Veteran class added to line-up of popular amateur showing championship

Search for a Star 2018 champions, Follow Her Home and Hannah Moore with judges Robert Oliver, Richard Ramsay, Katie Jerram-Hunnable and Chris Hunnable. Credit: Real Time Imaging.

Despite ongoing uncertainty as to how the entirety of the series will run, the SEIB Search for a Star team welcomes veteran horse qualifiers as it gears up for the possibility of virtual and in-person classes

SEIB Search for a Star 2021 is set to include exciting new classes for amateur show riders. There’ll be two classes for veteran horses and ponies to qualify for, with virtual in-hand as well as in-person ridden qualifiers once restrictions allow. They’ll join ridden part-bred traditional cobs as the brand-new additions to the line-up of the popular series, which already includes a section for mountain and moorland ponies. Virtual qualifiers will go ahead in April and it’s hoped that the ridden qualifiers will take place later in the year, and the champions in these new classes – all being well – will be crowned at finals to be held at Your Horse Live (YHL) in November.

SEIB Marketing Manager, Nicolina MacKenzie said: “Following the sad loss of the veteran championship at Olympia, we’re delighted to be able to step in and offer another brilliant opportunity on the big stage […] for older horses and their amateur riders. Following the success of the virtual Search for a Star part-bred traditional cob class last autumn, we’ve been able to also add this as a ridden class for 2021.”

As well as the YHL qualifiers and finals, it’s intended that qualifiers for the ever-popular Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) SEIB Search for a Star and Racehorse to Riding Horse series will get underway in the summer months, and the team is working closely with its chosen venues. Search for a Star classes with finals at HOYS include hacks, hunters, working pony, working horses, riding horses, traditional gypsy cobs, show cobs – not forgetting the longstanding SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse final.

Nicolina MacKenzie continued: “Will we run this year, won’t we, who knows!? But we seriously hope to. The plan is there, we’re just willing that circumstances allow it to happen. Our main concern is that everyone stays safe. We are, after-all, an insurance company and not ever in the business of taking any chances!”

In the meantime, for competitors to get their eye in after a long break for many, the second round of Virtual Search for a Star is set to take place on April 10–11. Photo entries for these classes will be judged by members of the team of Search for a Star judges, with detailed feedback for the winning horses and ponies. Classes include mountain and moorlands, show hunters, riding horses, hacks, show cobs, diamond pony, traditional cobs, part-bred traditional cobs, RDA horse or pony, racehorses with amateur owner / riders and new for 2021, veterans. Entries 5 February – 8 March.

For full details on all Search for a Star (virtual and in-person) and Racehorse to Riding Horse competitions, visit seib.co.uk/competitions. The website will be updated as dates and venues are confirmed.