F1J4
Full Member
Posts: 232
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Post by F1J4 on Oct 21, 2016 10:36:35 GMT
Hi Everyone! We have qualified in the SSADL for the first time this year, it's been a long time since we have even been to watch! SSADL have been great but Finding it difficult to get much general information and wondering if anybody who has been before could offer any advice? Are hook ups available? Is the Lorry park far from the stables/arena's? Are the stables all indoors? Any other information/experiences greatly appreciated
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janine
Junior Member
Posts: 84
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Post by janine on Oct 21, 2016 10:44:32 GMT
Congrats on your qualification...I would talk to SSADL as to the arrangements with Olympia...bearing in mind you are in Central London you need to think about:
Is your lorry Low emission compliant - £250 per day if not...you unload in a back street to Olympia and walk the horses in to the vet gate within the exhibition centre -- you may be allocated interior stables but there are exterior ones as well. Lorry is then driven by you approx. 15mins away to a central car park so you need to off load your tack and kit....very strange seeing people walk around the Hilton Hotel with an armful of tack! Make sure your passport/flu/tet is up to date and no boosters allowed within 5 days of the event.
Hope you have a fab time
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Post by chloesmum on Oct 21, 2016 10:58:11 GMT
Firstly congrats you will have the most amazing time the SSADL team are BRILLIANT. Echo above re lorry you need to ensure low emission or hire a 3.5 ton or take a trailer. Last year lorry parking was so much easier as we parked behind the underground station in previous years you have to drive to the back of Westfield Shopping Centre to park - quite an experience with Christmas traffic!!! Hopefully this year it will still be at the same car park which is walking distance to the arena and made life much easier, however you still cannot stay on your lorry so no hook ups etc. You will need to book a hotel - Good Luck! Depending on your pocket the Hilton is close by but I think really expensive we always go for a cheaper option and last year found a great little place about 5 mins walk for about 1/10th of the price of the Hilton!! Pm me if you want any help or recommendations but be warned hotels get booked up really quickly with all the trade stand people etc.
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Post by frobster on Oct 22, 2016 7:57:51 GMT
I'd recommend the Novotel London West for hotel, very reasonable and only a short walk away from the stable entrance. I've been 3 times for the SSADL finals and always been stabled indoors, usually very warm inside but they sometimes have holding stables near the entrance which can be a bit chilly.
It really is a surreal experience unloading on the back Street and I always find that bit very stressful so try give yourself plenty of time! Make sure you take a tack locker (Ifor Williams tack pack style ideal for this!) that you can chain to your stable, will save you carrying your tack and show gear round. You will have chance to warm up in the main arena on the morning but it is usually along with the showjumpers and even some display horses so can be very hectic! Not sure whether you're ridden or in-hand but I always took a saddle and rode in the warm-up as it was safer (obviously not possible if not a rideable pony!) Other than this, warm up is very minimal so be well prepared.
It's an incredible experience but will be over in a flash so enjoy every minute!!
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F1J4
Full Member
Posts: 232
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Post by F1J4 on Oct 22, 2016 10:38:26 GMT
Thanks for the info so far! We knew we would have to pay to go through as our Lorry is a HGV but we thought we could stay in the Lorry. May have a rethink now and use a smaller box if we have to pay for hotel anyway!
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Post by bigmama on Nov 3, 2016 11:02:30 GMT
Borrow a lockable locker on wheels if you can, then you can put all your tack inside it, lock it up and chain/padlock it to the outside of your stable, saves hours of lugging heavy tack around hotels and the streets of London!
Have a fab time and good luck!
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Post by horselad_21 on Nov 3, 2016 17:21:55 GMT
EEEKKK!! As have I! My first time too!! #42DaysToGo!! Hope the prep is going well
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Post by maddie on Nov 4, 2016 10:57:38 GMT
If you look on the London immision site all horse boxes have to pay the charge unless not very old ,put in lorry registration and it will tell you if you have to pay or not , sadly we have to pay so that's £400 straight of .
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Post by chloesmum on Nov 4, 2016 12:48:24 GMT
We have never paid but our lorry is 3.5 ton and 61 reg. Our old 3.5 ton was too old so that is why I upgraded a few years ago, although Jacob preferred the old one of course! You might find it cheaper to hire/borrowe a newer 3.5 ton self drive than pay the emission charge, or even a trailer. Competing at Olympia does not come cheap!!
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