Tweseldown....still running really?!?

[eventing_2012]

I'm not even entered and had never planned on running there but just seen some pictures posted by uptown eventing and cannot believe what a state it's in. You only have to look on bdwp to see the results and that it perhaps should have been abandoned today. But they still have two days of competition........ Really

 

[charlie76]

I have just seen a video, its a sea of mud. Those of you with grey horses, don't bother washing them. The Dressage warm up is a bog

 

[JackAT]

I've seen various pictures on twitter, and it really does look like a quagmire. People are withdrawing horses from stages like it's going out of fashion due to the boggy going, if the few eventers I follow are anything to go by.

 

[smellsofhorse]

Its very sad.
A good start to the season last weekend.
Lovely weather on tuesday and now this.

I agree its looks at though it should be abandoned.

 

[chatter1]

Having seen the pictures I am really glad I was balloted! I can't believe they are running in that!

 

[Mel85]

Its absolutely grim! I retired in sj and was glad to go home! We took one to work there that we didnt even get off the lorry!

 

[Saratoga]

How can they still think its acceptable to run with that many withdrawals??

 

[Mel85]

I think there is a lot of pressure on organisers to keep running. Depends on the horses, plenty were jumping happily and the mud was sloshy not sticky, my horse hated it and wouldnt go a yard in the showjumping but OH jumped double clear cruised round and was only one in time, but his horse is very experienced.

 

[TGM]

Daughter was meant to be doing her first BE there today but we are reluctantly pulling out as don't want to risk denting their confidence on first run. It might be better there today if they have changed courses and the rain has stopped but it is a long journey for us and if we get over there and find the ground is dubious we would feel under pressure to run just because we had made the effort to get there.

 

[Luci07]

They have apparently moved the dressage and Showjumping and of course the XC for the 100/90 is mainly over the sand. You might be alright but do not forget about the road closure if you are going ...there are NO diversion signs...

 

[kerilli]

Ditto that, it is sandy (although apparently some/most of the Int course is on the racecourse so not sand) so does not get holding. I've run in really wet weather there and although we both came back filthy we had a great romp round (pretty inexperienced horse, too).
someone there has said they are amazed at how well it has drained overnight.
If they cancel (and it is always the BE officials' decision, NOT the Organisers!) they will have a lot of disappointed riders. It's a no-win situation really.

 

[quizzie]

I really hope for everyones sake, that it has drained well.....but I have been to Tweseldown for many years in all weather conditions, & until yesterday, I would have entirely agreed with you Kerilli....I have NEVER seen the ground there deteriorate as it did yesterday. Normally it rides better than it looks it wet weather, but while that may have been true yesterday morning, by the afternoon it was seriously boggy in places I would never have expected.

 

[TarrSteps]

The rain let up last night and it does drain very well there - if it's back to how it was yesterday morning, then it should be fine, especially, as mentioned, as they will be using fresh ground today.

It's really too bad about the bits on the course yesterday - I think everyone would have had a lot of fun galloping around it in better conditions.

 

[kerilli]

quizzie, must admit that does sound awful. I feel so sorry for everyone there yesterday but especially for poor Lucinda Fredericks, I have no idea if the going was a factor or not in her fall but hope she makes a speedy recovery.

 

[TarrSteps]

I do think a lot of the problem yesterday was no one expected it. It was sloppy all day but horses were still jumping well. Then it seemed to reach some sort of critical mass. And because so many people went home - totally their choice -it got pretty demoralising for the ones that soldiered on.

 

[millitiger]

Haven't seen any photos but I have just seen on BDWP, section L only had 3 people who did not withdraw!
20 people withdrew in that section before the sj; that is a very expensive dressage test!

 

[oldvic]

I believe insurance doesn't cover the event if it has started. Unpleasant is different to unsafe and there were few problems across country for those that did run - a bad fall like Lucinda's can happen on any ground. Those that did run went at a speed that was suitable for their horses and some young, green horses went round fine. We are now accustomed to mainly training on good surfaces and riders are more cautious about running in difficult conditions but that is not a reason for the organisers to pull the plug and cost themselves a lot of money. The withdrawals were due to conditions not being suitable for those horses at this stage of their careers/preparation, not due to safety.

 

[star]

I've just been to walk course for tomorrow and ground is holding up well. They've moved everything they can and really tried hard.

 

[PolarSkye]

Went today as a spectator and have to say that if I had a horse entered for today or tomorrow, I'd have withdrawn. The warm up for the dressage looks like a ploughed field and as a result few competitors are getting an adequate warm-up, the dressage arenas themselves are pretty trashed, the SJ warm-up has held up reasonably well (but they have moved it from yesterday . . . where they had it yesterday also closely resembles a ploughed field) but the SJ course itself is pretty slippery and, although much of the XC course itself is sandy and free draining, some of it is muddy and is very, very sticky. Several friends of mine withdrew b/c they wanted to save their horses for another day.

We're meant to be going there next weekend for a Hunter Trial . . . I'll be very surprised if it runs.

P

 

[sallyf]

Went today as a spectator and have to say that if I had a horse entered for today or tomorrow, I'd have withdrawn. The warm up for the dressage looks like a ploughed field and as a result few competitors are getting an adequate warm-up, the dressage arenas themselves are pretty trashed, the SJ warm-up has held up reasonably well (but they have moved it from yesterday . . . where they had it yesterday also closely resembles a ploughed field) but the SJ course itself is pretty slippery and, although much of the XC course itself is sandy and free draining, some of it is muddy and is very, very sticky. Several friends of mine withdrew b/c they wanted to save their horses for another day.

We're meant to be going there next weekend for a Hunter Trial . . . I'll be very surprised if it runs.

P

Interesting
My own horse who is relatively inexperienced but has scope has just finnished on her dressage score in the BE100 and would have been withdrawn if the rider was worried about the ground.
They know i am an anxious owner and a bit precious about my horse.
Sure they said the dressage warm up was grim so she had little working in but coped for a 35.5 and 3rd place .
They actually said the showjumping and x country didnt ride too badly.

 

[PolarSkye]

Interesting
My own horse who is relatively inexperienced but has scope has just finnished on her dressage score in the BE100 and would have been withdrawn if the rider was worried about the ground.
They know i am an anxious owner and a bit precious about my horse.
Sure they said the dressage warm up was grim so she had little working in but coped for a 35.5 and 3rd place .
They actually said the showjumping and x country didnt ride too badly.

As you say . . . interesting. I can only go by what I saw and what my friends competing said . . . they were very cross and talking about wanting their money back. Also, another friend of mine who was fence judging said that out of some 200 runners yesterday, about half withdrew (although the rain was pretty ridiculous yesterday and it did stay mostly dry today so perhaps the ground was better today). Kal wouldn't have been going today had he been entered . . . very glad your horse did so well, though. Congrats.

P

 

[RobinHood]

Friday:

 

[TableDancer]

I believe insurance doesn't cover the event if it has started. Unpleasant is different to unsafe and there were few problems across country for those that did run - a bad fall like Lucinda's can happen on any ground. Those that did run went at a speed that was suitable for their horses and some young, green horses went round fine. We are now accustomed to mainly training on good surfaces and riders are more cautious about running in difficult conditions but that is not a reason for the organisers to pull the plug and cost themselves a lot of money. The withdrawals were due to conditions not being suitable for those horses at this stage of their careers/preparation, not due to safety.

Totally 100% agree with this. Yes, lots are withdrawing for perfectly understandable reasons, but plenty are not. The courses particularly XC are causing very little trouble for those who choose to tackle them. Kudos for the organisers for keeping going for those who want the run - those who choose not to run, that may well be the right decision for you and your horse, but please don't whine about not getting your money back: as I said on the other thread you pays your money and you takes your choice.

 

[Santa_Claus]

The thing is it may be mucky but with proper studding and sensible riding by all accounts it is perfectly safe. If you don't want to run that is fine but why stop those that can run safely?

 

[Honey08]

Its an interesting one isn't it? I'm not criticising those that would withdraw, but have we got a bit soft? Its early March, the ground and weather is more than likely to be on the wetter side at this time of year. Its something you have to bear in mind when you enter at this time of year really. 20yrs ago, when most people didn't even have an arena, yet alone access to one, more work would be done in the fields for schooling. 30 yrs ago I had horses on the same land I do nowadays, nowadays I hardly turn out when its really muddy, yet then I used to have a flatwork lesson in the field, come what may, even if it were hock deep in mud, because it didn't cross my mind not to! In those days, if you entered a XC, you expected to come back black and covered from head to toe. Those show jumps in RobinHood's pic look on a very wet field, but a good, bold horse should be ok, its the not so bold I would worry about - and probably wouldn't enter until later in the summer..

Once again, I'm not criticising, just pondering - I like good going nowadays as much as everyone else!

 

[HammieHamlet]

I'm running tomorrow in the BE90 and went to walk the course today. I must admit I had a slightly blonde moment and thought they'd installed a massive black rubber arena for the dressage warmup, then realised it was thick mud

From what I saw in the SJ, it looked fine - just the warm up again boggy. As for the XC, it's lovely - yes it's boggy in places but actually fine from walking on foot - if it doesn't rain today I think it'll be good. I'll probably have more trouble with the puddles in between!

I can't wait to get round the course, and yes, i think the dressage will be a case of steering very slowly around the arena (literally) but I don't intend to warm up for more than 10 mins in the mud - I'd rather sacrifice a few marks rather than work in that for too long.

Good luck to anyone else who goes

 

[Sportznight]

Friday:

Blimey! I guess that's water you call a water jump? Or possibly a water horse?

 

[miskettie]

^^^^^^^

Same jump today but in different place.

I was spectating - Dressage warmup very boggy, and arenas require careful riding. However SJ looked ok to me , didn't see any horses slip or big puddles. XC apparently a few wet spots but fine.

If you have a horse that is careful and used to a bit of mud, go for it!

 

[cundlegreen]

So glad we ran at Aston last week!