how do these kids get to the top?

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showpony

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Was watching the young riders class @ Olympia yesterday and completely in awe of some of the kids jumping as young as 14! Some of them were cracking riders with talent to burn.. what age do they start at? I mean no mean feat for a teenager to be jumping 1m35 +
Are most born into horsey family's or spotted etc? Basically how do they reach such a high level at such a young age?
 
Almost without fail they have horsey families or are very close to someone with vast horse experience, and a lot of money. They're very good riders, undeniably (and with all the money in the world behind me I couldn't do that), but to get to the top as a young rider you need deep pockets and a lot of knowledge behind you.
 
showpony said:
Was watching the young riders class @ Olympia yesterday and completely in awe of some of the kids jumping as young as 14! Some of them were cracking riders with talent to burn.. what age do they start at? I mean no mean feat for a teenager to be jumping 1m35 +
Are most born into horsey family's or spotted etc? Basically how do they reach such a high level at such a young age?
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They start very young and are mounted on experienced ponies that will take them around grade A tracks. Not all would be born into pony families but the non horsey parents of talented kids will put measures in place to ensure they succeed such as building stables or moving closer to a livery yard, getting lessons and help from experienced people etc and deep pockets will always help!
 
Exactly what Lolo said. Of course you need a lot of courage, and physical ability, not to mention dedication - but the most talented junior rider in the world couldn't get to the top without a huge amount of support, especially financial.
 
It's an expensive sport. ;)

Sometimes people manage it 'on a budget' - usually when the family is very experienced and connected, so can find relatively cheap mounts and provide a lot of the work themselves. There still needs to be money for entries, travel etc though.

Occasionally you get very talented kids who can ride for a breeder or a dealer but it's really only in Pony Club where the kid from the council estate gets to Olympia on their rescued cart pony.

C'est la vie. :)
 
Money money and oh more money

I know someone who has won it a few times, her parents paid a lot to send her to whitikers for a year, she has a amazing horse and is a great rider.

But without money none of that would of been possible.
 
showpony said:
So unfortunately talented kids unless money behind them don't stand a chance of getting to a high level :(
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Not at all - they just have to wait till they're adults, start as a working pupil for someone good, and very good business acumen, people skills, and luck to get good owners.

Most kids in pony classes are thoroughly fed up of riding though by the time they're 18 ;)
 
Show Jumping is really hard to get into without a lot of money - pretty much no matter what the age. You can get to the top as an adult with a lot of hard work and good natural talent - although you do also have to work at the right yards, get the right connections etc. At some point you are going to need to have a string of horses with a value equivalent to an average mortgage if not more. That means either you have to have the money yourself or you have to attract owners who do - which means connections.

Eventing is easier to succeed in with one horse to start with. Same sort of money at the top - but far easier to get through the grass roots stages.

Pony Club is actually quite good - and certainly easier to get to the top with one horse / pony. The National Championships are highly competitive - although I do accept the majority of those who get to the nationals are also competing affiliated in their chosen disciplines.
 
Hard work, dedication, supportive parents and lots of money.

YO's daughter (currently 12) competes BSJA . . . she has two cracking ponies (138cm), jumps some amazing tracks (1.10/1.20 cm) and I could certainly see her at Olympia/HOYs. Her family is horsey - her two older sisters both rode, her Mum is very supportive/drives her to shows/helps her look after the ponies, etc., and Dad is involved too. However, she doesn't (yet) have sponsors so this requires deep pockets.

I do think that it's possible to come up through the ranks/pony club, etc., but I think those who do are few and far between - and have to be extremely talented/lucky to get noticed and get the appropriate help and support from trainers/sponsors, etc.

P
 
another one that says it is down to money and horsey family,

kids at work have 3-4 lessons a week at £40+ for 45 mins and the ponies are ridden by their dressage instructor at least once usually 2 times per week at same price, the keep an oakley lorry on the road for competitions, compete at least twice a week and travel up to 3hrs each way to compete=both ponies are broken currently (once has old injuries that have caught up with it and other had fluke accident) they are currently looking for another to take straight in at novice level eventing so 25K minimum cost if what they have been looking at is accurate although out of 6 vettings everything has failed.

so money money money
 
showpony said:
So unfortunately talented kids unless money behind them don't stand a chance of getting to a high level :(
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Not as an u18, realistically. The time pressure is huge, and most children don't have the experience needed to solo produce a pony.

Like, TableDancer's daughter produced a pony from 90cm to PT level in one season. But she did already have a lot under her belt on a more experienced pony, and a very experienced mum to help. Doesn't take from the amazing achievement but does show why fewer kids can do it.

Al is giving it a shot as an adult though!
 
Money makes a huge difference! I know one family the daughter has been to HOYs SJ'ing at 13/14, the parents work all hours to support their daughter and take her all over the country to compete which is no mean feat in itself when you are 2 hrs away from Exeter in the wrong direction. She is now planning to WP at a SJ yard to continue and is very determined. They have made huge sacrifices to fund this. I also think money makes it easier if there are other siblings. To see your parents working their nuts off to fund a siblings hobby/poss career can lead to huge issues, if you have loads of money and can easily support the other kids hobbies even if they seem trivial it makes family life a whole lot easier.
 
Had a friend back when we were young and things were different then but he did seriously well on other people's cast offs. Lorry was a cattle wagon but his father had a really good eye for spotting a pony or horse that had gone wrong, buying it cheap and getting it going again.
 
Likewise someone I knew when we were teenagers did very well show jumping and wasn't from a horsey family...BUT her parents supported her absolutely to the hilt, financially and otherwise...tho they had to be canny with the bigger costs..her dad converted a lorry himself and drove her to lessons and shows...they bought the best ponies then horses they could but spent a lot of time and effort improving them...they did it all themselves (except when I moved next door, we all realised it was a match made in heaven and became her groom for a season!). Horses were kept fit by hacking out, clipped at home and the whole family were absolutely committed. My friend did stables before school every morning and we did them between us when we got back home...but she had been doing this alone for years before i came along. Not to mention the fact that my friend had the riding ability, steely determination and focus required which was beyond her years really. But agree with others, that all of this was underpinned by serious financial commitment, without which all of the rest might not have come to anything.
 
twiggy2 said:
another one that says it is down to money and horsey family,

kids at work have 3-4 lessons a week at £40+ for 45 mins and the ponies are ridden by their dressage instructor at least once usually 2 times per week at same price, the keep an oakley lorry on the road for competitions, compete at least twice a week and travel up to 3hrs each way to compete=both ponies are broken currently (once has old injuries that have caught up with it and other had fluke accident) they are currently looking for another to take straight in at novice level eventing so 25K minimum cost if what they have been looking at is accurate although out of 6 vettings everything has failed.

so money money money
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Blimey I'm not surprised the ponies are broken with that kind of a work regime that is totally insane!!

No wonder there have been 6 failed vettings- I don't think any vet would want to pass a pony for people like that :-( I doubt any future ponies / horses will stay sound either..

This is how money can't buy success- you have to have the right knowledge and horsemanship skills behind you ... The right work and competition regime so that the horse has a long and successfull career.
 
DonkeyClub said:
Blimey I'm not surprised the ponies are broken with that kind of a work regime that is totally insane!!

No wonder there have been 6 failed vettings- I don't think any vet would want to pass a pony for people like that :-( I doubt any future ponies / horses will stay sound either..

This is how money can't buy success- you have to have the right knowledge and horsemanship skills behind you ... The right work and competition regime so that the horse has a long and successfull career.
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Personally my mare works for longer than that when she is in work, they have one jump lesson a week occasionally 2, but would be doing pole work in one of them, one cross country lesson when ground permits. a 45 min lesson with a good instructor does include warm up (for discussion) resting and stretching periods.
As mentioned non of the injuries are anything to do with the current work load or home.

my vet events and his horse is schooled daily and has a short hack daily too.

the previous ponies all stayed sound too
 
Have to agree with others its money/commitment from the parents and dedication from the child.
As an aside point I wonder how they manage with midweek shows and school. Attendances at school seem to be much stricter than when my friends were jumping and showing.
Do schools allow time off for sporting/potential career stuff of is it possible to do a mixture of school and tutoring at home?
 
DonkeyClub said:
Blimey I'm not surprised the ponies are broken with that kind of a work regime that is totally insane!!

No wonder there have been 6 failed vettings- I don't think any vet would want to pass a pony for people like that :-( I doubt any future ponies / horses will stay sound either..

This is how money can't buy success- you have to have the right knowledge and horsemanship skills behind you ... The right work and competition regime so that the horse has a long and successfull career.
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How do you reckon? That's 2 or 3 dressage schools/week, 1 or 2 jump schools plus fitness work. Sounds about on par with any professional set up. I bet their lessons are not like people's who take one a month and expect to get maximum value for money, they are part of a larger program with a very clear work plan.

As to that being why horses break. . .i think you only have to look through this forum to see how many horses break under far less stringent routines.

And as to the idea that vets pass or fail horses based on their personal thoughts on the prospective purchasers. . .well, words fail me!
 
humblepie said:
Had a friend back when we were young and things were different then but he did seriously well on other people's cast offs. Lorry was a cattle wagon but his father had a really good eye for spotting a pony or horse that had gone wrong, buying it cheap and getting it going again.
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My dad's cousin show jumped at Olympia (when it was at the White City) about 40+ years ago on a pony they bought from the sales as a youngster, brought on and kept in the back garden. (she only ever had two ponies, her first pony and this one, so it was a case of get on with it). They weren't rich but she was an only child and her dad was horsey and dedicated to taking her places. I think it is much harder nowadays to compete at the top with without the back up of someone knowledgeable.
 
milo'n'molly said:
Have to agree with others its money/commitment from the parents and dedication from the child.
As an aside point I wonder how they manage with midweek shows and school. Attendances at school seem to be much stricter than when my friends were jumping and showing.
Do schools allow time off for sporting/potential career stuff of is it possible to do a mixture of school and tutoring at home?
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I don't know how it works here but many of the kids I know in North America who compete at this level go to professional schools, designed for athletes and artists, or they go to independent schools that are able and willing to be more flexible. When they are away they do tutoring, either on line or even provided by the circuit. Some are home schooled. In Europe they seem more likely to go to regular schools though, as travel and times away competing are shorter.
 
TarrSteps said:
It's an expensive sport. ;)

Sometimes people manage it 'on a budget' - usually when the family is very experienced and connected, so can find relatively cheap mounts and provide a lot of the work themselves. There still needs to be money for entries, travel etc though.

Occasionally you get very talented kids who can ride for a breeder or a dealer but it's really only in Pony Club where the kid from the council estate gets to Olympia on their rescued cart pony.

C'est la vie. :)
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True not always money. When West Perthshire won the Prince Phillip Cup at HOYS, they did with ponies acquired for little money. A dedicated trainer and a team of committed parents. One of their most successful young riders went on and on. Her parents did not ride, sold their business and bought a lorry to travel her and her ponies all over Europe, from Scandinavia to South of France.
 
nikkimariet said:
It's called sponsorship.
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By parents or grandparents. Our sons showjump and finding ponies that they can be competitive on yet are an achievable price has been a challenge indeed. While we are happy to support them, drive them around the country and finance it all but we never loose sight of the fact that it is a child's hobby and shouldn't be the road to ruin.
 
i worked for one of the riders in the under 23s championship for a while a and seen first hand how alot of money, time, effort and more money helps you get to that level at a young age. Dedicated parents and the best tuition money can buy and the best horses you can find and very deep pockets! You've got to be out for yourself and stop at nothing to get where/what you want!
 
nikkimariet said:
It's called sponsorship.
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Really? Name one child with enough corporate sponsorship to even make a dent in the outlay. Every child I know with a corporate sponsor involved enough to own and run horses for them, the company is owned by a family member and the set up is a way to help out while also getting tax relief.

Most sponsorship is in kind, anyway, and companies generally want riders who already have a profile. I think it did used to be a bit easier when times were good and sj was higher profile. And some pro's kids do cut deals through their parents' connections.

Even top level adult riders rarely have enough corporate support to do without private owners, even factoring in winnings, teaching and sales. Every now and then someone manages a very lucrative sale of a pony they've made but someone still has to pay running costs.
 
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measles said:
By parents or grandparents. Our sons showjump and finding ponies that they can be competitive on yet are an achievable price has been a challenge indeed. While we are happy to support them, drive them around the country and finance it all but we never loose sight of the fact that it is a child's hobby and shouldn't be the road to ruin.
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I'm sure we both know people who have bankrupted themselves supporting their child's ambition.

That is another reason many kids don't go on - unless the family is very well off, the taps often get turned off when the rider ages out.
 
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