Withington Manor - does it drain well?!!

Saratoga

Saratoga

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I am meant to be running at Withington Manor this weekend, but not unlike many people at the moment I am a little worried about all this rain.

I've never been to WM before, so how does the ground hold up to rain? Does it drain well or is it likely to get boggy?

Would love the run as our next entered event is moving up a level, but obviously won't risk it if it's going to be dodgy :(
 
Hi

Its near us, so Cotswold brash and drains well, plus reasonably hilly there

I think the ground will be fine, but they might have to tow people in and out as lorrys get stuck easily!

Plus the rain wasn't as heavy as forecast predicted, although I have been shut in an office unable to see out all day....
 
Thanks Jen - was just about to post regarding the lorry parking bit! Understand that the course drains well as it's on a hill, but the lorry park is a concern. Mmmm....doubts if we'll go now - will wait until tomorrow to see if things have changed/improved/got worse etc....

Wish that we had a "climate" and not just "weather"...!!
 
I live not far away... The land would drain relatively well, yes.

However, I have it on very good authority that they are having a course inspection Thursday to decide whether to run, but that on Tuesday there was considerable doubt about whether this would happen... And we've had quite a lot of rain here today (I'm 20 minutes drive away)..
 
We had heavy rain in Stroud and Chelts yesterday, yes would think Withington drains well but would still think it was iffy for it to run. My parking space at work was flooded by the time I got there this yesterday morning, let alone when I left!
 
OP you probably know this by now, but course designer and builder were on site on Tuesday and both thought the ground then was perfect, but obviously the key thing is what fell yesterday, and what happens between then and the weekend. Showers, including thunder and hail, are forecast in Gloucestershire, so I guess it depends how many fall on Withington Hill... The TD is doing a course inspection tonight and they will make a decision then. I've had (informed) opinion on both sides but the balance seems to be that it is unlikely to run :(

If it is cancelled it will be gutting for everyone, particularly those who need a qualification etc, but spare a thought for the pony competitors, for whom it is one of only two final trials for team selection for the Europeans - there are a lot of teenagers on tenterhooks around the country today :rolleyes:
 
My parking space at work was flooded by the time I got there this yesterday morning, let alone when I left!
g.gif
 
Thank you for letting me know about the course inspection today, will keep my eyes on BE. Hambleden abandoned after we did the dressage, so if Withington cancels I will be praying to Aston organisers to move us down a class!!
 
Having just heard that the organisers are making a course inspection tomorrow morning before a final decision, I can only say how utterly inconsiderate I find their thinking. I appreciate that there are no end of people who will be extremely disappointed in losing a run, and the organisers will also lose out substantially, but to make a decision on the morning of the event when some competitors may well have had a four hour journey (and the diesel that entails) in order to dressage on Friday is bl**dy unfair. I would be gutted to lose the run, but I would be furious to find I had spent £s and £s in fuel only to be greeted with "Oh, we decided to abandon after all".
 
dunkley said:
Having just heard that the organisers are making a course inspection tomorrow morning before a final decision, I can only say how utterly inconsiderate I find their thinking. I appreciate that there are no end of people who will be extremely disappointed in losing a run, and the organisers will also lose out substantially, but to make a decision on the morning of the event when some competitors may well have had a four hour journey (and the diesel that entails) in order to dressage on Friday is bl**dy unfair. I would be gutted to lose the run, but I would be furious to find I had spent £s and £s in fuel only to be greeted with "Oh, we decided to abandon after all".
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Well, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Speaking personally, if it is a choice between making a decision today and cancelling, and giving it another 12 hours which, if dry, might enable them to run, I would prefer the latter. And I speak as someone who is in exactly the position you describe.
 
dunkley said:
Having just heard that the organisers are making a course inspection tomorrow morning before a final decision, I can only say how utterly inconsiderate I find their thinking. I appreciate that there are no end of people who will be extremely disappointed in losing a run, and the organisers will also lose out substantially, but to make a decision on the morning of the event when some competitors may well have had a four hour journey (and the diesel that entails) in order to dressage on Friday is bl**dy unfair. I would be gutted to lose the run, but I would be furious to find I had spent £s and £s in fuel only to be greeted with "Oh, we decided to abandon after all".
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As first dressage test isn't until 1pm, one would hope that the organisers will make their decision by 7am therefore allowing people to find out before they leave.

Am FJ at Nurstead Saturday and so far they are still running......
 
Only about 4 miles up the road and we haven't had half as much rain today as we had yesterday (which was horrible!). There have been black clouds floating round today but far far less rain. Keeping my fingers crossed for you guys!
 
dunkley said:
Having just heard that the organisers are making a course inspection tomorrow morning before a final decision, I can only say how utterly inconsiderate I find their thinking. I appreciate that there are no end of people who will be extremely disappointed in losing a run, and the organisers will also lose out substantially, but to make a decision on the morning of the event when some competitors may well have had a four hour journey (and the diesel that entails) in order to dressage on Friday is bl**dy unfair. I would be gutted to lose the run, but I would be furious to find I had spent £s and £s in fuel only to be greeted with "Oh, we decided to abandon after all".
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It takes alot to make me hopping mad but this post has just done it!
It is NOT the organisers decision as to IF or WHEN they cancel it is up to the stewards!-. The organisers will have been busting a gut to try to run an amazing event so they will be gutted if they have to cancel.
 
Oh, and it is up to the Stewards not the organisers what time the course inspection will be in the morning and up to them what time they decide if they are going to cancel or not!.
The organisers are lovely people who are currently tearing their hair out trying to do the 'right' thing for all the competitors.
 
As the official photographers covering this event, it would be quite nice to have a clear cut decision whoever makes it and some indication of when a final decision will be taken! We are travelling from Sussex and have photographers travelling from Shropshire and Cornwall that we need to notify.

Guess all will be revealed in the morning. I appreciate the difficulties involved and that sometimes we just have to go with the tide.
 
I think the point is whoevers decision it is, its a late one. Whether its down to the organisers, or not.
 
No decision made yet.

Apparently the organisers thought the BE steward was coming to inspect early this morning (Friday) but he isn't now due until about 10.30am. Don't expect that a decision will be available until late morning.
 
That's really poor!! Have decided not to travel from East Anglia. Feel sorry for those who are travelling and have no idea whether it will run or not...awful!
 
dunkley said:
Having just heard that the organisers are making a course inspection tomorrow morning before a final decision, I can only say how utterly inconsiderate I find their thinking. I appreciate that there are no end of people who will be extremely disappointed in losing a run, and the organisers will also lose out substantially, but to make a decision on the morning of the event when some competitors may well have had a four hour journey (and the diesel that entails) in order to dressage on Friday is bl**dy unfair. I would be gutted to lose the run, but I would be furious to find I had spent £s and £s in fuel only to be greeted with "Oh, we decided to abandon after all".
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It is very unfair to blame the Organisers. It is not their decision to make. If you want to blame someone, I suggest that the BE steward who allegedly isn't getting there till mid-morning to make the decision might be the fairer target.
I'll be amazed if they are able to run from what I've heard of the weather over there, BUT they have thin topsoil on chalk, apparently, so if anything might possibly drain well enough, that could...
fingers very firmly crossed that it stops raining and they get some wind to dry it out.
 
DorothyJ said:
No decision made yet.

Apparently the organisers thought the BE steward was coming to inspect early this morning (Friday) but he isn't now due until about 10.30am. Don't expect that a decision will be available until late morning.
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well that is clearly not true as they must have been on site first thing to have gone through the process & got the decision made by now!
 
LCH611 said:
well that is clearly not true as they must have been on site first thing to have gone through the process & got the decision made by now!
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Please don't shoot the messanger! I rang the 'in case of abandonment' tel. no from the BE website and this is what I was told this morning. :confused:
 
All events this weekend apart from Central Scotland have been cancelled. Fingers crossed that it dries out enough there.
I really hope that the many disappointed competitors will spare a thought for the Organisers who have been planning and working on these events for months and months, and might stand to make a significant personal loss due to having to cancel. :( :( :(
Also, events which had to abandon half way through, such as Hambleden... the time money and effort that needs to be spent to restore land after horses and lorries have done their worst can be unbelievable...
Years ago my local event had to cancel after the Friday Novices had run. All horseboxes were being towed in and out in mud as deep as the axles. I was told that it cost tens of thousands of pounds to restore the lorry park field alone, they had to get JCBs in to work on levelling it, tractors and rollers etc weren't touching it...
Everyone should now cross EVERYTHING for Badminton!
 
kerilli said:
All events this weekend apart from Central Scotland have been cancelled. Fingers crossed that it dries out enough there.
I really hope that the many disappointed competitors will spare a thought for the Organisers who have been planning and working on these events for months and months, and might stand to make a significant personal loss due to having to cancel. :( :( :(
Also, events which had to abandon half way through, such as Hambleden... the time money and effort that needs to be spent to restore land after horses and lorries have done their worst can be unbelievable...
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TBH that is not as much money as paying for all the infrastructure costs, hospitality, judges lunches, stabling refunds, loss of start fees & gate income and all those other things not covered by the abandonment insurance..........
 
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