Open Days 2012
- Thread starter Ron
- Start date
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I've had a look round to see if there are any others in the offing. Paul Nicholls website says that due to their location they do not have the facilities to hold open days, but you can book a private stable tour (maximum 4 people) for the princely sum of £95 per person 
They are completely sold out for 2012 (tours only held Oct-Apr) but may put up more dates. Check the website for more details: http://www.paulnichollsracing.com/stable-tours.htm
Also, it looks as if the annual Middleham Open Day will also be on Good Friday.
They are completely sold out for 2012 (tours only held Oct-Apr) but may put up more dates. Check the website for more details: http://www.paulnichollsracing.com/stable-tours.htm
Also, it looks as if the annual Middleham Open Day will also be on Good Friday.
I've had a look round to see if there are any others in the offing. Paul Nicholls website says that due to their location they do not have the facilities to hold open days, but you can book a private stable tour (maximum 4 people) for the princely sum of £95 per person
They are completely sold out for 2012 (tours only held Oct-Apr) but may put up more dates. Check the website for more details: http://www.paulnichollsracing.com/stable-tours.htm
Also, it looks as if the annual Middleham Open Day will also be on Good Friday.
The never ending corporate greed.
I accept it takes someone's time to escort/oversee a tour but £380 for a group of four for a couple of hours ?
Give me strength.....
So would I, but you and I can probably afford it, it does however isolate a large chunk of racings fanbase and ruins any chance they have of getting close to the sport and maybe understanding and educating themselves a little more about how the sports works.
A few years ago a numebr of NH trainers held open days (free) around April/May, if Nicholls has taken a lead and now charges it's likley the otehrs will follow suit and the idea of taking the wife and kids for a nice day out and see some of the best NH horses in training disappears - unless you're loaded enough to waste £285 on the family who will get limited benefit from it....
Very true Grizzly....if I went I'd only have to pay for myself.
Like I've mentioned elsewhere, on here, David Nicholson used to hold brilliant open days when he was at Jackdaws Castle...we need more like that.
I might try and get down to Lambourn on Good Friday, if I'm not working.
£95 per person is just far too steep, when you consider a day out at the races is normally sub £30. I know that the experience is vastly different, and presumably more intimate, but to me this is just another sign of the racing fraternity having the £ rather than the public perception of the sport at the fore of their mind.
I go to Silverstone for the Grand Prix, and that to me is a much better value experience than a day out at the Nicholls yard, and that is saying something!!
Yards should be more open with the public, and that is why I salute what is going on in Newmarket.
I go to Silverstone for the Grand Prix, and that to me is a much better value experience than a day out at the Nicholls yard, and that is saying something!!
Yards should be more open with the public, and that is why I salute what is going on in Newmarket.
This is the itinerary:
Itinerary Fridays (available mid October to the end of April)
8.30am Arrive at The Manor House Inn Car Park in Ditcheat to be welcomed by Paul’s tour host Bryan Enticott. Bryan will make you feel welcome and outline the format of the day over a full English breakfast. Why not consider a night away before your stable visit – we recommend The Manor Inn.
9.30am (approximate two hour tour) The excitement then moves on to Manor Farm Stables at the top end of the village, where the day really takes off as you walk into the top racing yard in the country and look eyes right to see some equine giants in the form of Kauto Star, Denman, Master Minded and Big Buck’s. After a look at the horses, as they prepare to head off to the gallops, you should get the chance to meet six times Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls along with some of the staff. (Please note that Paul’s presence is subject to race day commitments.)
You will then be driven to the gallops to watch second lot of the string being put through their paces at first hand. (Please note there is a 200 yard walk from our parking point to the gallops so please come prepared for all weathers - Wellington boots and some warm/waterproof clothing are advised.
10.30am Next you will be driven to the lower yard at Highbridge where Paul has located his indoor school. Here, you will be able to take a look at the remainder of Paul’s top National Hunt team and you may also get the chance to watch the horses being educated in the skills of jumping if they are schooling on the day.
11.15am It’s then back to Manor Farm stables to enjoy an informative tour of the yard to gain an insiders' view of the Champion Trainers string of talented Chasers and Hurdlers as they 'watch you from their boxes'. Here you can enjoy a very welcomed and relaxing hot mug of coffee with biscuits and you will also receive a signed 2011-2012 Horses in Training brochure as a souvenir of your visit.
12.00pm The official tour will end at around noon as Bryan drops you safely back to The Manor Inn where you are free to do as you please, perhaps taking advantage of the Lunchtime offerings with your party and sampling the atmosphere of this venue which stands in the heart of the village and often serves as the lunchtime meeting place for many of the locals including Paul and some his owners/staff.
A signed copy of horses in training a cup of tea and a biscuit seems to be your lot!
Itinerary Fridays (available mid October to the end of April)
8.30am Arrive at The Manor House Inn Car Park in Ditcheat to be welcomed by Paul’s tour host Bryan Enticott. Bryan will make you feel welcome and outline the format of the day over a full English breakfast. Why not consider a night away before your stable visit – we recommend The Manor Inn.
9.30am (approximate two hour tour) The excitement then moves on to Manor Farm Stables at the top end of the village, where the day really takes off as you walk into the top racing yard in the country and look eyes right to see some equine giants in the form of Kauto Star, Denman, Master Minded and Big Buck’s. After a look at the horses, as they prepare to head off to the gallops, you should get the chance to meet six times Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls along with some of the staff. (Please note that Paul’s presence is subject to race day commitments.)
You will then be driven to the gallops to watch second lot of the string being put through their paces at first hand. (Please note there is a 200 yard walk from our parking point to the gallops so please come prepared for all weathers - Wellington boots and some warm/waterproof clothing are advised.
10.30am Next you will be driven to the lower yard at Highbridge where Paul has located his indoor school. Here, you will be able to take a look at the remainder of Paul’s top National Hunt team and you may also get the chance to watch the horses being educated in the skills of jumping if they are schooling on the day.
11.15am It’s then back to Manor Farm stables to enjoy an informative tour of the yard to gain an insiders' view of the Champion Trainers string of talented Chasers and Hurdlers as they 'watch you from their boxes'. Here you can enjoy a very welcomed and relaxing hot mug of coffee with biscuits and you will also receive a signed 2011-2012 Horses in Training brochure as a souvenir of your visit.
12.00pm The official tour will end at around noon as Bryan drops you safely back to The Manor Inn where you are free to do as you please, perhaps taking advantage of the Lunchtime offerings with your party and sampling the atmosphere of this venue which stands in the heart of the village and often serves as the lunchtime meeting place for many of the locals including Paul and some his owners/staff.
A signed copy of horses in training a cup of tea and a biscuit seems to be your lot!
I'm sure it'll be a fantastic experience but it's disappointing they charge what they so for limited time/effort.
I remember Hen Knight and Jenny Pitman doing these - Hen literally made all visitors cups of tea herself and spoke with as many visitors as she could, yes it's an effort for them but it's one day and who knows there may be a future owner amongst the crowd and if you've been afforded that kind of hospitality you're unlikely to forget it.
Sounds like the Newmarket ones will be similar...
I remember Hen Knight and Jenny Pitman doing these - Hen literally made all visitors cups of tea herself and spoke with as many visitors as she could, yes it's an effort for them but it's one day and who knows there may be a future owner amongst the crowd and if you've been afforded that kind of hospitality you're unlikely to forget it.
Sounds like the Newmarket ones will be similar...
Does that mean that Bryan outlines the format of the day over a full English breakfast, whilst we watch on and listen?
No mention of riding any of them. Just as well or Amanda would be there like a shot.
I think we need to put this in to some sort of perspective.
Paul Nicholls has absolutely no obligation whatsoever to allow anybody to come and look round his yard. He is very open with the media and we get a lot of 'access' to his yard, whether that be through his Betfair column, gallops videos, and so on. It is simply not possible to have people continually coming to look round the place and as he says, their facilities do not allow an open day type event.
It must be remembered that trainers of the calibre of Nicholls/Henderson are about the busiest people in the country, literally flat out from 7 in the morning until 7 or even 8 at night. They have a business to run and cannot spend time accommodating people who want to come and pat Kauto Star on the nose for free. Moreover, a busy racing yard is simply not a place suitable for people without the necessary acumen to avoid the flying hooves, bucking horses, etc.
Obviously Paul does not have the time to sort out these people on his own so in order to allow people the chance to come to the yard he must hire somebody to run the tour operation. That incurs a cost, and means that the consumer must pay for the service. The very fact that the "£95 per person" tours "are completely sold out for 2012" suggest that it is actually a very fair price indeed.
Of course Nicholls is making money from it but if you had worked as hard as he had to get where he is, you had the best stable in the land, featuring Kauto Star, the 2nd greatest horse of all time, Big Buck's, the greatest staying hurdler of all time, Denman, general legend, and so on, would you not do the same?
I find it hard to understand the criticism. My only criticism would be as an economist - Why is he not charging more if there is a supply shortage?!
Paul Nicholls has absolutely no obligation whatsoever to allow anybody to come and look round his yard. He is very open with the media and we get a lot of 'access' to his yard, whether that be through his Betfair column, gallops videos, and so on. It is simply not possible to have people continually coming to look round the place and as he says, their facilities do not allow an open day type event.
It must be remembered that trainers of the calibre of Nicholls/Henderson are about the busiest people in the country, literally flat out from 7 in the morning until 7 or even 8 at night. They have a business to run and cannot spend time accommodating people who want to come and pat Kauto Star on the nose for free. Moreover, a busy racing yard is simply not a place suitable for people without the necessary acumen to avoid the flying hooves, bucking horses, etc.
Obviously Paul does not have the time to sort out these people on his own so in order to allow people the chance to come to the yard he must hire somebody to run the tour operation. That incurs a cost, and means that the consumer must pay for the service. The very fact that the "£95 per person" tours "are completely sold out for 2012" suggest that it is actually a very fair price indeed.
Of course Nicholls is making money from it but if you had worked as hard as he had to get where he is, you had the best stable in the land, featuring Kauto Star, the 2nd greatest horse of all time, Big Buck's, the greatest staying hurdler of all time, Denman, general legend, and so on, would you not do the same?
I find it hard to understand the criticism. My only criticism would be as an economist - Why is he not charging more if there is a supply shortage?!