UK - Ireland Horse Shows

[Juniper Jack]

I live in the US and would like to know what horse shows are like in the UK and Ireland. From the little I've seen online, they are different to shows over here. I go to dressage shows, combined training, one day events, and occasional hunter-jumper shows (I have a friend who does hunter-jumper). I have seen a few things about unaffiliated and affiliated shows in England--dressage, shows, show jumping, and gymkhanas; nothing about hunter shows or open (multi-discipline) shows.

I guess what I'd really like to know is, what is a typical day at a typical show like (yes, I know there's really no such thing. ).

 

[Lobelia_Overhill]

Most shows are multi class with

In-Hand showing
Ridden showing
Working hunter
Showjumping

and more shows now have Dressage at them as well.

I've not seen too many mounted games at shows around here...

Shows (gymkhanas) are outdoor in summer and indoor in winter, or on an all weather arena if there's one on site

Eventing is separate from the showjumping/gymkhana circuit

As far as I can tell the classes at shows here are very different from the show circuit in America, especially showing classes...

 

[Juniper Jack]

Thanks, Lobelia_Overhill.

What exactly are ridden showing classes? Are they where you do an individual show at the end of the regular part of the class? We have in-hand showing classes here (sometimes called confirmation classes). Working Hunter is a division at hunter-jumper shows; working hunters are shown on the flat and also over fences and as far as I know the fences are 3'3" - 3'6" (different heights for different divisions).

There is a big division between dressage and other disciplines, at least where I live. But we are now getting gaited and western dressage entries at our dressage shows, which I think is great.

 

[Lobelia_Overhill]

IIRC the horses go into the ring and walk around in single file, then they trot, change the rein and do the same on the other rein. I'm not sure if every class has the ridden "show" part (where they do a 30sec mini dressage test essentially), and/or horses trotted up in hand individually. Some classes the horses do canter and gallop as well ... It's been a long time since I groomed for a showing class!

In-hand classes the horses are lead around, then called in to a line up where the judge looks them over, before they are trotted up ...

I have no idea what the UK/Irish equivalent of hunter-jumper classes are (despite reading about them on American sites!)

Don't see much of Western classes here, they are specialised shows.

 

[Kao]

It really depends on the discipline.
Your average local unaffiliated show usually has a fair amount of showing (in-hand and ridden) like Coloured, Cobs, Heavyweights, Lead Rein, First Ridden etc;
Sometimes WHP, which is the closest to hunters (hunter over fences?) you'll get.
They usually have some show jumping for the locals, anywhere from 1ft to 3'3ft.

But specialised shows are a lot more common like Hunter Trials (XC), Show Jumping (jumpers) and Dressage. There's also a butt load of indoor showing shows now that it's winter.

Hope that kind of helped

 

[ArcticFox]

showing shows:

In hand classes - everyone leads horse round, then judge calls then into a line, then one by one they are brought out for judge to see, walked up and trotted back. usually there is a foal class, yearling, 2&3 year old combined. then classes are divided between Mountain and moorland, sport horse, coloured horse, arab etc etc

Ridden classes include: working hunter - jump a course of rustic fences, judge calls back all clear rounds (and faults only if a few entries) then they all ride round the ring, walk, trot, canter and gallop. then they are pulled into a line up and each does an individual show - showing off their horse to the judge on both reins and all gaits. Then each horse is stripped of its saddle and shown off like the in hand classes. At big shows and affiliated classes the judge usually rides the horse instead of the individual show

Also there are riding horse classes, amongst other things - these just consist of riding round the ring, walk, trot, canter and gallop then individual shows.

Show Jumping shows: are basically that, and depending on being affiliated or unaffiliated, the classes vary from 70cms right up to 1.60m

Eventing: dressage, SJ and cross country - most British Eventing (affiliated) and alot of unaffiliated competitions only have the eventing classes at them, occasionally some run other classes like SJ or maybe dressage but you wouldn't be riding your horse in an event as well as doing the other classes

Hunter trials: these are basically the cross country phase of eventing only. they are unaffiliated and are run at the start and end of the summer season so alot of people use them as warm ups.

Gymkana's are usually run for pony club riders and have a combination of SJ, dressage and showing classes. they tend to run mounted games also.