expand...

Looking at today's results it seems that in one section of the ON only three completed which is a bit :eek:! Unless I am reading it wrong (sec L)

http://www.bdwp.co.uk/cgi-bin/tindex.pl?tlc=tw1
 
> 50% of competitors did not complete!

A friend ran 2 in the Novice, had day before dressage so was one of the first on course. Said it was very wet and slushy but not deep/holding ... but by the time she was leaving she said it was dire.

I've never known Tweseldown look in that state!
 
TGM said:
Looking at today's results it seems that in one section of the ON only three completed which is a bit :eek:! Unless I am reading it wrong (sec L)

http://www.bdwp.co.uk/cgi-bin/tindex.pl?tlc=tw1
Click to expand...

Don't think so!

And I typed the wrong thing, damn fingers. Someone was asking given the >50% withdraw after dressage, shouldn't the event have been abandoned?

Which makes far more sense than what I typed :o
 
The course was riding reasonably well this morning - no one inside the time and maybe a few more problems than you might have expected, looking at the course, but it got pretty grim as the day wore on. Such a shame as the course looked really nice -although the hay rack was a bit of an eye full, relatively speaking - and they have clearly been working like Trojans.

So hard for organisers to know what's the right decision, especially after the disappointments of last year.
 
We ran last year and it was perfect as a first event. Opted not run this year as not had the same preparation as last year boy did my daughters complain but glad I stood my ground.

Sorry for those that won't get to run that entered. Please oh please let it dry up soon so we can get on with the season. We are planning first outing at Munstead for two, fingers crossed, and Chilham for the 3rd as he needs good ground, come on spring, show willing !
 
I do think lack of prep was behind some of the withdrawals today. One person I know had a very good day but went early on a tough horse that hunts a lot and she's had a busier winter than most with JAS etc. But there were quite a few horses about that looked less fit than you would expect, even for a first outing, and a few people mentioned that they had not been able to do some of the fast work they had planned due to the lousy weather. Anyone on a not fit enough horse would have been sensible to withdraw, I think. And there were defintiely some tired looking horses about - perhaps the dressage and SJ was taking more out than people expected.
 
Have looked at twitter photos and results. It was clearly a war of attrition and I feel so sorry for everyone involved. I can quite understand all the withdrawals amd would almost certainly have done the same myself. However, if you look at those who did choose to run, they include many top professionals, although of course so do the withdrawals. I suppose what I am saying is that in conditions likethose, it comes down to individual decision, rider by rider and indeed horse by horse, as to whether to run. I think the organisers did a fabulous job in providing a run for those who wanted it, and I think it is wrong to suggest that they should abandon for the sake of those who would rather keep their powder dry for another, more palatable occasion to get their money back. As the old saying goes, you pays your money and you takes your choice ;)
 
I'm trying to decide whether to bother go walk course tomorrow for Sunday or not.

Feeling very unmotivated but suppose it would give me the chance of checking it out.

Does anyone know if they have moved dr warm up? I can't think of where to, but I won't go if I'm expected to warm up in that bog!
 
my 2 friends are not going. Both unhappy as horses are very very ready to go and having hacked out with one of in the week, he certainly needs a run atm. Real shame. Tweseldown normally manages to keep going come hell or high water. Seen lots of tweets during the day, some didn't even take their horses off their boxes and one rider said less than 20% went XC in one of the sections.

Friend with fresh pony thinks she could have got safely round the XC but didn't want to showjump a youngster on very sticky ground.
 
Those photos look like they were taken earlier than later in the day too....they don't do justice to how it ended up. I would normally have said that Tweseldown ground rides fairly OK, even if it looks muddy, but that was not the case today.
 
I really dont think the level of preparation came into it today. We had two fit and ready horses and decided at 10.30 not to even get them off the lorry. Maybe we are a bit 'precious' but we didn't want to risk as crisis of confidence in horrendous conditions, or worse, injury.
 
I should add that the organisers were not at fault in any way, but the rain was just relentless and reduced the whole event to mud/standing water. They could have not have been more helpful. We had paid our start fees and then decided to withdraw without doing dressage and they refunded the start fees in full. But unless they can find new ground for the warm ups, I think tomorrow could be equally bad. Such a shame as the new courses looked fab and we are so lucky to have the racetrack available for the events now, as it opens up loads of new (old!) fences.
 
Rum Tum said:
I really dont think the level of preparation came into it today. We had two fit and ready horses and decided at 10.30 not to even get them off the lorry. Maybe we are a bit 'precious' but we didn't want to risk as crisis of confidence in horrendous conditions, or worse, injury.
Click to expand...

And fair enough. :) And a couple of people I talked to felt they were on the low end of where they wanted to be in their fast work and would have taken their time and used the run on good footing, but were not even going to risk it in the deep going.
 
Rum Tum said:
I should add that the organisers were not at fault in any way, but the rain was just relentless and reduced the whole event to mud/standing water. They could have not have been more helpful. We had paid our start fees and then decided to withdraw without doing dressage and they refunded the start fees in full. But unless they can find new ground for the warm ups, I think tomorrow could be equally bad. Such a shame as the new courses looked fab and we are so lucky to have the racetrack available for the events now, as it opens up loads of new (old!) fences.
Click to expand...

I would agree. Everyone involved was trying hard and soldiering on in not very pleasant conditions.
 
I'm going to go for another look tomorrow and see what it's like before making a decision about Sunday. TBH not so worried about XC - horse hunts and will jump out of mud and have run there before in torrential rain successfully. More worried about SJ - last time I SJ there in really heavy rain horse lost all confidence in the ground and kept chipping in - took me a good month or so to get his confidence back again.
 
I'm going there in an hour to have a look...want to justify it before I pull...i know I've already asked but anyone know if they have moved dressage warm up?
 
I'm going there in an hour to have a look...want to justify it before I pull...i know I've already asked but anyone know if they have moved dressage warm up?
 
Don't think they've got anywhere to move warmup to. Tempted to warm up at home and then drive the 15mins down there and go straight into dressage test.
 
I'm just leaving


I'm withdrawing. SJ looks to be jumpi well, and 80% of intro course is ok but a few fences (steps + ditches) have big puddles with fairly deep mud in front. Xc warm up and dr warm up are horrendous.

Just don't think it's fair on my horse

PN xc looks to be jumping well, it's a pity but I don't want to risk it
 
Just off to have a look. New sj ground looks ok from pics. Dressage warmup not nice but will dry out more overnight. Not bothered about xc warmup much as established horse. Just concerned re course itself.
 
Do you think dressage warm up will be ok then Star?

Am having a raging battle with myself haha. I don't want to put my horse at risk but forecast is dry and don't want to withdraw if it's ok.
 
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