Any shows coming up?

[Butkin]

Just wondering, now we're in peak season, if any others are goings showing during August?

We're off to New Forest tomorrow (4am departure) where DD has a couple of Hoys qualifiers (one outside ride and one on our own filly who has already qualified thank goodness).

We're then at RIHS on Sunday but only to watch unfortunately as DD didn't get her ticket there.

We're not going to Equifest or PUK but will be at BSPS Summer Champs all week and DD is really excited about this. Even more excited if we let her sleep in the horsebox rather than commuting each day!

What are you all up to?

Good luck for your outings! Equifest is faaar too hectic for my liking, used to go annually from its inaugural year but in the last couple of years just found I hadn't been enjoying it, too busy/stressful! I should have been at NPS but just sold the pony that was entered to go, that is my favourite championship show of the year, beautiful location and find, on the most part, the competitior base the most friendly of the major societies.

I will be at BSPS as I steward there every year (was lucky enough to judge at the winter champs too this year) - and a judging appointment at Royal London at the back of the month which I don't know much about .... other than that we're having a bit of a quiet time, mainly got young horses on the yard so putting the hours in at home and will hopefully reap the rewards next season!

Totally agree with you about Equifest. We really enjoyed their first two years - especially DD riding in the main arena - but now it is just too big and caters to the masses with something for everybody. Many of their classes are 30+ and it is just too much. It does show there is a huge appetite for showing championship shows on a budget though and their Facebook site show how much many people love it.

Never been to NPS although DD has ridden there and enjoyed it. We were entered but won't be going now. Shame in many ways. Sure we'll be there in the future.

BSPS is our favourite and is the one we're really looking forward to. We doing one class each day. DD most looks forward to the Blue Riband where they give out clothing items just for competing. Last year a sweatshirt and this year sweatpants!

Royal London is something else. Will certainly be an eye opener for you!!! We'll probably go to watch the evening performance which is like nothing else you'll ever have experienced at a show!

Totally agree about the demand for 'unaffiated' or rather 'no qualifying' classes- have you looked into the new Grandstand media / TSR shows? I've not been but heard very good reports from the summer Gala.
As I understand RL is very much another grass roots, club level show getting their own championship moment. We seem to have a calendar full of evening performance moments for the grass roots disproportionate to the other end of the scale!

We've got the Ri tomorrow and we are off to the NPS next week with the novice for 3 days. We are also giving equifest a miss this year so its just Bucks and Moreton after that, we have looked at taking the novice to royal London as its a show we have never even thought about doing before but wondered if it would be nice for him.
We almost got our ticket for Hoys on Tuesday finishing 2nd at the new forest with the top jump mark but we knew the conf judge thinks she needs more bone so we were pleased to finish so high. I've got a BSPS waistcoat form the heritage champs last year for doing the Blue Ribband whp and they are offering the same this year.

We were 2nd in the 128 HOYs SP at New Forest today. Made the 3.45 departure and sweltering heat worth it - especially as we go a better ride mark than the winner and only beaten by a point.

Well done Mrmonkey with your near miss at New Forest - hope you missed the rain (we did to the other extreme!). Yes DD has been given her BSPS waistcoat by our Area as she is in our Premier League team. She is dead chuffed and already planning on what she is going to pack for BSPS week.

Royal London will be fine for your novice in the afternoon. Actually a nice show during the day - it is during the evening performance that they ramp up the music and "atmosphere" !

Poppy, yes we were entered at TSR and would have gone if we'd not got our ticket. We love Arena UK and it will be on our radar. DD actually got her TSR Gala ticket for 2014 by finishing 2nd at New Forest today!!