Fellow columnist Robert Walker and myself have both commented on the issue of judges penalising young horses for being a little immature. We have both received very positive comments from the showing community. It seems the trend nowadays is that older horses are the norm, whereas they used to be unheard of when they reached double figures as they would usually have gone on to do another job.
I think we need to realise that without these fresh, young horses, we won’t have any for the future. A young horse should not be penalised because of its age if it performs well. I’m always excited to see a new star.
For me, negative comments about a little physical immaturity would be very insignificant compared to, say, an older horse that is very well made up but may have a lot of wear and tear in the joints. I know which animal I would sooner have.
Wasted on some
Reflecting on Royal International week, where we had intense heat that then swiftly turned into a monsoon, thank goodness we had the fabulous facilities to accommodate such a vast number of horses.
We must be grateful for the resurfacing of ring three, the track in ring five and of course, the enormous all-weather working arena. Without these improvements, the show could have been in danger of being cancelled. Thankfully, Hickstead organisers made sure this was never an option.
The amount of money these improvements cost is sadly wasted on some competitors, who seem to take for granted the multi-millions spent to make their experience better. It’s sad to see people abusing the facilities by littering and making a mess. I dread to think how long the clean-up operation takes.
Second-class citizens
I know the team at Hickstead are very open to constructive comments and there has been much competitor talk about perhaps altering the timetable to swap the lead-rein with the cobs. Unfortunately, the cobs did make a bit of a mess of the ring before the lead-rein ponies went in. It probably does make sense to put the lead-rein animals in there and move the cobs to an alternative ring.
It was a wise move to barrier off the collecting ring from the showjumpers, especially as we have very young jockeys who may not be as aware as the older competitors. This gave them some protection and I’m sure the showjumpers were also grateful for the improvement. It was good still to be able to use the whole arena to work in and I did see the majority of people just sticking to the outside and then using the barriered area to turn and circle.
It’s always beneficial to see these changes, which are made with common sense. At some shows, the “showing lot” can be disregarded like second-class citizens; however, at Hickstead we are treated very well and given the same fabulous facilities as the other competitors.
An amateur rider whose horse tested positive for banned substances has warned others to be vigilant and ensure they leave ‘a substantial amount of time’ before a competition after routine veterinary treatment.
Samantha Wallin’s home-produced Retraining Of Racehorses (RoR) contender Awesome Freddie was tested positive for prohibited substances in a sample of blood taken at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting, where he stood champion in the RoR Tattersalls Thoroughbred Show Series Championship.
The sample tested positive for phenylbutazone, oxyphenylbutazone, acepromazine and HEPS, which are prohibited substances as defined in the RoR rules and regulations.
The positive result came days after Freddie had been given some bute following shock wave therapy he received on his hock.
Freddie has suffered from a hock issue throughout his retraining and after some soreness mid-season Samantha was advised by her vet to try shock wave therapy.
“He had some bute and it was still in his system at Hickstead,” said Samantha, who has owned Freddie for three years. “It was a routine thing to do; I wasn’t covering up a lame horse. People need to know that withdrawal times are only guidelines and to learn from my experience and leave it longer than advised.
“I am in full support of the RoR and their testing; Freddie has been tested twice before and the results came back clear. This was the biggest win of both our careers and it’s gone due to the fact he was out by a matter of days. People need to learn that we can get it wrong; this has been a devastating lesson and it’s all been very upsetting.
“Freddie will still need to have treatment on his hocks, but I will be sure to leave a longer period in between treatment and shows.”
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Credit was given by the panel for Samantha’s early admission of the breach, the fact that no B sample was requested, her co-operation throughout the matter and her attendance at the hearing to give evidence.
The presence of the prohibited substances was still considered a breach and the penalties included a £500 fine, a disqualification from the class at Hickstead and a two-year caution.
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A show pony who took a nine-year-old girl to the 14.2hh Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) final has been put down aged 25.
Groveside Bellboy appeared at both HOYS and the Royal International Horse Show for four years running with Caitlin Galbraith in the saddle, competing in 14.2hh show pony and intermediate show riding type classes.
Caitlin’s godmother Fiona Wallace bought “Billy” as a nine-year-old.
“He’d been bought by Lynn Robertson for her daughter and went to Julie Templeton’s,” she told H&H. “Caitlin and I were in Scotland at the time and she was really tall – but Julie said: ‘I’ve got the perfect pony for her.”
At the age of nine, Caitlin started competing Billy in 14.2hh classes, while she was still young enough to be eligible for first-ridden ponies.
“That’s the sort of pony he was, he did it for her,” Fiona said.
“He was the pony of a lifetime; if you could create his mould, you’d be very rich!”
After four years at the top level, Billy dropped down to more local competitions, as “he just loved being in the ring”.
“He was a monkey outside it though!” Fiona said. “He didn’t like hacking out at all – several people fell off him out hacking – and he didn’t like schooling either.
“When he didn’t want to do something, he would just dig his heels in but the ring was his happy place. When he went in the ring, he put his happy face on and went in to do his job.
“We think she must have been the youngest competitor to qualify for the HOYS intermediates and 14.2hh, and that was testament to him. He was always there or thereabouts; a nine- or 10-year-old wasn’t going to win against all the others being so much older, but the fact they got there at all was such an achievement.”
Fiona said Caitlin loved Billy so much that when he retired, her father bought him so he could spend his last years at Caitlin’s family’s riding school and equestrian centre in Scotland.
On Tuesday (27 August) Billy suffered a bout of colic and had to be put down.
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“The vet said he looked peaceful, and his coat looked as if he could have gone back in the show ring,” Fiona said.
“He was such a gentleman and a delight to deal with; everyone who’s commented on Caitlin’s Facebook post about him has said he was a saint, and actually, he really was; you don’t get many like him.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
A showing competitor found herself doing the walk of shame after her cheeky New Forest pony decided to roll in the middle of the ring.
Jane Carpenter, who works as a freelance groom, was taking part in an in-hand class at Brook Stud Events near Chippenham, Wilts, when her four-year-old Mo (Buckland Hat Trick) decided to put the surface to the test.
“It was the first sand school we’ve been in and he’d already tried to go down a couple of times when we were walking round,” Jane said. “When we were pulled into line, we were stood there for the best part of 10 mins with me persuading him not to, then he thought ‘stuff you’ and went down flat.
“For a minute I thought he’d died! I think he’d been plotting the best way of getting down while I was is still holding on to him for some time.”
Jane said that once she had got him up, she decided the best course of action was to quietly leave the ring.
“I thought ‘I can’t dust that off’ and when it was safe to walk round the back of the other horses I left. The judge may have found it funny but I didn’t have the courage to look!” she added.
Jane bought Mo as a six-month old foal, in what she describes as a “midlife crisis moment”. Having always ridden sport horse types, on a whim she decided to travel to the New Forest’s Beaulieu Road sales.
“I had no interest in New Forests before that but I saw they were on the rare breeds list one day and I thought ‘it would be fun to have one’. I had just celebrated my 50th birthday, so I thought it would be a nice present to myself,” she said.
“I spotted him in a pen and he was the best £138 I have ever spent. I also bought another one while I was there, the last one to come in the ring.
“I went down there for the crack of it and came back with these two and haven’t regretted a moment of it.”
While Jane originally planned to back 14.2hh Mo next year and “find some kids to ride him and get to watch them having fun”, the pony’s outgoing personality has inspired her to keep him for herself.
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“He was completely feral when I got him but has always been very up front about everything. All the blood and sports types I have had in the past have been nicely mannered but he is into everything,” she said.
“He’ll put his feet in the trough and climb in a paddling pool if I leave it out for him. I find him as entertaining as he finds life. I’ve never known another one like him.
“He is the first one at the fence if we’re going somewhere, he loads on his own, loves people, doesn’t really care about the other horses and is so, so different to anything I’ve owned before.”
Jane added that Mo had been a “saving grace” after she lost two of her horses in seven weeks.
“I lost my lovely coloured horse to colic and then I had to have my old ex-racehorse put down,” she said. “Fate deals you a funny hand sometimes and Mo has been the one to put a smile back on my face.”
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A good horse is a good horse no matter how it’s bred, but we all have our favourite recipes for success. Mine has always been a mixture of Irish Draught and thoroughbred blood, so it was great to see so many lovely animals at the Irish Draught Horse Society (GB) championship show (17-18 August).
The in-hand classes were enormous and it was encouraging to see so many promising youngsters. I’d love to see more of them at county shows; I know the costs of fuel and entry fees may be limiting factors, but it’s disappointing when there are only one or two forward. These shows are a great showcase and shop window for breeders.
Youngstock classes offer a fantastic foundation. A youngster who has been to a few shows as a two- and three-year-old is much easier and happier when he starts his ridden showing career, because he’s seen all the sights and sounds. While it’s important not to over-show youngsters — or to put too much weight on them in the mistaken impression that judges want them to look extra mature — letting them see showground sights, such as ringside barriers, gives them a head start when they begin under saddle.
Some people complain that three-year-olds shouldn’t be shown in double bridles, something that was prohibited for a while under Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain rules and then allowed again. I don’t think there’s a right or a wrong way, because it all depends on how well the bridle and bits are fitted, and how skilful the handler is. Good hands are as essential when showing in-hand as when riding.
As long as the handler runs the horse off the bradoon (snaffle) and doesn’t apply a strong curb rein, I can’t see a problem. The proviso is that the horse should be accustomed to two bits before being shown and that they and the bridle should be adjusted correctly.
Recently, a young handler complained that her horse was pulling his tongue back. The reason was that the bits were too high. I like a horse to be able to mouth his bits and be comfortable with them, not struggle against them because they are pulled too tightly into the corners of his mouth.
More than bad behaviour
When fitting any bit, don’t just count wrinkles at the corners of the mouth. Look also at how the bits rest inside the mouth as well as the adjustment of the curb chain, and assess your horse’s reactions.
If he resists, he isn’t being naughty. He’s uncomfortable, and this is either because of dental issues, because the bit fit needs adjusting, the mouthpieces don’t suit his mouth conformation or any combination of issues.
I’ve recently been training members of the English team for the National Pony Society (NPS) International Tri-Nations Challenge, an annual event between Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand featuring teams of young riders. I was delighted to see the home team win the British leg of the championships at the NPS championships, as this initiative covers everything from ridden and in-hand ability to knowledge of horse welfare.
Good luck to all those who will be travelling to Australia next year.
Double Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin and top showing rider Rory Gilsenan took some time off from their respective sports last week to enjoy a day riding together.
The two friends spent Wednesday (28 August) popping showjumps at Rory’s Oxfordshire yard, riding through fields and jumping some impressive hedges at Tim Price’s neighbouring farm.
Charlotte had the honour of riding 10-year-0ld Irish sport horse gelding Atlantic Slim, with whom working hunter specialist Rory claimed the Cuddy Working Hunter of the Year title at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in 2018. Rory himself piloted Claudine O’Connor’s heavyweight hunter Vision Impossible, who was seventh at HOYS last year with his owner.
As they approached one sizeable but well-trimmed hedge, Charlotte called, “I’m just going to put in a circle first, and get my canter”, to which Rory replied, “He had a canter on the gallops — don’t be a pussy!” Charlotte went on to clear the hedge several times in impressive style, including side by side with Rory.
Today was one of those to remember! Two of the most talented legends in our horsey industry and more importantly, great friends having a bit of craic!
Charlotte wrote on Facebook: “The challenges we face are sent to make us stronger. This week, I learned that my dear friend, Rory Gilsenan, has discovered that his brain tumour has returned, which for those who go through this and those around them, is crushing. But we know that when we choose hope, anything is possible.”
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Charlotte continued: “So today, two friends decided to forget about the world and just have fun with two horses, and I cannot tell you how much fun it was! One of the best days I’ve had in a long time.”
A fundraising campaign for Rory has been launched by feed and supplement brand Equine America, which is also donating 50% of the money from the sale of its new Bloom & Condition Pellets to Rory and his family.
Don’t miss this week’s issue of H&H for extensive coverage from the European Dressage, Para Dressage and Showjumping Championships, on sale now.
The 50th anniversary of the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) summer championships took place at Arena UK. Ponies and riders were out in force and both working hunter and flat contenders had their chance to dazzle under the evening performance floodlights. But who took home the coveted titles this season?
Check out these 20 winners who shone bright at this much-loved championship fixture.
1. Coco Bongo
Chloe Lemieux and this scopey 133cm contender land the coveted Desert Orchid working hunter pony of the year championship
2. Small Land Dream Maker
The Team Harvey-produced 148cm gelding was victorious in the Mead show pony supreme crowning for rider Ellis Taverner-Burns
3. Birkinbrook Arabella
Coco Lanni and her nursery stakes charge take home the Saunters Plant Hire mini working hunter pony of the year supreme sash
4. Redshaws Out Of The Balou
The Classic Services worker title goes to Alasdair Prickett and this classy intermediate campaigner
5. Lyncrest’s Malakie
The Dun Highland stallion and Rebecca Penny top the Heritage Champions of Champions field
6. Gloves Blakehill William
The consistent Connemara and Ellie Kivlochan are off to see Santa as they head the Olympia Heritage championship, booking their place at the December final
7. Elmswood Spring Bubble
This four-year-old mare and Beatrice Taverner-Jordan scoop the Jobling-Purser supreme mini show pony honours, with producer John Harvey
8. Broomfield Pocket Money
The Black Country Saddles rider of the year supreme goes to the winner of the under 17s section, Gigi Gough
9. Ruso Something Perfect
Sally Baxter’s lead-rein of hunter type, ridden by Lily Varley, is picture perfect to stand Evans mini show hunter pony supreme
10. Brynrodyn Danielle
Mini queen Sharn Linney leads Jessica Summers to victory in the novice Heritage championship on the pretty palomino mare
11. Cadlanvalley Buzby
Libby Grota and the superstar Welsh section B stallion trot to the Heritage supreme
12. Chycoose Morning Edition
Martha Jobling-Purser gets a winning tune out of the striking 148cm show pony to land the Classic Services supreme
13. Idyllic Spartacus
The grey Welsh section A never misses a beat on route to the Heritage mini supreme with Livie Smith at the helm
14. Rascality
The gelding and a delighted Chrystia Reynolds gallop to the Nobel Bing working hunter supreme accolade as well as a HOYS ticket
15. Merrycorner Mister Bui
Harriet Dennsion rides the 153cm show hunter pony to scoop the top title of the show, the Philip Judge International supreme
16. Barford Jackpot
There’s no stopping Mia Donaldson and 133cm show hunter pony gelding as they clinch a host of wins including the Colosso family supreme show hunter pony of the year award
17. Townend Schubert
Aimme Devane and the multi-garlanded Fell stallion land the Saunters Plant Hire Heritage working hunter pony supreme
18. Moortown Master Craftsman
Lucinda Leeming is Black Country Saddles mini rider of the year aboard her delightful Dartmoor gelding
19. Hilin Hynod
The Team Holder Show Team home-produced title is awarded to this show pony first ridden and his young jockey Matilda Holmes.
20. Justin The Cards
Poppy Carter reigns in the Classic Services intermediate supreme on this five-year-old show riding type.
For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday. Catch the full report from the 2019 BSPS summer championship show in this week’s issue (5 September)
A Shetland pony stallion, who was bought unhandled out of the field just last year, has qualified for the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) small breeds final in his first ridden season.
Frankie Currell’s four-year-old Hestigarth Prolific (William) competed in his first ever HOYS qualifier at the National Pony Society (NPS) summer championships where he picked up his coveted ticket.
William was sold as a weaned foal at the Aberdeen breed sale.
Frankie notes that to get the ponies to the sale venue, the vendors would leave on Friday night on the NorthLink Ferries to take the 14-hour trip across the north sea. After arriving at the auction market, the ponies rest on Saturday before the show and sale take place on Sunday and Monday, respectively.
“It’s lucky if the ponies can make the crossing as the sea can be very rough,” explains Frankie
“I first spotted William in Penzance where he was living with Marion Mathews at the Zennor Shetland stud. Marion had purchased him as a future stud stallion, but when he got turned out with a mare she took one look at him and ran through three sets of fencing!”
“I first saw William in the field in the middle of winter. He was a wild youngster but I could see the quality through the mud and thick winter coat. At the time, he was living on his own so he hadn’t had much handling and was semi-wild.”
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Once he arrived back at Frankie’s yard, William was then backed and proved to have a fantastic temperament for the ridden job.
Frankie continues: “We competed in a few winter shows and H&H even tipped him as a coloured pony to look out for during. We had a great week at the NPS summer championships, as we not only qualified for HOYS but also won the Shearwater and Picton finals.”
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After qualifying for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) last season for the very first time, side-saddle rider Cheryl Mcvay had her dreams shattered five minutes after she entered the international arena when her stirrup snapped off during her gallop and she was disqualified.
Cheryl and her horse Ballinakill had been contending side-saddle classes for six seasons before they clinched their golden ticket at the Royal Highland Show last term.
“Last season was the first time either of us had qualified,” says Cheryl. “We worked so hard in the lead up to HOYS. Ballinakill went amazingly in the morning during the 5am exercise. I couldn’t believe after trying for so many years the big day was finally here.
“Little did I know just minutes later my dream would be shattered; my stirrup snapped clean off right after our gallop and we were disqualified from the class.
“I was heartbroken as we made the long lonely walk back to the wagon never thinking we would make it again. I felt I had let everyone down.”
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A year later and Cheryl and her gelding were back at the Royal Highland show for another crack at the whip.
“I didn’t even imagine we could do it twice,” she continues. “He went amazingly on the go-round and was pulled fifth. I hoped that I could possibly move up to third after his show.
“During the walk round waiting for the final pull in, I saw the steward pull in the combination behind. However, the rider didn’t go into the line up so I looked and there was the poor steward waving his hat frantically at me! I cried at the fact this super horse had done it again and my team at the side lines could just about be heard in the nearby airport! The judge gave some amazing comments and the rest was a bit of blur.
“With just a few weeks to to go here we are with a new saddle and of course, a brand new stirrup.”
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As we get to that time in the season where many are still on the merry-go-round of trying to qualify for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), it’s nice to look back at a great summer of showing. Fixtures such as the Royal International (RIHS), Great Yorkshire and Dublin have been well-supported with five rows of spectators at some.
This year’s RIHS took me back to the days of Ponies (UK) (PUK) some 20 years ago. We’d always go — not just for the quality ponies but also the social aspect. People would take a week off work to head off on their summer holiday and would catch up with friends, also enjoying a party or two.
Due to cost, my father didn’t register my ponies, so I started going to PUK with a friend and I loved it. Showing can be a lonely sport and it can be a regime for us, and especially for our children; getting up at the crack of dawn, travelling for hours and then perhaps not having the best day in the ring. Shows like PUK keep their enthusiasm up so they want to go to another show the following weekend.
Dublin is one we never, ever miss. It’s the one time of year we get to see the breeders of some of our horses and look out for future stars. The breeders take such pride in producing a young horse good enough to compete at Dublin.
This year, an experience in the grandstand put showing into perspective. I was sitting watching the small hunters and next to me was a support group of a competitor in the class. She was called out about 15th in the line-up and she received the biggest cheer of the day.
It was a reality check, as most of us are dampened when we don’t even win. This rider was smiling and was evidently just happy that her horse had behaved himself, given the judge a good ride and that she was there competing at her national show.
Still a show horse
It’s interesting to see the shift in focus in horse classes in recent years, particularly in workers. Years ago, you could go to a big show and watch the quality weight horses which had competed on the flat go round the worker track. But today, it seems the courses aren’t as inviting, so are more suited to the showjumper types.
The round is often decidedby the course-builders who design tight, technical tracks, meaning clear rounds are more elusive. Gone are the days when the judges had several clears to assess in the flat portion of a class.
We must remember that a working hunter is still a show horse, and conformation should still be carefully assessed and considered. We all know a showjumper can come into the ring and jump a clear round, but it might not have the best style or the limbs or type for the job. The judges still have to award 20/20 for both ride and conformation, meaning a four-faulter could still easily come up to stand at the top of a class.
A few weeks ago, I went to an initial meeting for a new “producers group”. The aim of this group is to give riders a voice and possibly a seat at the table in the Showing Council, so societies can become more in line.
This will hopefully make rules and regulations more workable and easy to follow.
It’s early days, but I think it’s a positive step in making our sport more enjoyable and accessible by putting riders with experience on a governing panel.
Mackenzie Preston was over the moon when she qualified her home-produced traditional coloured cob for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in the SEIB Search For A Star (SFAS) final, giving her a first ever ticket to the championship show. But the home-producer never expected she would be HOYS bound in open coloured ranks just a couple of months later.
Mackenzie’s cob, Randalstown Razzmatazz (Obie), was purchased from a photo in 2016. He was subsequently brought over from Ireland to begin his new life in Southampton with Mackenzie.
“We had a honeymoon period which saw us hunting together on Boxing Day and enjoying lots of hacking out,” explains Mackenzie. “As the new year commenced we set about schooling to prepare for our season of showing. However, Obie had other ideas. He had lots of tricks up his sleeve to avoid involving himself in any such past time, resulting in my mum wanting me to sell him.
“I categorically said no and started to get help and advice from my instructor and friend Kelly Jones. We worked hard together and our bond grew.”
For as long as she can remember, Mackenzie has dreamed about riding at HOYS.
She continues: “With the introduction this year of the SEIB SFAS traditional cob class, I knew that we had to give it a go. We went to a qualifier at Bury Farm in June. Obie went absolutely amazing on the go round and performed a lovely show. To my shock we won, on our first attempt, and my dream became a reality.
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“Following this I decided to continue to compete in the open qualifiers we had already entered. We travelled up to Stoneleigh horse show in August. Looking around we saw so many professionals and it looked to be a strong class. After the go round we were pulled in third which I was over the moon with. Obie looked to give the judge a nice ride and when it came down to the results where we were placed second. It then slowly sunk in that the winner had already qualified and that golden ticket was ours.
“I could hear my mum screaming and sobbing outside the ring. We had done it, our second HOYS ticket. It was also lovely to have so many people congratulate us and make the day so special on both occasions.
“I haven’t stopped smiling since qualifying, I still can’t believe after years and years of trying we have now gone and gained two tickets in one season.”
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A home produced Welsh section B pony made his owner’s dreams come true when he qualified for the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) at one of season’s biggest shows, the Royal Welsh.
Bethan Jones’ Priestwood Darwin won a mammoth breed class before standing reserve section champion with stand in jockey Danielle Brice.
“This was his first ridden class of the season,” explains Bethan. “Danielle hadn’t ridden him in two years and she only sat on him for 20 minutes the morning before the class.”
Bethan produces Darwin from home with help from her fiancée. While she usually rides him herself, Bethan was unable to pilot him at the Royal Welsh this season.
“Twelve months ago I collapsed at the yard and stopped breathing,” says Bethan, who works full time in the dairy industry as a trader. “My fiancée gave me CPR which saved my life and I have since been diagnosed with chronic asthma. I asked Danielle to ride him in the qualifier as I have a section C pony and didn’t feel strong enough to do two classes back-to-back.”
At home, Bethan rents an old barn from a neighbouring farmer and the family built some stables on the site. Like many home producers, she has to make the best of the facilities she has access to.
She continues: “I have no arena and live alongside a very busy main trunk road which makes for interesting hacking. The ponies get turned out with the cows and I also school in the field on a hill. Once haylage is taken in June I’m then able to ride on a flat field. The only things which make my life a little easier is the horse shower and lorry. I juggle the horses around work and I have a one hour commute each way to the office. Over winter, I clip hundreds of horses which helps pay for the following showing season.”
I thoroughly enjoyed judging the show ponies at what is considered to be the best outdoor gig of the season — the Royal International (RIHS) — when show animals are at their peak and a big arena allows the good movers to perform at their best.
My co-judge Debbie Gregson and I were in deep conversation throughout the go-round, so that when selecting the initial line-up, we were singing from the same hymn sheet. This is crucial and meant that we could trust each other’s judgement when we went our separate ways. No dialogue and a random pull-in are not for me!
Even though none of the ponies with my highest conformation scores won, the results were satisfactory, proving that the marks system does work.
In line with my brother Nigel’s sentiments in last month’s Sunday Telegraph, that judges are fully aware of and actively discouraging obesity in the show ring, I made a point of marking down ponies that were too round for this time of year.
Frustratingly below-par in-hand shows were penalised, too. Some riders down the line actually asked where to stand their ponies up! Presumably they had been watching the ridden shows for inspiration, so why not those displays in the conformation phase, which also carry 50% of the marks?
‘Masterpiece of ringcraft’
Our champion and reserve came from the middle height section (138cm) and were real ‘London ponies’ that you could envisage trotting down the centre, under lights and in front of a crowd in the capital. Many ponies entered the ring without a smile, either through overpreparation or sometimes, I suspect, resenting their earplugs.
Our champion, Drakemyre Puttin On The Ritz, lived up to his name and his jockey India Till later gave a display worthy of the supreme title, well choreographed by their trainer Katy Carter. It was a masterpiece of ringcraft in that awkward main ring space. They didn’t disappear behind the jumps or into the distance, but performed in front of the judges.
H&H’s RIHS preview issue highlighted suggestions from the experts on how to execute something memorable in a supreme scenario. I don’t know whether to be disappointed or relieved that a rider wasn’t brave or stupid enough to incorporate the water jump — where the judges were — as a prop!
Rewarding great turnout
Judging the Ronnie Marmont championship (open to show hunter pony ponies exceeding 143cm and intermediate show hunters, and judged on turnout, condition and presentation) at the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) summer championships came with added responsibility.
Ronnie was the doyen of turnout in his day and, on a personal note, contributed an expert opinion passage in my Successful Showing book, published in 1989.
The remit was to choose the rider most correctly turned out, aboard a well-presented hunter type, and this task was made easier when I spied that there were only two competitors whose garter strap buckles were in the correct place.
Tabitha Green was the lucky recipient of the Schweppes trophy, which Ronnie won outright when the RIHS was held at White City.
Let’s face it, it happens to all of us. Those head-in-hands moments at a competition when you want the ground to swallow you up. When you embarrass yourself in front of a huge crowd (or the two men and a dog at your local show). When you let your horse down. When you drive to the other end of the country and get eliminated…
Here are 13 ridiculous mistakes all competition riders have made at some stage in their careers…
1. Gone the wrong way in a dressage test.
2. Gone the wrong way in a dressage test several times and been eliminated. Even more embarrassing if the test is being called…
3. Jumped the wrong showjumping course or the wrong fence in the jumping phase of a working hunter class and been eliminated.
4. Missed out a cross-country fence. And been eliminated (spot the re-occuring theme here?).
5. Trotted into line after being pulled in in a showing class and then been told the steward was actually pointing to the girl behind you…
6. Got confused about the optimum time across country and chased your poor horse home, only to discover you have too-fast time-faults. Anyone else translated 5min 43sec turn into 4min 53sec?
7. Started before the bell in the showjumping and been eliminated.
8. Done the wrong set show — who knew “trot away, canter in the corner” could be so hard to follow?
9. Left your horse’s boots on when you entered the dressage arena… and been eliminated.
A former trainer and amateur jockey has hung up her racing saddle and picked up a pair of double reins as she has embarked on a showing career riding a horse she previous rode to success in point-to-points.
While ex-racehorses retired from the track usually find new riders when they start their careers in the show ring, Jessica Westwood has kept the ride on her 16-year-old steeplechaser Monkerty Tunkerty (Monkey).
Monkey was a winner both under Rules and in point-to-points, while Jessica has made the switch to showing after recovering from a serious head injury suffered in a point-to-point fall.
“Monkey ran 33 times as a racehorse, winning nine races,” says Jessica. “Five of those times I was riding him.”
Monkey was retired from racing after the Somerset National in 2016. In 2018, he was crowned Retraining of Racehorses Horse of the Year.
In the three years since Monkey his last race he has been busy showing and showjumping.
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He and Jessica won the former racehorse class at Devon County show just the day before qualifying for the SEIB Search for a Star final at Stretcholt Equestrian Centre back in May.
“This is the first time we have done Search For A Star and it’s so exciting to have qualified for HOYS,” adds Jessica.
The 2019 SEIB Search For A Star finals will take place at the Horse of the Year Show in the TopSpec Arena between Wednesday 2 and Friday 4 October 2019.
For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday. Check out the full report from HOYS in the 10 October issue and stay up to date at horseandhound.co.uk throughout the week
The showing circuit never fails to provide its share of anecdotes and tales for the dinner table, but one show rider has gone a step further and has written his own novel exploring the inner-workings of horse showing and the people who make up the show scene.
Four-time Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) winner Bobby Bright’s recently released literary creation Sex, Drugs and Red Rosettes is a comedy novel about horse showing and the equestrian world.
The novel explores the lifestyle of equestrians and delves into the politics and corruption of equestrian competitions.
“Bobby is already an established author and has been working on the novel for a good year,” said Bobby’s father David. “The idea had been brewing in his head for years as he’s been massively involved in showing with his sister since he was young. I think anyone who competes in the show ring will be able to relate.”
The cover has been designed to mimic a first prize rosette and has been finished in vegan leather. The book has been handmade in Britain and bonded with a method of production which utilises a 200 million-year-old petrified wood pressing system.
Here’s a snippet from the book, which was released on 3 September…
“Teddy returned to the hosepipe to find that the end had slipped out of the bucket and was watering the surrounding field. He picked up the end and put it in the bucket, only for it to instantly snake out the moment he dropped it. He grasped it once more, and angrily shoved it into the bucket. Again, the hosepipe refused to stay.
“What the literal hell!?” Teddy exclaimed quietly as he grabbed the end of the hose and threw it in the bucket with a furious toss. The bucket filled for a few seconds and Teddy allowed his wrath to abate, until the hosepipe slowly moved due to the pressure of the water, and flicked out of the bucket. “Stay in the damn bucket!” Teddy yelled as he lurched for the hose and threw it in the container again, only for it to immediately backfire and shoot water in the air to soak his face. “ARGH!” he yelled as he grabbed it and wrestled it under control; water spraying upwards as Teddy could no longer control his ire. He held the hose as if he was choking it. “Yeah, you like that!? Huh!?” Teddy threaded it through the handle of the plastic water bucket and wrapped it tightly in a coil around the bottom of the container. He tried to calm himself but at that moment, the rage he felt for the hosepipe consumed him; he treated the inanimate object as if it was his worst enemy. His frustration wouldn’t subside as the hose gave the impression of having a will of its own. As the hosepipe threatened to move, Teddy decided to hold it in place, plunging his hands on the hosepipe as if he was drowning it, so it would stay in the bucket.”
The debate over adults working in ponies seems to be raging on. The sooner The Showing Council and societies reach some common ground over the weight ratio, the better.
While I understand the ruling specifying no one over the age of 16 can ride 122cm ponies anywhere on a showground has been brought in with the best of intentions, it doesn’t make sense that an appropriately sized 17-year-old cannot work in a pony of this height — yet a full-grown man or woman can ride a Welsh section A in the ring in the open mountain and moorland classes.
In the horse classes, it is considered acceptable for professionals to work in animals for adult riders. This may be for a variety of reasons, including time, riding ability and confidence, but most probably because a professional is more experienced at preparing the animal ready for the ring, setting up its way of going so the non-professional can then get the best tune out of the horse in the arena.
The situation with children’s ponies should be no different and many people believe it is even more important for it to be permitted.
Ironing out any problems
I don’t for one minute expect a six-year-old child to have as much technical riding ability as my riding staff. So if, for example, a pony begins its warm-up in an overbent shape and doesn’t want to go forward and straight, it is necessary for a more experienced jockey to iron out these problems by schooling the pony.
You cannot expect small riders to be able to do it themselves. It would be unreasonable to expect the child to break in the pony themselves, so why then would we expect them to have the knowledge, experience, understanding and physical ability to be responsible for the schooling?
By establishing a correct way of going in these ponies, then ultimately you teach the children to develop good feel. This only comes from feeling what it’s like to ride a pony who is going correctly. Hopefully, they can then develop their riding and perhaps one day set up ponies for the next generation.
Correct preparation
With regard to lungeing, horses and ponies all have different temperaments.
Show animals are not trained police horses and therefore we cannot expect them all to deal similarly with differing showground atmospheres.
If they come off the wagon and are sharp, then it is safer all round to lunge them and lose some excess energy naturally before riding them in to prepare them for the ring.
Correct exercising in this way for an appropriate length of time is not harmful to an animal. Showing is no different to other equestrian disciplines where lungeing is simply a part of getting a horse or pony ready for competition.
At the end of the day, the safety of our riders should be paramount, and so, ultimately, the correct preparation of the animal is hugely important.
Danielle Everitt had been competing on the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifying circuit for 12 years before she won her first golden ticket to the championship final this summer on her Welsh section D stallion Monahawk Masterpiece (Bond).
The bay 11-year-old has been a big winner for Welsh cob enthusiast Danielle since she bought him as a seven years ago.
But no one could have predicted the trouble that would follow during the duo’s HOYS run-up.
After qualifying at the Northleach Welsh Pony and Cob Society Show back in July, Danielle decided to take Bond to Denbigh and Flint Show at the end of August for a pre-HOYS outing.
“We’d only done three shows this year so I thought it would be a good show to attend,” explains Danielle. “We arranged transport with a friend and left home at 3.30am. We had a good journey and all was well during the warm-up.
“Unfortunately, during the go-round, I attempted to pass a horse that was rather unsettled. Bond slipped as we tried to pass. He came down, falling to the ground and landing on top of me.
“After a wait for the paramedics, I was escorted from the ring. There was some confusion about how I was to get to a hospital as the paramedics were required to stay on the showground. Thankfully, they took me to a local hospital and had my ankle X-rayed, which confirmed that it was broken.”
After the news Danielle was then required to get a taxi to a bigger hospital at a few miles away.
“The ambulance would have been hours so I got a taxi and made my way to the A&E department,” continues Danielle. “Doctors tried re-set the ankle manually but were unsuccessful. It was decided an operation was needed and as they were too busy, I returned home and then was admitted to a different hospital the following day. After six days there, I was finally allowed to go home.”
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With HOYS only weeks away, Danielle’s niece Beth, aged 14, took on the day-to-day care of Bond, hacking him out and maintaining his fitness.
“Another friend, Annah Chester, is helping me with schooling and will also step in on the big day if it’s decided that I cannot ride,” says Danielle.
“My cast doesn’t come off until 27 September, which is just four days before the big event. I am praying that I will make it but I also know that my amazing team will get him there if not.
“My parents have also been a great support, taking me backwards and forwards to our local TheraPlate where I have 50-minute sessions to help increase the speed of healing.
“Even if I don’t get to ride in that ring this year I am determined to get there again. However this year I’m going to enjoy the day, no matter what.”
For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday
While it’s most young show rider’s season-long campaign to compete at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), 13-year-old Molly Rice had only been back in the saddle for three weeks when she bagged her dream ticket to the final, aboard her Welsh section B gelding Cadlanvalley Valegro (Syd).
Owned by Molly’s mother, Gemma, Syd was bought directly from Cadlanvalley Stud last April.
“We knew he was special the moment we saw him,” says Gemma. “We decided to let him have the rest of the summer in the field before bringing him home.
“Syd had quite an interesting start to life. He was sold and exported to the Netherlands as a yearling, with a view of being used as a stallion. Unfortunately only one of his testicles descended so Cadlanvalley brought him back home to be gelded.
“We instantly fell in love with Syd’s enormous character and beautiful movement. You can see why he was named after the ‘big man’ himself. He’s the most affectionate pony, who loves being around people. He’s also a big fan of his mid-morning, morning and afternoon naps and simply refuses to get up if interrupted, even if there’s a class to get ready for of mucking out to be done.”
Despite going into the 2019 year with the intention of competing in the Royal International Horse Show young rider qualifiers, Molly and Syd’s start to the season was delayed as Molly was called to have an extra toe removed.
“After the operation she spent six weeks on crutches and wasn’t allowed to bear weight on her foot,” continues Gemma. “While Molly was out of action, Joe Watson and Rob McIvor produced Syd from their yard in Lancashire, so he was ready for the last few HOYS classes as soon as Molly was fit to ride.”
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Just three weeks after coming off her crutches, they won their golden ticket, qualifying for HOYS for the very first time on their third attempt.
“Molly has been riding since she was three years old and got her first pony when she was six. After competing at riding club level for years she has worked her way up the levels and only started riding in HOYS and RIHS classes last season. Molly will literally be living the dream when she is riding at the NEC.”
For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday
It was always our overall plan to do feature shows leading up to August and then come home for some down time. For us, it gives us an opportunity to see where we are at, assess how the team are doing and create a plan for the rest of the year.
It is also nice in terms of this blog to be able to give you a bit more background into my base at Puttenham Place and everything that goes on here, as well as being able to properly introduce some of my younger horses.
Building in a break in our competition year for me is vital for the horses that have been competing at the higher levels. We use this time to give them a proper once over, seeing if anyone may need a little bit of help in terms of the physio or being checked over by the vet. There is nothing more important to us than having happy, healthy horses.
So in terms of my older team at the moment, my lovely grey horse Timmy has had a little break from of intense jumping. He has still been ticked over and gone out to do some fun bits and pieces, but it is nice for him to have some down-time and to take the pressure off.
In contrast, for my top mare Fleurie again it has definitely been the right time to bring her home, but for her she has really benefited from some intense training. It has been a very interesting time over the past couple of weeks to assess how we are doing and get some different eyes on her. We have concluded that I am perhaps a bit too upright with her and not letting her relax enough over a fence. In turn, it could be creating a very slight inverted jump, which leads to having rails in front.
From this observation we have been working on taking the pressure off, really getting her working through from behind. We have been doing lots of gymnastic work over little fences, trying to encourage her to make the right shape again. It just shows how a break can really open your eyes to the finer details to help you then move forwards.
I have also had a couple of flatwork lessons, which again have been great, focusing on getting the horses working from behind. I think because I have quite big and long horses, I can sometimes let them get a bit strung out, so it was good to work on getting them really engaged and lightening the front end. A worthwhile exercise and something I would definitely recommend.
Fleurie and I having a lesson
Being at home has also given me a good amount of time to focus on our six-year-old Cambridge (pictured top). We have really pushed on with him, doing lots of training and taking him out and about. We have been consolidating him at Discovery level and keeping him at the lower heights to get his confidence up in the ring so I can gauge exactly where he is at. We never like to rush our horses and he is already making great progress.
Another lovely young one we have at home is a five-year-old called Munch. We have been working on his fitness levels, his strength and fattening him up a bit. With my experience with big horses, when you get to a place where you are happy and think they look really good, they then need another month to grow. He will be a slow one as he is very big, but he is lovely and super-sweet, so a pleasure to work with.
Hacking Munch at home
Further down the youngstock line we are very excited this year to welcome a couple more home-breds to the team. Our very special mare Wembley and Billy Jingle both had filly foals. Wembley, in typical Wembley style, had hers two weeks early, with no word of warning to anyone! This meant that she did need a bit more help, care and observation, but thankfully everything was absolutely fine. The foal is now big and strong and turned out with all the others. Jingle again had another stonking foal — it looked like it was five weeks old at five days! But she is a beautiful foal and both are very exciting for the future.
Thinking about the winter, there are so many things you can do across Europe. Our initial thought was Spain, but it is a hell of a trek, and so we now think we are going to put together a little tour of Belgium. We will aim to be out there for three or four weeks, take all horses (bar the youngest ones) and get some concentrated shows in. It will be closer to home, be a good start to the indoor season and we will then finish off in December. My horses will then have month off, with chilled hacking and to get focused for 2020.
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My final closing paragraph is something a bit different, but an area that hugely interests me — sustainability. For some time now, we have really been trying to turn our attention to how we could be more eco-friendly around the yard. I listen to a lot of podcasts and try and read up as much as I can to be more conscious of what is going on. However, it is definitely not easy as an equestrian — there is so much plastic with hay, shavings, supplements, feed bags and so on. But at my yard we do really try. Our feed comes from Allen & Page in paper bags, for supplements we use recyclable pots or keep them for something else and we use Succeed paste which comes in recyclable syringes. When doing things with the horses, we are really conscious about using products such as wet wipes, or items that are tested on animals. We are still very much in the early stages, but we are focused on the research and trying to become a lot more sustainable. It will be a topic I will be revisiting, so keep an eye out for my eco-friendly equestrian tips!
Until next time,
C x
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