Showing World Issue 169 August 2022 www.showingworldonline.co.uk
Issue 169 - August 2022
Reports from the Royal International Horse Show, the Royal Welsh, Great Yorkshire and many more!
Celebrating 30 years at Hickstead with Sue and Lizzie Bunn
Updates from columnists Justine Armstrong Small, Vicky Smith and Sara Parrott
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MADE IN OUR OWN
UK MILL
A Note From Our Editor Dear Reader, I can’t believe that it’s only been six weeks since our last issue! Personally, it’s been something of a rollercoaster. A raging tooth infection saw me pretty miserable, especially as it forced me to miss Great Yorkshire Show. It also left me on a serious un-planned diet, which made me even more miserable still. It’s fair to say that I would make for a very grumpy laminitic pony! Thankfully, armed with antibiotics, I made it to the Royal Welsh and the Royal International Horse Show. As a self-confessed Welsh Pony Geek, it was absolutely wonderful to see crowds return to Builth Wells for the Royal Welsh, and as ever, I got completely wrapped up in the lovely stories behind some of the best wins. Felling Hot Hot Hot With so much emphasis on the severe heat prior to the show, it was a relief to see how well our equine exhibits coped with the temperatures. I don’t think anyone will refute that they fared better than the humans did. In fact, ours travelled as well as ever and were barely perturbed in their stables. Nevertheless, it was heartening to see some measures introduced to aid the welfare of the horses and ponies. For example, buckets of water were available from stewards, and the first day’s Grand Parade was cancelled. As a cynic of the parade, I was pleased to see this, and somewhat disappointed to see it reintroduced later in the week. I believe gone are the days when the public want to see all prize-winners together, as any enthusiast can find a class of their interest online, and when it can cause some ponies to become a little overheated, I question why we would create a situation that might see a young rider come unstuck after they have won their class. Anyway, back to the heat… I was saddened, however, that whilst competitors could compete without jackets, male stewards were expected to stick to the protocol of wearing a suit. We forget that stewards are often in the ring longer than any competitor or judge, and work tirelessly. I cannot fathom why their welfare wasn’t of greater concern. The TSR tried a different format at their summer show. I wasn’t there to witness it myself but have heard on good authority that it worked well. If climate experts are proven correct and our summers
are set to be hotter in future, perhaps we’ll see more of these initiatives in the future. Who knows? I for one, will give anything a try that means we don’t see wilting children put off our sport or any serious incidents involving horses or humans. In the meantime, keep yourselves and your horses hydrated. The Royal International Horse Show I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Royal International. Due to its frequent clash with the Royal Welsh and the distance from West Wales, we don’t always even attempt qualification. However, if I see a judge that I know really likes a pony of mine in the future, I’ll be giving it a go because one day I would love to have a gallop in that super main ring! Following on from the initiative’s success during COVID, the RIHS have decided to continue with the ‘no marks’ format. In some ways, it’s no bad thing to have one major final judged without marks, and one major final – HOYS – judges with marks. From the ringside, it seemed as if judges were enjoying their work, and I saw some wonderful championship line-ups, proving the system can work as well as marks where the judges agree. What happens when judges can’t agree, I don’t know, but I would hope that as adults, fair negotiations can be made without one person having to concede more than their share! From the ringside, it was great to see judges reward excellent shows, shake up line-ups and keep competitors and spectators on the edges of seats. I’m sure there were more than a few mums holding their breath as placings were called! However, in the mountain and moorlands, not one of the ‘top pulls’ stayed top. For some, it was clear why after a blip in shows. But for others, it was not so clear. This is where marks can be useful. Whilst I don’t think that competitors should over analyse marks and I certainly don’t think marks should be commented upon on social media, it is helpful to know where it all went wrong, and going forwards, whether to show your pony under a certain judge again. After all, we cannot expect all judges to like our ponies, and must adapt our showing schedule accordingly. That’s not to say that judge is wrong; it is what it is preference! Thanks NPS! After the RIHS, I had three days at the NPS championships. I think that these are truly fantastic with so much for children to have a go at, from HOYS lead rein to fancy dress and pairs. The Assendons Final among other classes, also gave adults a lot of fun and welcome relief from the pressure of qualifiers. Yes, there were timetabling issues which we succumbed to, but overall, it’s a big pat for NPS from me! The final day at NPS saw us qualify a homebred pony for the first time. Making it more special was that as a head-shaker, he was condemned by vets almost four years ago and it’s been a very, very hard task to get him this far. I have never cried so much over a pony winning a rosette! Please don’t give up if you’re having a tough time; it’s so worth it if things come right in the end.
- Beth Sarah Field’s Murvey George (Real Time Imaging)
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Contents 24
30 years of RIHS at Hickstead An interview with Sue Bunn
29
RIHS: The Horses
45
Sara Parrott Training Tips
48 Royal Welsh Agricultural Show 53
TSR Summer Show
56 Exclusive insights with the HOYS Judges
29
46 Front cover: Robert Walker and RIHS supreme champion, View Point Photo by: Equinational
48
Editorial: Beth Simons
beth.simons@showingworldonline.co.uk
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Vicky and Boraceforshort
Cheshire based producer Vicky Smith gives us her views on the season… Care for Limbs The season is in full swing, and we are blessed to have had such good weather. It makes life so much easier than working in the wet and the mud. Nevertheless, it does mean that the ground is very hard, so it’s paramount we all consider how often we show our horses and the wear and tear on limbs. In June and August particularly, the calendar is heavy with HOYS qualifiers and it’s tempting to try and do them all...
Showing’s Profile Show entries are beginning to rise which is great news for hard working organisers and the future of showing. On the other hand, there has been negativity towards judges recently, which Grandstand Media and our showing societies are actively tackling. It seems to me that more than ever, it’s really important that judges are seen to be judging what’s in front of them on the day and rewarding good performances. It’s also really important that our sport appears to be as professional, transparent
and inclusive as possible. With this in mind, I believe the societies should bring in a rule that competitors cannot judge and compete at the same show. Championship shows are the highlight for most people’s year. Hours of time and lots of money go into qualifying to compete, and exhibitors want a fair crack at the whip at the final. Having even the most honest and professional judges in lorry parks has the potential to give the wrong impression, especially to those new to the sport, and it doesn’t help to encourage amateur competitors who often believe showing is a closed shop! To be clear, I’m not calling into question the integrity of 99% of our judges as so many do a brilliant job and give a huge amount of time to competitors, I simply believe that we should do all we can to raise showing’s profile as a fair and inclusive sport.
The RIHS The Royal International Horse Show was as popular as ever with huge numbers forward. The show tries to accommodate everyone from miniatures to home produced to the
top professionals and does a great job in timetabling and organisation. Both the pony and horse supremes were outstanding championships to watch and I believe that in the champion hack, Forgeland Hyde Park and champion hunter, Viewpoint who stood champion and reserve horse, we saw two of the best horses of this generation fight it out for the Winston Churchill supreme accolade. It was brilliant end to a week of very strong competition.
Make Memories! With the championship shows in full swing, please remember it’s not just about rosettes. Make time to socialise with friends and let children play. Rosettes are soon forgotten but fun memories last forever. As the season draws to a close, enjoy the last few months as it’s a long winter ahead!
Vicky
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