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Local shows to hold qualifiers for new series with finals at the London International Horse Show
The news in November of a new showing series for 2023, with finals to be held in London, has been well received by county and agricultural show organisers, and now 45 shows have been assigned 494 qualifiers between them for classes in the series.
Organisers of London’s Christmas show have been working with the British Show Pony Society (BSPS), the British Show Horse Association (BSHA) and the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations to create the series.
There will be 20 classes, from hacks and cobs to cradle stakes and coloured ponies, and it is hoped showing will be brought to a wider audience through the series.
Competitors are not required to be members of a showing association or society unless they reach the final when the BSHA and BSPS will offer advice and guidance to all competitors making it that far to help them prepare.
All BSHA classes are aimed at amateurs, while the BSPS classes are open to amateurs and professionals alike. It is hoped this approach will encourage more competitors to try showing locally. Horses and ponies already competing in other disciplines can also gain valuable experience from competing at showing.
To encourage further engagement and to make showing more interesting to the public, during the classes commentators will describe what is required of the competitor and what the judges are looking for, as well as explaining how points are awarded.
Many of the qualifier shows are long established – some are more than 200 years old. Christine Knipe, chief executive of Westmorland County Show, which has been running for 224 years, said: “The traditional agricultural shows are where equestrian showing originally started. We know our audience will participate in and enjoy this new range of classes. We are very grateful to the London International Horse Show, as without the support of such important international horse shows, equestrian showing at a local level could not be sustained.”
Nigel Hollings, chairman of the BSHA, said: “It will be a great experience for finalists to compete at the London International Horse Show in December. Showing started in the capital with the International Horse Show at Olympia, holding many classes when it started in 1907, so the circle is now complete with showing coming home.”
Find out more at londonhorseshow.com
