Irish Stamp
Forum Moderator
Went to this today at Chatsworth House, thanks for Shadow Leader and Love Everlasting for suggesting/advising me on this - it was amazing, it's like going to a race meeting but where the races last for 7 hours or so.
Got the 8.25 bus from Sheffield and it dropped me right off outside the gates to the course. Was in there for 9.15 and watching the cross-country novices stage from then on - some really cracking competitors including William Fox-Pitt, Polly Jackson, Jeanette Brakewell, Polly Stockton, Gemma Tattersall (up and coming rider) who all competed some really nice horses over the novice course.
The track wasn't the same as for the World Cup qualifier tommorow or the advanced which is also tommorow but it was soo good seeing a true test of horsemanship over the various fences - especially the lakes which gave a few competitors some hairy moments.
If anyone remembers a flat racer called Ellway Prince, was trained by Norma McCauley till 2001 - well he was there competing in the category and put in some tremendous leaps. Also liked the look of Wigwam who's a 15.2 skewbald mare and Rickadoo who's a really nice chestnut. Not totally sure who won each class (there were about 8 in all) but the coverage from the commentator's was first class and included course designer and leading eventer Ian Stark throughout the day which I was particularly impressed with - they kept the public up to date with what went on all over the course, I must have walked it four or five times over watching the different fences and the like, simply breathtaking.
The show jumping and cross country for the novice classes were all held today (in fact the dressage might have been in the really early morning?) and I figured as I know little about the technicalities of dressage then it really would be pointless watching the actual tests so I watched a few of the warm ups which was pretty good
Other than that just looking at the course for the top classes tommorow, one of the fences (Fibresand Folly or Derbyshire Life Dale) from a size and ground level perspective can only be described as jumping a 4ft+ fence on an area of land a fair bit steeper than the hill they come down at Cheltenham.
Some really nice trade stalls too - at least 50 and 600+ horses in total I think, provided they all started, which they didn't.
My only regret is forgetting my camera as my camera phone took some cracking pictures and you could see virtually all the action
Great day out and I fully recommend it to all - oh and I'm shortly to book all my tickets to Blenheim in August
Martin
Got the 8.25 bus from Sheffield and it dropped me right off outside the gates to the course. Was in there for 9.15 and watching the cross-country novices stage from then on - some really cracking competitors including William Fox-Pitt, Polly Jackson, Jeanette Brakewell, Polly Stockton, Gemma Tattersall (up and coming rider) who all competed some really nice horses over the novice course.
The track wasn't the same as for the World Cup qualifier tommorow or the advanced which is also tommorow but it was soo good seeing a true test of horsemanship over the various fences - especially the lakes which gave a few competitors some hairy moments.
If anyone remembers a flat racer called Ellway Prince, was trained by Norma McCauley till 2001 - well he was there competing in the category and put in some tremendous leaps. Also liked the look of Wigwam who's a 15.2 skewbald mare and Rickadoo who's a really nice chestnut. Not totally sure who won each class (there were about 8 in all) but the coverage from the commentator's was first class and included course designer and leading eventer Ian Stark throughout the day which I was particularly impressed with - they kept the public up to date with what went on all over the course, I must have walked it four or five times over watching the different fences and the like, simply breathtaking.
The show jumping and cross country for the novice classes were all held today (in fact the dressage might have been in the really early morning?) and I figured as I know little about the technicalities of dressage then it really would be pointless watching the actual tests so I watched a few of the warm ups which was pretty good
Other than that just looking at the course for the top classes tommorow, one of the fences (Fibresand Folly or Derbyshire Life Dale) from a size and ground level perspective can only be described as jumping a 4ft+ fence on an area of land a fair bit steeper than the hill they come down at Cheltenham.
Some really nice trade stalls too - at least 50 and 600+ horses in total I think, provided they all started, which they didn't.
My only regret is forgetting my camera as my camera phone took some cracking pictures and you could see virtually all the action
Great day out and I fully recommend it to all - oh and I'm shortly to book all my tickets to Blenheim in August
Martin
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