Wasn't complaining about David's - on the contrary - I choose to make the journey there and choose to have my horses trained over that side of the country....I have never ridden at any western show and have not walked into the arena as a competitor since 2004. Perhaps this year will still be the year
......or possibly next year.
I choose to go to shows in Yorkshire because of the atmosphere and the social occassion. Merely using this forum to point out that geography is and always will be an issue for us and was hoping, as I know others were too, that the National might return to at least in the Midlands if not 'out west'.
Why does any thread which holds any suggestion of an open discussion on a point that genuinely affects us all i.e. location of shows and fuel costs - have to be taken as a derisive comment about the event organsers or location owners?
Like I said at the start, you can't please all of the people.......but we shouldn't be made to feel as though we are not supporting or not doing our bit if we CHOOSE not to spend the money and go because of distance and cost. Oh, and undercover is nice, but isn't really a necessity is it - it doesn't guarantee a show going on or continuing, rather leaves you with a venue and few competitors due to them choosing not to show up but with no insurance redress as 'you could have continued with the show' rather than it being called a total washout???
Thankfully there are more venues being opened up and significant refurbishment taking place to existing venues around my way and on this side of the country, I would hope one of them might keep all the disciplines happy.
I just thought it would be nice to have a Northern, Central, Southern and Western venue to attend.....if the surfaces/venues were available.....we used to do this with the dog shows in Aust, and with the Appaloosa National - it rotated around the big cities - you knew if you qualified you would be travelling to - well Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle, Canberra etc - in some cases 1000's of miles. Still I am now dreaming out loud.....of to work errr study.
J.
i didn't realise that the breed show is moving to march! its just as far for us in the south east as for you west country folk! i just hate the m25 and m11, used to like going to towerlands though! i think we all complain too much about david's, he's done such a great job and we all should appreciate him and his team more!!!!! i know everyone wants good surfaces and says its mainly for the reiners, but that's not true - i certainly don't like the surface at the main english venues and i think in time they will realise the problem too. 
