Pushy Parents

[nicolaj]

This year our local show was highjacked by the kids who clearly show at county level and are there to WIN:( !

Whilst our yard sat there cheering on and encouraging our kids who were riding, the mothers of these 'county/professional' kids just stood there hissing at their child to sit up, keep their hands still, make the pony work harder etc etc. When they were placed it wasn't high enough with tears and tantrums outside the ring!

Where did all the fun go! What happend to just have a go?

There where children there who quite clearly had proper professional produced show ponies, with the proper show tack. Our little hairy ponies didn't stand a chance! One of our little girls rode her heart out and with such guts and determination but got nowhere. :(

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against people if they want to show and reach the dizzy hights of Olympia then go for it, but it's such a shame when they have reached high levels that they then compete at such a grass roots level, what chance do the ordinary kids have?

[*Sez*]

This is what puts me off showing. In my eighteen years of riding, I've only ever entered a riding school "day-show" which was to teach us how to bath, groom, clean tack etc ready for a show, then we had a tack and turn out and a show jumping competition, and I also got a few rosettes from a riding holiday I went on. I've never entered a real competition and I'm worried to as I would want to enter for the fun of it, rather than to win, but I'd probably end up against all these teenagers who've been competing forever and have forgotten how to have fun with it. I also worry that Salsa and I would just forget what the hell we're doing and make idiots of ourselves :rolleyes:

[nicolaj]

Yes, know what you mean.

Entered Fatty in an in-hand coloured class at a chairty show back in the summer. First time I or him had done one, we got placed sixth (out of seven!). I was delighted leaping up and down like a mad women, grinning ear to ear, hugging and patting Fatty, black show jacket went white and hairy! But so proud:D

When we left the ring, the person who came fifth was not impressed they had only come fifth! Fifth, blimy I'd have been in orbit for that!!!

We've managed to ear mark a couple of nice shows that are more relaxed so hopefully next year we can get out and about more!

I've never entered a real competition and I'm worried to as I would want to enter for the fun of it, rather than to win

Give it a go if you really want to, just enter one class that's all I did and stuff em! BUt then I'm an old bird (35), so have learnt through age that bit of confidence to do what I want.

[dcp]

If I were to ever do shows it would only be very small shows and it would be for fun. I don't compete for anything I just want to do something because it's fun. But so many people get too serious and then the bitching starts

[hApPiNeSs]

i think the main issue is that these 'professional' people are competing way below their level. There's nothing to stop them competing, but i do think it's unfair when the feel the need to compete against people at a much lower level, when they are blatantly going to get placed.

i think that this occurs in all disciplines though. You get the people who are capable of jumping three foot in the mini class so that they can beat everybody.

in my opinion, everybody should compete at the appropriate level, whether it be in dressage, showing or driving...

[raingodz]

i think the main issue is that these 'professional' people are competing way below their level.
I think that some of these competitors have a need to win at any level that out weighs their need to compeate at the top of their ability and to push their abilities.

This may sound odd but I personaly would rather loose at a level too high for me than win at a level below me, if that makes sence, this would give me something to work towards and then if I should win then the sence of achevement is some what higher. This is all bit hyperthetical as I was never much of a competitor when I rode before (my childhood RI said I lacked that 'killer instinct') and at the moment lack the skill to compete at any level.

[bevy]

My daughter used to show her coloured up to county level in coloured classes and she qualified him for the national championships both years she showed him. BUT she got more pleasure out of coming 3rd at Henley Show in the Riding Horse class, competing against solid coloured horses, even more so when it turned out the 2 who beat her were both qualified for HOYS. She also competed against solid coloured horses in a sport horse class(it involved a ridden dressage style section, conformation, and a jumping section) and was so proud when she won it.
Local shows can be "high jacked" in other ways too. A friend took their youngster(1st time out) in hand to a local show. She is a really nicely put together mare. The class was for 3 & 4 year old green horses.They don't mind losing to good competition but were a bit put out to lose to the show chairwoman and the show secretary who were called in 1st & 2nd by their Christian names not even trying to sound fair and use the show numbers!!! The 2 "winning" horses weren't that nice either.

[laura jeanne]

It's the parents who need to change therir attitude. There's a difference between encouraging your child to excel and the need to see them win at any cost.

[eventerbabe]

thats a familiar story. when i was in PC my sis and i were always up against 2 show pony people who did it professionally and who competed at all the big shows like the Royal Highland. the girls would sit in the car whilst the parents turned the ponies out. my sis and i slaved away getting our ponies sparkling ourselves.

i gave up on the equitation/BTO classes coz of them and stuck to my showjumping (the one thing these girls were and still are hopeless at).

IMO people who take pleasure in pot hunting at small local shows have a problem. what pleasure do they get in beating people who do it for fun? very sad if you ask me. and the wrong attitude to have. when i compete i'm happy if my horse performs well. last show i did with bonnie we were 6th out of 8 but i was delighted coz she'd really showed off and did herself proud :)

[bevy]

When she was showing, I didn't mind where she came as long as she had tried her best. She did all the work(except the plaits which her sister was so much better at) grooming/bathing/working in up till she put her show gear on, then her sister and I would do the last minute bits.
I have seen so many shows where the parent or older sibling worked the pony into the floor either ridden or lunged(sp?) with all the tack you could mention on it, and the child only on it as it went into the ring! I know of 1 girl at CHAPS national championships, whose mum did all the work, and she only got out of bed 5 mins before her class!!!

[GOBBY]

It's the parents who need to change therir attitude. There's a difference between encouraging your child to excel and the need to see them win at any cost.

Yes i have to agree with this, we fun show most weekends in summer,and weve seen and heard allsorts, however i think its good to have county level people competing in the same classes, we use this to our advantage and watch and learn, and its believe me not always them who get placed,our first show this year with the arab, our little mare was like a hat rack, quite embarrising the poor condition of her, this was meant to be a small show, we attended just to see really how madam would travel and behave like at a supposidly fun novice show,however week before our county show they all turned out my daughter entered the open combination rider class, all ages were in this class, some beutifull animals and well turned out riders, 32 were in the class, 4 dropped out, this class lasted an hour in very cold conditions, which was diabolikle and my daughter and the little hat rack came 6th we were GOB smacked