I've been soooooo looking forward to olympia

[Pixel]

Since I paid for the ticket and coach in july and now it's snowing.

I just know it's going to be cancelled. Why couldn't the snow have held off another day? Whyyyyyyyyyyyy?????????????

Me too Pixel, my friend and I have tickets for Sunday evening but we're meant to be getting even more snow so doubt we will get to go..

Am gutted. Hope we both make it by some miracle!

Lisa, how far have you got to travel? We're going from Brighton.

:( we are going Monday - and whilst I clearly love snow and interesting weather I'll be gutted if we can't go. It is still on tonight - so at least the horses are there!

Last year we had to leave before the finale to get home. That was a bit fraught, being stood on the train station wondering whether we would end up sat there overnight. The plan was for dh to collect us but he couldnt even get out of town.

If it gets buggered up this year then I'm going to book for a summer show instead.

I get to plenty of summer shows but nothing is as lovely as Olympia.

I would hate to miss the finale this year, I really want to see the war horse puppets.

so do I.
I've not been to any other shows - as a back up which is the best? dd is going to be gutted and I need to give her some thing to look forward to.

warhorse puppets will be amazing! oh its all amazing. utterly magical.

Nothing too specific really, we usually get to one or two county shows and last year we won tickets for dressage and showjumping at Windsor. The only one we definitely go to regularly is Hickstead as we only live 1/2 an hour away and there are always free entry tickets in the Friday-ad (we are cheapskates!). If you are near enough then Hickstead is a nice day out, especially if the sun is shining. We've been going for years and haven't got bored yet.

I read that they've had to schedule extra ring-time beforehand to let the real horses get used to the puppets as some of them were a bit freaked out, possibly because they are so realistic in their movements but don't smell horsey. There was also a fab photo in Horse and Hound of a member of the Household cavalry 'riding' one in Hyde park!

DD2 and I have tickets (and train tickets) for Sunday afternoon - our special Christmas treat.

It's not going to plan - first of all (I should have thought of this when I booked Sunday tickets) the only train from our nearest town doesn't arrive at Paddington till 12pm - leaving us half an hour for a mad dash to Earl's Court before the performance. :(

Next: I was rushed to hospital on Wed with breathing difficulties (asthma, suddenly went critical because of something flu-ey) so I'm off the team. As Plan B, DD1 (who lives in London) has been drafted in to meet and accompany DD2.

Now it looks as if there's a good chance the train will be cancelled altogether due to the weather, or be so delayed DD2 won't get there till very late.

It just wasn't meant to be was it, sob.

Hope some or all of us get there, anyway. Good luck everyone

You could always watch in on the telly - it's on Eurosport right now!!!....not as good as being there, plus half the fun is shopping, I know, but at least you can still see some of the action

We're also going Sunday afternoon - hooray for 4x4's....if that doesn't get us there nothing will. Here's hoping.

Apples - couldn't dd2 go to London tomorrow and stay overnight with dd1?

Werewolf - that isn't a bad idea as it goes (I must be too prednizoned to think straight) except that we also have tickets for a local Messiah tomorrow night at the Abbey. However Olympia trumps all... DD1 has only a tiny bedsit.. and no loo.. but that is worth thinking about, definitely.

I think 'our' performance is being televised on Sunday - 'with two empty seats in Row C, probably' as DD2 grimly foretold.

We went two years ago and it was fantastic. Loved the shopping, yes... came home with a leather browband with pink swarovskis for our 26 year old boy pony... he loves it

Sounds great. I'll be watching on Sunday - hope to see full seats!

The shopping is great. I find it so hard to resist all the horse bits and pieces. Fortunately I then remember we don't actually own a pony. dd needs some new joddys and gloves so I'll see what they have (if we get there)

Thanks for the tips pixel.

Hi Pixel, and all.

WE're going from Surrey, we only have to get teh train to Clapham Junction and then onto Olympia, only a 45minute train journey normally but even getting out of our road is a nightmare at the moment. Am hoping we will make it.

Hope everyone gets there safely and has a great time.

Want to see father Christmas and the dogs on Monday. Can't though :(

hope you make it and have fun, am so out of touch don't even know who has qualified from our yard this year

thats a shame Mitchy :(

Thanks Lisa, we usually go on the train, like you we change at Clapham Junction. I wish we were doing the same this year but there was room on the coach trip going from our old yard and we thought it would be fun to catch up with old friends so we got some tickets. I'm not entirely sure I actually want to be on a coach if the roads are bad, at least the trains will probably just stop if it's the wrong kind of snow.
Anyway, I'm taking plenty of snacks and sucky sweets in case we get stuck in a snowdrift somewhere!

Last year we had a nightmare going by train because it snowed whilst we were there and some of our trains home were cancelled or ran really late.

This year we're going on Monday (as always to see the M&Ms) and are driving and have bought parking permit for the place adjoing Olympia.

Worried about snow but will battle on regardless!

Butkins - I might be looking out for you in the crowd for a lift home! (just kidding)
For the first time ever I have dd wishing the snow away. I think we will do our best to get there and then just deal with the consequences. Going to take full snow gear just in case.

All those of you going tomorrow - hope you get there ok, if todays mess is cleared up then I think the weather may be on your side. Fingers crossed for you!

WE've decided to try and make it anyway, we can get to the station easily enough and then have to hope the trains are running ok. Am wrapping up as warm as poss and hoping for the best. Have managed fairly easily to get to my horses today who are at a yard that is not easily accessible in this weather so feeling a bit more positive.

Good luck everyone, wrap up and stay safe :-)

We made it! .
It was quite dodgy on the way there with the snow falling thick and fast. We stopped at a service station as people were desperate for the toilet and the driver begged us not to be long as he didn't think we would make it otherwise, so the Gents got invaded as well as the Ladies and we were on our way again!

The show was fabulous, Household cavalry made us proud to be British, Cossacks made us gasp and War Horse was stunning and traumatic in equal measure. A young rider had a rather nasty crashing fall at the beginning of the jumping and was carted off but she was apparently ok thank goodness.

The show organisers kept us updated with news of road and rail closures during the day which was good of them but our journey home was uneventful.

I managed to get some Christmas pressies for a couple of people and dhorse now has a smart blue and white checked waffle cooler in case he ever does enough work to need one.

So, a good day after all. I hope everyone who is going tomorrow has good luck with the weather too and enjoys the show.

Fantastic!!!!! That's great new sPixel :)

DD2 and I didn't make it but DD1 got there no problem and had a marvellous afternoon, despite only being a stand-in as it were, and not at all 'horsy'. I was just glad one of our tickets got used and it seemed she really enjoyed it and the empty seat next to her (poor DD2's!) was apparently 'very useful for putting all her shopping on' (which brought a smile to DD2's wan face. :)

She must have been there for the same show as Pixel.

Good luck to everyone going tomorrow.

WE made it :-) Just got back from a totally awesome evening, although think the Cossacks had been at the drink! 3 falls from them including poor horse, they were all over the place this evening.

Had a truly fab time though, went with DD1 in the end as friend didn't want to go, so glad we went.

Off to bed now, shattered and got to be in work in 7 hours!

There was a couple of carfulls went from our yard on the Thursday - I didn't go though - too broke ! They had to leave early cos of the weather though.