Veteran Classes

[RuthnMeg]

What age does a horse become to be veteran? There is me thinking 20 years, and I know horses and ponies live well into their 30's, so am surprised (like every year) when show classes start veterans at 16! ie, how can you judge horses of such a large age group??
What do you think?
The oldest pony i've shown in veterans was 29, he came 7th, beaten by horses in their teens. Surely older horses need a prize just because they are well, and old!?

Just been thinking about old ponies, hence this post!!

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

my local show classes vetrans as 12+!!!! Which I think is really funny as my "old" boy I used to ride for my riding school (who was pts last xmas) was just 12 but was a fitter better looking horse than some of the 6yo's that were entering other classes!

Id say to me a vetran (not in the show ring) would be about 20 ish ye.......

 

[TelH]

The vhs starts veteran classes at 15, they are split into 3 groups, 15-19, 20-24 and 25+. So the horses get judged against others of a similar age. When judging an unaff class judges are meant to take age into consideration eg a 25yo is unlikely to look as good as a 15yo but they don't always do it!

 

[zoeshiloh]

The judging has been pretty good at shows I have been to for veterans. The judges tend to judge the horse based on how he/she looks/goes for their age. Also, in affiliated veteran showing, the ages groups are split into groups - I think there are three but not sure - so that similar ages are judged against one another. I have to say, out of all the veteran classes I have seen, it tends to be the older horses winning.

 

[humblepie]

Having shown a horse in veteran classes very successfully from age 15 onwards (has he recently been put down aged 24), I think it is very difficult for judges when there are mixed classes. 15 probably is far too young (though having another horse approaching that age am happy with it!) but comparing a fit well moving active 20 year old against a slightly stiff but still able to canter 30 year old must be difficult. My horse was seldom beaten in veteran classes except by an arch nemesis (is that the right word, a horse that generally beat him (said arch nemesis was an Olympia veteran winner so I probably cannot complain too much)). Occasionally though he would be beaten by a horse that was probably put first for being the oldest rather than the best and that would be a little annoying. Probably best way round that if not a mixed class is to have the class as a veteran class with a special prize for the oldest. P.s. Sounds like we were pot hunting, we weren't, it was just that aged 16 he suddenly realised life was much easier if he behaved and he suddenly became Mr Consistant.

 

[tabithakat64]

Locally our veteran classes are very good, they are open to 18 year olds plus and split into 18 to 21 and 22+ and they give rosettes for the oldest veteran.