Showing yearlings? Bit worried I will be totally outclassed.

OK so I have rather foolishly entered the sports horse class at Bramham with my yearling. Really for the experience and as she is for sale to get her out and about a bit. However, a friend of mine has sent me some pictures of a recent shgb show and I am now seriously worried - they all look like 3 yr olds! (Volatis - if you are reading this I think your Diva was there - she's stunning!)
My yearling is quite immature and I worry that I will look foolish. I have a couple of pics - I am not expecting to get placed but do you think she'll be ok to go? (that's provided she loads of course
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) I'd really appreciate some experienced thoughts.

Please ignore me in the last picture.
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(oh and she is bitted btw and would be wearing bridle on the day)

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She looks lovely to me - yearlings are bound to look less mature than 3yos. Take her for the experience if nothing else.

I'm trying to ignore the last picture, but if you can find a tie, a hairnet and some plaiting thread to hold your number on you'll both look the part at Bramham.
 
I think you'll be fine, she is a yearling after all and she should only be in with others of a similar age so won't be out of place. Only thing I would add is a tie would look smarter IMO.
Enjoy yourself and parade her as if she owns the ring, it does make a difference!
 
TBH, if it is anything like the show I went to on the weekend she will be classed as too thin .. I was shocked at the weight those yearlings were carrying.

We actually had a pony (lol) in the 15hh SHP, thought he looked well (little to well really) in the ring he looked anorexic compared to the others, even the judge said he needed more weight and once he did he would do well
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the experience did him good though
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I would take your yearling for experience, and enjoy
 
I was just going to add that I'm not sure about her as I'm totally new to showing youngsters but was going to suggest a tie, plaiting thred for the number and a beagler, but you are already onto that!!

Good luck!! If it were me, I'd be doing it for the experiance more than the ribbons.
 
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TBH, if it is anything like the show I went to on the weekend she will be classed as too thin .. I was shocked at the weight those yearlings were carrying.

We actually had a pony (lol) in the 15hh SHP, thought he looked well (little to well really) in the ring he looked anorexic compared to the others, even the judge said he needed more weight and once he did he would do well
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the experience did him good though
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I would take your yearling for experience, and enjoy

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Too thin!
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I cannot at the moment feel her ribs which IMO means she is too fat for a yearling. I could feed her up a bit but to be honest I am not chasing ribbons so I won't risk it.
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I haven't been to Bramham so I am not sure of the standard of stock expected. However I am sure you and your filly will look every bit the part on the big day!!
Judging from my family’s yearlings she looks just the perfect for her age and I can't believe they want them all fattened up?

So do not think of it as being foolish but more lots of fun and take a ‘what the heck attitude!!’

Good luck.
 
Which is the most recent pic? What is she fed on? When is the show?

FTR You could see H's ribs when he won the Sportshorse Yearling class at RN last year - but you couldn't on the hunters in the next ring....
 
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Which is the most recent pic? What is she fed on? When is the show?

FTR You could see H's ribs when he won the Sportshorse Yearling class at RN last year - but you couldn't on the hunters in the next ring....

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SN the most recent pic is the last one (with a bit of my arm in it!) that was 2 weeks ago. The first two are from a month ago. She is currently out 24/7 and fed once a day on suregrow, alfa a oil and a small scoop of topspec conditioning flakes. I would say she is a bit fatter now than she is in the most recent pic. This is a sports horse class but I think will be more of a hunter class. Is on 5 june - judged by Ian Stark
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Which is the most recent pic? What is she fed on? When is the show?

FTR You could see H's ribs when he won the Sportshorse Yearling class at RN last year - but you couldn't on the hunters in the next ring....

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SN the most recent pic is the last one (with a bit of my arm in it!) that was 2 weeks ago. The first two are from a month ago. She is currently out 24/7 and fed once a day on suregrow, alfa a oil and a small scoop of topspec conditioning flakes. I would say she is a bit fatter now than she is in the most recent pic. This is a sports horse class but I think will be more of a hunter class. Is on 5 june - judged by Ian Stark
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Well in that case, go out and enjoy yourself! He's a good judge of horses and I would be surprised if he is looking hunters and not sportshorses!
 
A lot of youngsters shown on the county circuit are overweight. We took Cleio to Bucks County as a yearling and she looked quite udner developed and scrawny next to the big burly hunters. She was 3rd in the end in a big class and the judeg did say the only reason she put us down 3rd and not 1st was she was not as mature as the others.
Fair enough, she is tubby enough as a 2yo, if I'd overfed her as a yearling we would have had real trouble. So dont worry if your girl looks leaner or less mature than others in the class, its all for the experience.

PS: I know Diva went to a show in Yorkshiore recently - was that the one? She looked so grown up in the pictures I saw from that, bless her
 
Thanks Volatis & SN, you are right it is for the experience & I am hoping as it is a 'potential eventer' class then they will not be looking for overweight youngsters. We'll see.

Volatis - yes that was the one, she came 2nd but IMO deserved the 1st. (though I think the one that got the 1sy was impeccably well behaved)
 
Lol - no, my friend who went (air_78 on here) saw it and just said she wouldn't stand still. Think she would have got the 1st.
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Fingers crossed then for another filly like her next year!
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Arwen I think your filly looks lovely and not too thin at all. Perhaps a little light for a county show where let's face it the hunter types often dominate the sport horse classes (generalisation I know!), but fingers crossed Ian Stark will have a different type in mind! I really struggle with my own filly - we have too much grass and she's naturally a very good doer. I bring her in each night with I kid you not a cup of mix and handful of haylage to last all night. She did well last year county showing as a yearling at the start of the season and well at the Pavo at the end but in between ballooned with summer grass and we were on the receiving end of scathing comments! I'd so much prefer mine to be the other way!!

Anyway good luck. As everyone says the experience is the main thing which is why I'm still taking mine! - so look out for the fat 2 yr old filly in the class after you!
 
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