Staying Amature v sponsership/more proffesional.

[jhoward]

hi Guys, 1st of all a bit of history on me and my neddie.
over the past 2 years ive got the bug for showing, i actually really enjoy it, and last year sold a wonderful horse that wasnt able to/enjoyed the ridden side of it to get a shall we say higher class neddie.
with my last horse and current one ive never been out of the top 6 even at county level, and current mare has a champs qualifer (swpa meens nout really) and a class at equifest already qualified for. (2010)

horse is a 4yr (5 in may just had 7 weeks turned away) done a fair bit since ive had her (july 09) at the 2 affliated shows we have done weve done well, on her first ridden affliated show, she got a 2nd and a 5th .. the 5th was my fault we got knocked down from 3rd but it was my riding not the horse. green as she was/is, shes also had 2nds at a chaps show, placings at a local show (was her 1st ridden anything) and a win at dressage.

shes a good girl, but its daft things that will spoke her, the bolting pony complete with screaming kid in ring next door not a problem. new person stood at ring side is a horse eating monster! so she still has a lot of the world to see.

me...

just into affliated showing in the last 2 years, ok ish rider, but im not the sort youd expect to see showing (no labels ment to be given, but im sure you know what i meen.)

the point of the thread..

ive got a couple of oppotunities of small sponserships, BUT id like to have a go at classes like amature, home produced, search for a star. having the sponsership as far as i can see knocks me out of these classes, im also thinking my mare needs another year to mature, let alone schooling etc. and im not sure ive got the abilty to produce her to the top... well ok i havent.

ideally id like to get her to a decent show producer for some schooling, that again knocks me out of the home produced search for a star etc.

so should i forget thoose classes and continue as i am.. horse can do hunter, coloured comp horse, sports horse classes etc so plenty open to us. the sponsership would help in massive ways, although not hundreds, there possibilties that would make a huge difference.

sorry this has turned out an essay but im really not sure which way to head.

piccies of said horse that im hoping may go futher than i ever thought .

aug 09

this is her first ridden affliated show, i know we were on the forhand, she was going down a hill, and hadnt done much in a pelham, at this show she got 5th in the coloured class, and 2nd in the hunter, both decent classes. she had been placed above a decent stallion that normaly does well.. until my numpty riding let us both down!

 

[Mickyjoe]

What height is she? What exactly is it you are asking? Whether to send her to be produced by a pro or whether to stick with it yourself at more local level.
It is really up to yourself - if you are thinking of sticking with it yourself, I would advise you maybe get some tuition from a pro who gives lessons. There are little things about your turnout etc in the ridden pic which could be changed to help improve the overall picture (more suitable style of saddle and bridle, pull the tail etc).

If you enjoy showing her and don't have another horse to ride in the meantime, then I suggest you produce her yourself for the amateur classes you have described above. Definitely get a few lessons so that you cen pick up some pro pointers on how to best present yourselves and just go out and enjoy it!

If you are just being offered some free products etc., then that may not technically fall under the description of sponsorship. Read up the fine print rules on the classes. I'm not that familiar with those classes myself so can't tell you for definite.

 

[jhoward]

shes 16.1 tb x wb im kind of asking weather its worth me taking the sponsership and continuing with affliated and above level, will be doing the county circuit this year ridden and in hand. ridden is a may be, in hand a deffinate.

the ridden pic was october this year, i knew about the saddle etc (wintec bless it) but theres been no point in getting my leather saddle adjusted to her (kieffer) as i was turning her away after the show, id also been out of hospital less than 40 hours after an astmha attack, so her prep hadnt been as good as it should of been,

the sponsership is money and items. (from different companies)

im not planning on doing local stuff, but am happy to stick to another year of in hand stuff at a higher level ie county and ridden at say the chaps shows etc, as again im not sure shes matured enough for the ridden county level stuff, and to be honest, i try and let other people rider her but the thought of a ride judge on her currently is shall we say.. a recipey for a youve been been framed moment.

lessons with a showing person i would love and happily pay for, but ive not yet found any one down my way, and to be honest, if im paying around £40 quid an hour i want someone with the experiance in the level i want to do.
ALSO my mare isnt ready for that amount of concentration,. shes a real thinker/tryer and loves to be challenged and will ask questions of the rider, but anythign more than half an hour and you lose her best work.

 

[only_me]

Usually you are considered a pro if you get financial gain from competing, which is how i see it.
From what you have said i dont think you would be, just advertising a company as it were.

 

[MagicMelon]

Why would being sponsored mean your not an amateur? I thought, like only_me that your only considered a pro if you are getting money out of it as in profit? Im "sponsored" by a few small companies but would certainly not call myself anything near professional!

 

[jessamess]

Sorry to bump this topic up but I was just having a nosey through all the older topics ha ha as I haven't been on H&H for AGES!!!

I face a similar situation apart from I have been showing for a while and know the ins and outs of it!!!

I'm 16 years old and show my 7 year old purebred arabian undersaddle... although we compete in all disciplines!!! he had a very successful inhand career and I bought him as a six year old stallion, where I gelded him and then produced him myself for the show ring (having a completely unhorsey family had it's problems when I wanted lessons ect haha) I compete at county and national level atm

Anyway he had his first season undersaddle in 2009... last year where we were placed both in the ridden and the inhand in county shows, coming 3rd and 4th in the ridden and inhand at Kent County when he could still barely canter!!!

I plan to try HOYS quals in a year or so

Like you I have been offered numerous sponsorship deals, but have turned them down afraid that they many 'Complicate' things although some of them were very decent offers!!! I too was looking at the home produced classes although it's no so much of a problem for me as I still have plenty of years left in young riders

and there are plenty of arab classes... As I said I was just worried about getting dragged down buy it all!!!

I would suggest you get some experience in the ring and get your horse more experienced with an instructor... I wouldn't send a horse off for schooling but thats just me as I enjoy schooling

Also don't just focus on sticking to county level... go to the locals they are brilliant for getting your horse out regularly and get them used to the atmosphere, also it allows you to get into a 'routine' at a show and get to know how your horse likes being warmed up... also you will be calmer as you wont have so much pressure on...

As the person above me said you need to get to know the small details and tricks of showing... and the way the judge likes the horse, their head carriage the speed or the paces and also the tack... if you are focusing on showing only then look into getting a proper showing saddle and a nice bridle with a hunter nose band (spray hairspray on tack to make it shiny works a treat

)

I would look into getting an instructor and having some lessons... dressage also helps alot with show horses teaches them to respect you coz as they get older they anticipate the gallop in the ring and can get so worked up!!!

Also go to some big shows for a day out... take a note pad and go and watch the classes you will enter and write down and details or things that you can take and use your self... even go up to people and as them questions they wont mind I quite often as for advice, but make sure they look free and not busy ha ha!!!

I hope this has helped in some way... even if it doesn't answer your question fully ha ha

Jess & Tiger

xx

 

[jhoward]

[ QUOTE ]
Why would being sponsored mean your not an amateur? I thought, like only_me that your only considered a pro if you are getting money out of it as in profit? Im "sponsored" by a few small companies but would certainly not call myself anything near professional!

[/ QUOTE ]

for some of the home produced amature classes etc your not allowed sponsership, one of the many daft rules, would love horse to go off and have a couple of weeks schooling with a proffesional but that also can meen im not eligable for some classes.