Why enter 2" class when you can clearly jump higher!!!

[katie_southwest]

Just a small rant, I went to a show today and did the 2" class, and there were people doing it who then did 2"3, 2"6...get the idea

Now if I was confident at jumping 2"6 I sure as hell wouldnt be in the 2" class meant for numpties like me

I know they have just as much right to do it as me, but it just annoys me as we dont really have much of a chance

On a happier note, my ponio jumped well today and we had 1 fence down unfortunately, but Im proud of us still

 

[katie_and_toto]

That does annoy me, sometimes people enter the 2ft as a warm up and then another class as a real class.

At home I can confidently jump 2ft 6 but at shows I'm really nervous and normally do 2ft or 2ft 3

 

[bex1984]

I know what you mean, it's so annoying when people use the smaller classes as a warm-up/practice, they should go HC or do a clear round instead.

 

[katie_southwest]

Its just sour grapes because they nicked all the places in my class today

No but seriously, when that's the only jumping class Im doing, it's just a bit disheartening when its people who are in classes right up to 2"9

 

[dopeesophee]

i always enter a smaller clear round or class before the 2'3/2'6
because im really unconfident, the horse senses it and is really spooky

i have my reasons for doing this so i dont see the problem?

when i am loads more confident i wont be jumping the smaller class

and it means i get placed if she mucks up the next class (fillers means stops normally)

x

 

[katie_southwest]

dopeesophee - I dont have a problem with that so long as there is a reason

Its people that are literally zooming round the 2" and clearly confident at jumping much higher, and are purely doing it because they know they can win

Poor ponies too, half of them were dragging themselves round by the 3rd class

 

[pricklyflower]

QR this is my bug bear as well with RC where people use the smaller classes purely as a warm up, especially when it's juniors and the younger children are the ones that are jumping the smaller heights.

 

[StarFell]

I agree its annoying when people use the smaller classes as a warm up. I can jump about 3ft at home but I suffer from horrendous nerves at shows so never go higher than 2ft3

 

[dopeesophee]

we had this discussion today

one girl has a brill pony and was jumping it in the 1'3'' and 1'9''

why i dont know?? shes not allowed to do it anymore, because shes won it 3 times i think

but she then went into the 2'3'' and 2'6'' aswell!!!!

but people at our riding club are being told what they can enter and what they cant enter... so it will be different next season (Y)

 

[jumptoit]

It irritates me too when people do classes they clearly shouldn't be in but then from the other point of view when I was in ponies my little mare would pop round the 1m 5 happily but I still did the 85 and 95 not as a warm up but just because I wasn't going to travel an hour each way just for 1 or 2 classes.

Now though I prefer to stick to a couple of classes but I know a few horses who don't settle until the 3rd class!

 

[Lolo]

Well, I take my horse round the 2'3 then the 2'9 and usually win both (our seniors are wimps, it's not that I'm any good, lol) and I don't see a problem. My sister takes her Little Ginger round the 2' and then goes up to the 2'3- howver, if he jumps well he'll do the 2'9 too. Why? Because, despite how it appears (cocky little pony who zooms round with jockey who's clearly outgrown him) he is actually a green, nervy little soul who needs every good monet building on.

 

[HayleyandBob]

It annoyes me when people do it just to win but sometimes circumstances change etc
Like i entered a 2ft 3 to 2ft 6 last weekend as i hadnt jumped for nearly 3 months because of injury and i wanted to go in confident! ( ok i didnt win or anything) and i then had a go round the next classes to, but sometimes there is a good reason

So yer hope i didnt annoy anyone doing this !

 

[mystiandsunny]

I'll only enter two classes, one at a height at which I think we can get placed (currently 2ft6), and the next one up, at which point getting round in one piece is a bonus!!! When we're getting placed in the bigger class, I'll do that one first, and then the next one up.

Many shows have restrictions on the 2ft and/or 2ft3 classes, which would be great, but ends up being pointless because even people who've won before AT THAT VENUE never get questioned by the organisers.

 

[spookypony]

We have restrictions, in that people classed at a certain level or above (our RS has a graded system) have to jump HC in the 60cm class, and/or can't win points towards the league (usually, you can get placed, but the points get distributed among the top 6 riders that should be in the class) . The 75cm is open, as is the 100cm.

Since many of us are riding school horses that we don't always ride, and we're not allowed in the warmup more than 4 horses before our turn, it makes a lot of sense to use the smaller classes as a warmup for the bigger ones. I just competed a mare that I had jumped maybe 3 times in the last year, over nothing bigger than 2', in a 3'3" class. D**n right I wanted to see how she felt around a course first!

I do understand your frustration, which is why I don't do the 60cm class anymore, but I don't see the problem in entering only two consecutive classes.

When the Spooky Pony is ready, I'll start with the smallest class I can find for him!