What class to show in?

[sorona]

My daughter has a 6yr old, 14.2hh, new forest pony. He has a fantastic jump on him and is very athletic, he is pretty well schooled and carries himself nicely and is an active ride.
From the pics below could you give me any ideas of what classes my 15yr old daughter might be best entering as he isn't heavy enough for mountain and moorland although he has put on a good amount of condition since the pics were taken, he will never be fat or broad. Would he be any good in sports pony classes or plaired working hunter? Any advice appreciated. Sorry if this should have gone in the picture gallery!

 

[Deefa]

i like him, WHP if a good idea as he jumps well.

Its prob just me but i like him natural lol so maybe have a go at a M&M WHP and see what the judges say?
I am not the best person to ask sorry

 

[Jemayni]

Hes beautiful - WH would proablly suit him a treat; also how about SHP because he is very pretty too!

 

[fjudge]

Definate whp....i think you could do M&M whp's as well.

Shp if the flat work is half decent.

Lovely looking pony!

Have pm'd you

 

[tinker512]

Agree with others..WH and he can get away with hunter pony

Could possibly get away with just a ridden showing as well with change of browband etc...

 

[FMM]

He looks a lovely new forest. Why can't you do new forest and M&M workers with him?

 

[hati]

M&M workers and WHP classes

 

[sorona]

He is too 'light' for M and M classes, although he has had success at local shows but isn't looked at at bigger ones, although he has gone beautifully, he was completely looked over straight away in preference for he 'fat' ones who were bucking and napping!!
He has done M and M workers and has done well. The showing pics of him were from a county show where he was in a NF class and they hated him although he went brilliantly so daughter is a bit despondant as she tried so hard and pony went so well for her and she felt she deserved to get placed so think we will give that class a miss!
I feel he would do better in non native classes as a lot of people say he looks like a small sports horse and should have been 2 hands bigger, lol!!
I was thinking of possibly, WHP, intermediate show riding type, show hunter pony, sports pony, riding pony; but dont know which are most suitable. He will def do workers, plaited and native as half of it is judged on the jumping and he can certainly do that and has held his own in open classes against more experienced horses.
Any othr ideas as i know there are classes i havent even heard of, isnt there potential competition pony that you have to ride a short sort of dressage test as he will shoulder in and half pass and extend and collect! (not perfectly but will get there by start of show season, lol)

 

[FMM]

Are you sure that it was just not that judge that didn;t like him? Why not go onto Hamlets House where they are a specialist in M&Ms and ask for an opinion there. He really looks like a NF to me, although he also looks lovely plaited. Workers are obviously your best plaited option, but I would also consider M&M workers as even if he isn't the "right" type (although I am not totally convinced he isn't!) performance will count for a lot.

There is a sports pony competition and also style and performance and other perfromance classes which POnies (UK) specialise in. Quite often NFs DO get ignored in a mixed connie and NF class, but that is just one of those things.

trouble is, if you are going to do top level non M&M stuff, then you will have to pull and trim his tail, and trim his legs and whiskers completely, which means no more M&M at all. Where abouts are you? He will also mature more don't forget.

Sorry for the long waffle, but I really think that he could better serve your daughter as an M&M at the mo. And at Ponies (UK) Summer Champs there are about 20 classes you would be eligible for!

 

[Thistle]

There is a Burghley Event pony class, like the Young event horse series.

I would go down the M&M route for now though.

 

[sorona]

Thanks everyone, I have resgistered wth a couple of new forums so will check them out too, there will be pics of charlie all over the net, lol!!
FMM, I am based in the new forest, which is prob the best place to be based for shows if you have a forester but the competition is also very tough and you compete against all the 'big' names.
Will def keep doing workers with him as he is jumping so well now but might try SHP with him next season as some people mistake him for a TB x NF so that might fit the bill.
Thanks for everyones advice and suggestions.