Veteran or senior showing and dressage query

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Spider65

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Hi, I am hoping there are some experts on showing old horses on here. I am very confused as I thought there was just one organisation - the veteran horse society which I believed ran qualifiers for RIHS. However there is another organisation which is running qualifiers called the senior showing and dressage society(?) .
The VHS culminates in a supreme championship at Bury Farm. Does anyone know why it does not run qualifiers for RIHS any more and why does this new organisation SSAD run qualifiers for Olympia ?
And the ultimate question for a veteran owner who does not get out very often which series is the best to aim for as I can't really do both. Having said that we went out yesterday and qualified for the VHS area and championship series. But I have ended up very confused :/
 
Hmm it was all decidedly ugly from what I saw on Facebook!
SSAD are the ones with the final at Olympia now not the VHS.
I cannot help with the choice of who to choose as I'm in the same boat... I guess it depends on your ambition to get to Olympia?
 
Senior Showing and Dressage, I think is what it stands for?
They are a new society who now hold the final at Olympia, they have a facebook page which explains more as does the VHS, plenty of airing dirty laundry on both pages which to be honest turned me off registering with either!
I think Doodle will just do the shows we have planned and if we happen to qualify for one then I'll consider joining then...
 
As I understood it, VHS started to have issues because of the amount of 'retired' professionally produced horses competing in the VHS qualifiers etc. as the VHS rules were that the horse was not to be professionally produced during the year that the horse was qualifying and competing, but if you timed the qualifiers right, you could basically get round this. This caused a lot of ill feeling, especially as there were people getting quite a way up the levels without being affiliated to the society, and also combined a complete mishmash of classes (think cute lead rein against show cob) along with poor organisation on the VHS's part took away from the charity side it was ultimately helping raise awareness of. They lost a lot of support because of this, especially as it wasn't cheap!!
I left the society after a particularly poor attitude by a supposed 'respected' HOYS judge and my complaint was not upheld.

Assuming the SSAD took over and it seems they make a point of saying home produced horses/ponies. Have to admit, Olympia was always the goal when I did it, sad I know :D
 
Thank you! I have to say we don't get out very often and it was on a whim that I decided to have a go at veteran this season. Having qualified for the Second round VHS qualifiers on Sunday I was quite buoyed up. However there is only one show (Derbyshire Festival at Somerford) this season affiliated to the VHS.
I would love to qualify for Olympia but realistically it is probably a pipe dream as I don't get out much. I too don't want to pay for both societies.
So am wondering whether as I have already qualified for the regional show(?) I register with the VHS and do somerford and maybe Hope show later on.
Or register with SSAD and try to qualify with them . There are more shows with them so could get out more. I have to make a decision quickly as I only have 12 days to register myself and horse.
Only I can make the decision but is the VHS the second class organisation?
And as I really don't get out very much (once a month if I am lucky) I think I should just do the VHS as I have qualified and do what I can. Sorry if I sound confused :)
 
Love idea of qualifying for Olympia, qualified for second rounds at my only show last year but hurt my back and couldn't make it. Didn't expect it to be so much to register, considering there only appears to be 1 show within 2 hours! add on entry fees that's £100 for standing on some grass.
 
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