Your Best Show Jumping Venue

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dieseldog

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Not to be left out, we can't let the eventers have all the fun, what is your favourite Show jumping venue?

I really like Dorset Showground as an outdoor venue and indoors it would have to be The Hand - but hurry up and build the new warm up ring.
 
Hickstead......no doubt....especially now they've improved the warm-up area. Just love the buzz of being there, and mingling with everyone
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I've never been to Hickstead - not even to watch let alone jump!

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You should definitely go ! It's not cheap, but it's worth it just to say you've ridden there lol!

I get to pretend to be a proper SJ'er once a year again now
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I don't do SJ as a rule but have jumped at Hickstead (only small stuff in ring 4) and the atmosphere was fantastic. I also enjoyed jumping at the Henley Show.
For unaff opens I love my local venue Medstead Grange, you have to enter in advance and the allocate class starting times, very civilised!
 
It depends really

Did love Hickstead on my one trip when on ponies and it must be even better now with warm up *shudders at thought of warmup I was 'meant' to have used
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* my rosettes from Hickstead have pride of place as well as they are HUGE!!!

Really like Bicton though as close by, generally good rings, good main ring warm up and fantastic main arena/derby course. Also always have fun and drink a tad too much!
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Indoors I haven't done much jumping over the wniter over recent years and have only strayed to Exeter EC and back which I like especially since new surface has settled but the warmup does get drowned in weather like this. The Hand though is going to be very hard to beat once finished but I won't venture there to compete indoors until a larger warmup is in place as its just too small at the mo.
 
Indoors used to really like Exeter although have found surface inconsistant and hard in places this season. Tall Trees is the best really efficient with huge outdoor warm up. Their indoor school could be bigger and they don't jump many bgger classes which is a shame.

Outdoors like Wales and West and heard good things about Dorset so may take a trip that way this season.
 
Dorset is nicer than Wales and West, and for the classes your horse would jump you will be in the main arena which is beautiful with lovely jumps and the going is always good.
 
I don't like going to W&W unless jumping no the surface as I always seem to jump on terrible ground there. One time (at Easter!) jumped in one rnig which was rock hard and then the main ring which was a bog because it had been constantly watered for a week before hand!

Never been to Tall Trees as the journey is just too long and not great roads from me which I can't justify for one or two classes.

Still to get myself to Dorset showground though. Only heard good things and keep meaning to just never quite get there!

Also know what you mean with Exeter surface but it seems better at beginning of day (when I jump
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) and its far better than the old surface.
 
Have to admit the main ring at W&W was on the soft side when we were up there and a bit inconsistent. The all weather arena is fab.

We went to Exeter just bafter Xmas and I agree it was ok to start but I pulled out of the last class as there were some really hard patches in the middle.

Tall Trees is my closest and they are the most efficient of anywhere I have been to. The classes whistle through and people know if they are not ready on time they miss their turn whoever they are!
 
How far is Scorrier from you? They should have a good show on this summer as they have been given either the BN or Dis Regioanl Final (WHY???) so expect 5 entries in it none of whom will go to the final as it is so far away. But they should have a good supporting schedule
 
About 10 minutes - where exactly? The smaller qualifiers are usually well supported down here with quite a few in it. BSJA is very popular right down here with commonly 50 or 60 in the smaller classes. Plenty of shows as well although no venues that water which is my bug - hence I only jump down here 4/5 time a season.
 
I have no idea where it is but its on the 23rd June, and its the Discovery 2nd round, last time they held a 2nd round they had 10 entries so all you had to do was walk in to the ring and you qualified....

there are certain rules as to who can hold a regional final and the show is upposed to make it feel like a proper posh even twith flowers etc so they should have some other decent jumping on as well.
 
Hickstead, just because its Hickstead i think!
Not that i've done proper stuff there though, only PC SJ, but i got a picture in the second round (which is really the only reason i went in the first place!!). Second round is 1.10m and we use Hickstead jumps so it looks like its posh
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Favourite place is Bicton atmosphere and people are great, have jumped 1.40's at Hickstead, nice place but the walk from stables to rings is a killer! Wales and west is good especially the pet plan arena as you always have perfect going but my best ever place was HOYS! while ago now but you never forget it.
 
Addington and Solihull for me lol cos I dont do SJing lol
But as a venue for the big boys, Winsdor is brilliant and would love to jump there one day. Or Aachen lol HOME of Sjing.
 
Bicton definately- I just go to get pi**ed and have fun really. The show jumping is incidental!!!! I love the Karaoke in the bar on the Saturday night, and I did my first newcomers ( which was also 2 phase!) in 2005- walked the course in Kings ring and was terrified! A couple of Jack Daniels and Coke's later I jumped the best round of my life so far- I came 11th out of 170 with no short cuts.

The only problem with Bicton is that if it rains it just turned into a big red swamp for all warm ups other than the main ring. We camped in August 2005 and I vowed I would never camp again- it was disgusting. I now have my new lorry so this year will be the first of Bicton in comparable luxury!

The last time I went to Dorset area was 2005 also, the ground was dreadful and rock hard. Someone on here said the ground was amazing now so I wait to see- we have today booked our permanent stables for the may show. There are not many left apparently.

Unfortunately we like a good drink and I think the summer is for enjoying! So I tend to rate showgrounds on the atmosphere, wine and ground. We have yet to go to W&W, we plan to go somewhen this year- but my horse will be going to his professional rider for his 2nd round newcomers and foxhunter for the whole of June so that pretty much wipes out June and July shows.

Roll on the summer XXXXXXXX
 
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