Katieg123
Well-Known Member
Was anyone at Chatsworth? there seems to have been shockingly few finishers in the 4* class 42/160 (I think) so what went wrong and what can be done better in the future?
What Happened at Chatsworth?
- Thread starter Katieg123
- Start date
MagicMelon
Well-Known Member
That is low, were a lot retirees I wonder? The ground wasnt good was it, looking at badminton I think people are now a lot quicker to pull their horses up if the grounds dodgy
ihatework
Well-Known Member
What went wrong - nothing that the organisation had any control over - aka the British weather!!
The ground has taken huge amounts of rain. The course was prepared as well as possible. It looked immaculate.
They cancelled all the lower level classes to save the ground for the 4*/advanced.
But despite not being muddy it was like walking on foam. Really tacky and holding.
So few finishers for a combination of reasons:
Compulsory retirement in sj - horses just not jumping high enough and tapping rails out
Retirement on xc, mostly in first third of course, horses just struggling
W/D based on the above!
The ground has taken huge amounts of rain. The course was prepared as well as possible. It looked immaculate.
They cancelled all the lower level classes to save the ground for the 4*/advanced.
But despite not being muddy it was like walking on foam. Really tacky and holding.
So few finishers for a combination of reasons:
Compulsory retirement in sj - horses just not jumping high enough and tapping rails out
Retirement on xc, mostly in first third of course, horses just struggling
W/D based on the above!
Katieg123
Well-Known Member
Whats the compulsory retirement in SJ? I haven't heard of that before!
Annagain
Well-Known Member
If a horse picks up a certain number of penalties for knock downs (I think it's 20 but happy to stand corrected on that) they have to retire.
Katieg123
Well-Known Member
Ah thats a good idea!
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
It's such a shame for all concerned, Chatsworth is a lovely event.
Wonder what the gate receipts were like? We had planned to go to spectate at the w/e but swerved it as so many classes were pulled. That's before knowing that the 4* was decimated in running.
Wonder what the gate receipts were like? We had planned to go to spectate at the w/e but swerved it as so many classes were pulled. That's before knowing that the 4* was decimated in running.
conniegirl
Well-Known Member
We went and there was a lot of people there. Our first year though so can’t tell you if its more or less than usual
Penguin_Toes
Well-Known Member
I have never seen it as busy as it was on Sunday
Tarragon
Well-Known Member
We went on the Saturday and it was very busy, so I am not sure foot count was down by much. The weather was glorious, which would have helped! Started cold and just got hotter and hotter. I came home with a sunburnt nose.
Tarragon
Well-Known Member
We saw a fall at fence 18, which to me looked like caused by a tired horse and heavy going on landing, and the dressage would have been strange to ride as the ground was so soft.
vmac66
Well-Known Member
We went on Sunday, very busy
Seven horses ran in the advanced, we went for lunch and just caught the last one. There were a lot of withdrawals. Ground very spongy
Seven horses ran in the advanced, we went for lunch and just caught the last one. There were a lot of withdrawals. Ground very spongy
OrangeAndLemon
Afraid of exorcism
I've never previously struggled to get ringside for the SJ but it was 3 to 4 deep around the full length.
Agree the ground was holding. The 4th fence with angled corners seemed to take a lot of prisoners and many picking up 20 faults there simply chose not to do much more of the course and retired either there or not long after.
With the nations Cup the result was clear after the third riders so many 4th riders didn't start. I think it was the Nations Cup competition that says you can't go xcountry if you picked up more than 20 faults in the SJ and with heavy ground in the arena many riders did fall foul of this rule.
I felt the weekend was a bit compromised by spreading what would have been a single day's competition across 2 days.
Agree the ground was holding. The 4th fence with angled corners seemed to take a lot of prisoners and many picking up 20 faults there simply chose not to do much more of the course and retired either there or not long after.
With the nations Cup the result was clear after the third riders so many 4th riders didn't start. I think it was the Nations Cup competition that says you can't go xcountry if you picked up more than 20 faults in the SJ and with heavy ground in the arena many riders did fall foul of this rule.
I felt the weekend was a bit compromised by spreading what would have been a single day's competition across 2 days.
superpony
Well-Known Member
I was there on the Saturday doing the Arena Eventing. We normally go every year as very local. I have never seen it as busy! Lots of mumblings about how few horses there were to watch though and the ticket price on the gate has increased dramatically this year. However, didn't seem to have an impact on the number of people through the gates!
GinaGeo
Well-Known Member
We always go. And chose not too this year.
Tickets very expensive and thought there might be a lack of horses to watch
We’re going to go up to Bramham this year instead.
Tickets very expensive and thought there might be a lack of horses to watch
We’re going to go up to Bramham this year instead.
asmp
Well-Known Member
Interesting that the French did so well on the wet ground.
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
Snap!We always go. And chose not to this year.
Tickets very expensive and thought there might be a lack of horses to watch
We’re going to go up to Bramham this year instead.
Glad for the venue and the trade stands that footfall seemed to be high, but being an antisocial sod lots of people combined with not many horses would not worked for me
Melandmary
Well-Known Member
Probably the ground. I was there on Friday. They cancelled the SJ that day due to ground conditions and the shopping area was muddy by midday with few people there. I was a bit disappointed actually because there was nothing to watch except dressage, there were no dog shows. I think as a last minute idea to get something on in the SJ ring they got a dog trainer in to do a demo. I wouldn’t go again on a Friday in future because ticket prices are the same I think.
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
Think it was going to be nearly £70 for the two of us for parking + entry either day at the weekend. Early bird prices were cheaper. That's pretty steep, but I still would have gone if all scheduled classes had been running, arriving early and staying all day.
welshcobabe
Well-Known Member
I was there on the Friday and we had a good day all be it very cold. The course did look fantastic but as we were walking around it was heavy going. We watched some dressage and the side saddle class. Had a good look round the stalls there were some folk a bit put out at some of the stuff been cancelled and taking it out on the poor stewards. I live local to the area and I know how hard it rained on the Thursday so they did the best that they could under the circumstances you can not help the weather. It was a well put on event as always and they did their best to keep it running.