what happens at the following show things??

[notpoodle]

admittedly, i must be out of my mind ... but, ever since weve moved yards, i feel a lot more confident (can now canter up bits of bridlepath on my own without cr***g myself. angel loves it!!) :)

picked up a show schedule thing at the tack shop the other day (showground within hacking distance and im sure i could find someone to go there with me!) ... and am considering giving it a go :D

some of the stuff sounds doable, though i have no idea what actually happens at them/what you need to do/wear etc etc. ive never done anything like it!!!

here goes .....

'horse or pony judge would like to take home'

is that ridden? inhand? is it actually a class or do they watch you do something else and then decide??!!

'prettiest mare in hand'

what would we have to do??

'in hand condition pony'

what would that involve??

on to the gymkhana bit :D

it says there is an 'open' class for this. does that mean adult on pony can join in? what are the chances of me being the laughing stock because everyone else is a child or teenager??

would i have to do ALL the gymkhana games? there is no way i would do 'chase me charlie'!! am confident about my ride&run and applebobbing abilities though :D

@ shopgirl ... its the copthall stuff, maybe youve been?? enlighten me :)

julia
xx

[Showjumper]

I did a "Pony The Judge Would Most Like To Take Home" with Dolly last year. It can be done mounted or in-hand. You basically walk and trot round as a group, trot on your own, and the judge looks the pony over. The judging is entirely at the judge's discretion (as it says, the pony the JUDGE would most like to take home. They just choose their favourites).

Prettiest mare is pretty similar. The judge chooses their favourites.

[RachelEvent]

'horse or pony judge would like to take home'

This is usually a ridden showing class (unless it specifically says in hand) and you will probably have to show some walk trot and canter on each rein, as a whole group, then as an individual, and then the judge will pick the line-up. I expect that angel would have a good chance here as she's so cute :D

'prettiest mare in hand'

You will probably have to walk around the edge of the ring as a whole group of competitors, then individually you will be asked to trot around to the back of the line. The judge will ask people to pull in, then everyone will individually do a trot up, where you walk away from the judge, then turn the pony away from you and trot directly back to the judge. The judge may want them to stand still to look at conformation before or after the trot up. It's a lovely easy class, although the placings will be entirely based upon the judges on preferences.

'in hand condition pony'

Would be the same as the above, but judged upon the condition, ie. not too thin not too fat, good coat, good hooves etc.

the gymkhana bit

I expect that you wouldn't be too much of a laughing stock in the gymkhana ring, although you will be competing against people younger than you. I've competed Ferdie in a 'handy pony' class once soon after we bought him, and he's definitely no pony! At nearly all gymkhanas you can pick and choose which events you take part in :)

I think that you should go for it and take part - it sounds like a fun show with plenty of classes which aren't too demanding. If they're in the schedule, you could also enter angel in in hand and ridden small native classes, a handy pony class (where you do things like getting on and off, moving pieces of washing, filling buckets of water on horseback, riding between cones etc.) If you fancy getting up very very early you could do a best turned out (you wouldn't have to plait because Angel is native ;) ) And if there are no age limits, pony club pony and family pony classes would also be perfect!

[alwaysfallingof]

Ooooo...Julia, I picked up the Copthall show lists at the tack shop yesterday and was thinking of taking Max along.
I was looking at the clear rounds, but some of the showing classes look like fun as well (have never showed before). I was thinking maybe a class for unregistered M&M, or 'best looking gelding', lol!
Do you know whether you can enter classes in different 'rings' on the same day? What date are you thinking of going?

[shopgirl]

Hi we saw the show schedule too, two years ago anna won the "pony judge would like to take home" she did it in hand with Jake . It was her first show she was chuffed and I nearly cried Ha Ha! She is thinking about
taking Ben there this year.

[Drummers mum]

Go for it, sounds like brill fun! I wish I was closer, I'd come too! :D

[notpoodle]

@alwaysfallingoff and shopgirl: maybe we should all enter the 'would like to take home' class together :D im sure it'd be fun :)

ridden classes scare me a bit because we're (well, *i* .. angel is alright!) a pretty pathetic sight, esp. in canter normally :rolleyes:

julia
x

[Big Ears]

prettiest mare in hand

did this with Molly. All you had to do was walk round in a large circle then they called you into line and had a look at you. everyone got a rosette. sadly was won by a pot hunter giving a young horse experience before it went to the Royal - not quite the spirit of the event, which is for mares who are total pets and aren't safe to be shown as ridden horses or whatever. Molly walked around, eyes out on stalks, but quite enjoyed seeing everyone.

[notpoodle]

i'll see if i can con anyone at the yard to enter something with me - at least that way i wouldnt embarrass myself on my own :D and i wouldnt have to ride there on my own (which i dont really want to do cos a) id get lost and b) i dont like that much roadwork on my own!)

julia

x

[celyns mummy]

isnt "open" a term sometimes used for the highest jumps? i know at the jumping show im going to it goes- minimus, ab novice, novice, intermediate then the open which are jumps 3ft to 3 ft 3

[notpoodle]

the 'open' thing was for the gymkhana bit ...

chase me charlie (no way im doing that!)

bending (??!!)

carton race (sounds fun!)

ride and run (also sounds fun!)

gretna green (??!!)

apple bobbing (yay!)

walk trot and canter (what exactly does that entail?)

julia
x

ps: for the prettiest mare and '..would like to take home' ones, what would i have to wear?? i dont have any canary jods or tweed jackets :rolleyes:

[RachelEvent]

The bending race is great fun - it's usually taken as fast as you like, and you have to turn in and out of a line of markers or upright poles.

Never heard of a game called Gretna Green :confused: Perhaps it's like Monte Carlo?

Walk, Trot and Canter would usually involve walking up to the end of the ring, turning around a marker, trotting back, then turning around and cantering to the finish. If you make any steps of a faster pace (eg. you trot in the walk section) you have to turn a circle. It's a good test of control, because it's often pretty tricky to convince yr pony to walk whilst racing.

ps: for the prettiest mare and '..would like to take home' ones, what would i have to wear??

As Angel is native, it would be correct to wear beige jodphurs, black or brown boots (short boots or long boots would be fine) a tweed jacket and a black or blue velvet covered hat. Black/Blue jackets aren't really correct to wear on a native pony - you can buy tweed pretty cheaply on eBay or in the second hand section in tack shops. Try asking around your yard - I got a fantastic swap, my jacket was slightly too big and someone elses was slightly too small, and the jacket that I got was LOVELY!

[DavidH]

Wow, I didn't think anywhere still did gretna green races on grounds of safety. Gonna show my age now. For gretna green

requires two people.
One stands at the end of the field opposite the start line.
The other starts on pony / horse and gallops up to where the first person is. This person then has to get on pony at same time so now 2 up and both gallop back to the start / finish line.
From experience this race has to be done bare back. Just not enough room for saddle and second person. Warning.....A lot of falling off is involved but good fun

[notpoodle]

i think i'll pass on this gretna green thing - it sounds a little hazardous and im not sure what my little pony would make of two people sitting on her (she's not all that big!) :rolleyes:


julia
x

[RachelEvent]

We used to do the Gretna Green race at my riding school :D Except, obviously, we didn't call it that, else I'd have recognised the name.

Thankfully my riding school wasn't overly concerned about ridiculous safety measures .. we had so much fun.

[Fuzz and This]

we call gretna green 'rescue race' at my yard because we have to untie the person were rescuing as their hands are ties around a fence lol. its really fun, especially if your on the pony that bucks lol.

[NoviceNic]

NotPoodle - I am absolutely thrilled for you. You are really coming on since you have moved yards. I too am looking at taking Captain to some local shows this year. I would like to enter him into the novelty classes " Handsomist Gelding", "Best Family Pony" etc. I took my 7 yr old daughter and her Shetland to shows last year and really enjoyed them. We entered a Gymkhana game once and my Daughter panicked. Never again I promised her. There are Mother's with there 2 yr old kids on wee ponies dragging them up the ring as quick as the ponies legs can run. The 2 yr olds hanging onto cub saddle handle for dear life. :eek: We tend to do the Fancy Dress as our Bonnie will stand patiently dolled up to the nines. We bought a trophy home on our first outing. :D Bonnie was the Groom and Jasmyn the Bride.

My advise to you would be to take Angel to a Show, tack her up and wonder around firstly. Then for the next show get your shcedule in advance and see what you would like to enter. Don't enter too many it may fluster you and Angel.

Good Luck. Please let me know how you get on. :)

[notpoodle]

can you turn up with a horse as a spectator?! i could ride her there when something is on and let her have a look around, but not sure the organisers would appreciate it :rolleyes:

julia

x

[shopgirl]

Yes Julia you can just go there for a hack and wander around it's quite laid back at the Copthall show, Anna took Jake in few in hand classes and then walked around on him, just to get a feel of the showground atmosphere.

[notpoodle]

sounds good!!

@ shopgirl: have yuou emptied your pm box yet?

julia
x

[shopgirl]

@notpoodle I think so I,m a bit thick when it comes to things like that!! try now

[notpoodle]

still cant get through :(

easiest thing to do is find your 'sent items' and delete those. or you could just tick messages in your inox, select 'delete' in the dropdown menu at the bottom and hit 'go'. good luck :D

julia
x

[Cheko]

Notpoodle, I think Angel has probably been to shows before but may be these have only been in the breed classes.
I'm glad you're getting along fine with her and seem to be doing a lot more things. Good luck if you do go to a show. Let me know how you get on.
All the best.

[notpoodle]

yeah, she probably has, not for a while though i would imagine :)

i feel a lot more 'enterprising' now, which is nice - and i really enjoy taking her out on little hacks on our own now :)

julia
x

[Cheko]

What sort of yard have you moved Angel to? Is it just a livery yard or riding school/livery yard? I find yards that just do livery are better. Is she still kept out? You'll be fine at the show, just relax and enjoy. My 1st show was the worst I've ever been to, as the people I went with never stopped criticising me. It was a x country + show jumping and I'd never been to a show like that with my own horse. No helpful positive advice at all, just negative comments the whole time. Still, horsey people were like that then back in the early 70s, especially ones with plummy accents (put on of course). They weren't even AIs. Any enough of that, enjoy the show. Hope you get placed.

[NoviceNic]

Of course you can go and just watch whilst on horseback. I am going to Laughton Manor on Friday night just to watch. I won't be taking Captain yet as he is not ready for a course of jumps. I am not ready yet either. ;) I am however hoping to take him to some local shows. I won't enter anything the first time I will just let him ride around and give him the experience of being at a show. The first time I took Bonnie she was a little monster. She didn't stand still all day and my feet were getting a battering. :p

[notpoodle]

@ cheko: i have moved her literally next door from the old place (to frith manor stables). its mainly a DIY livery place although two people there have school horses and give lessons. its nowhere near as busy as the old place though - and ive already come to appreciate this :)

@ novice nic: i think i take her to one to watch and if that goes okay we might (lo and behold!) enter something!

julia
x

[colourful cob]

Gretna Green races, instead of using real people, now mainly use dummys. Or pillow cases. Not that I'd know... cos I'd Never ghymkhana potty.... much... urm, anyway :D

[NoviceNic]

Notpoodle - Let me know how you get on? I am very excited about taking Captain to his first show. He has been my dream come true. I know a lot of people know him in this area (ex-riding school cob). He is my famous little star. I am looking forward to seeing all my friends and showing off my boy. :) When is your show? I wish you loads of luck and hope Angel is on her best behaviour so you can show off your little gem.

[jUmPingIsLifE]

cant help you on your questions except for the 'open' question
open usually means you can do whatever, what trot canter and gallope. if you dont want to gallop you may want to consider just doing walk/trot
that sounds very exiting though! all my shows are at least 2hrs from my house :mad:

[alwaysfallingof]

I've just discovered that half my new yard is apparently going, so I might see if I can hitch a ride. :cool:
Dunno what classes to do though, no idea.

If he's clearly a native, but a bit of a Heinz 57 can I still show him in a M&M class? And if he has 'tidied up' hairy legs does that matter?

[*Rachel_George*]

You may see a little bay with one blue eye and a fleabitten grey thats imaculatly clean there...they grey is my new loan :D

xxxxxxxxxxxx