‘Don’t put chasing qualifiers forward of welfare’

Present horse producer Simon Reynolds feedback on extreme journey within the chase for qualifying tickets, and asks if bodily present catalogues are nonetheless needed

I’ve heard some regarding tales at exhibits about what number of miles persons are travelling to achieve {qualifications}. Planning a horse’s season could be a minefield, nevertheless it ought to by no means be on the expense of their welfare.

Folks have been chasing down the final of the Royal Worldwide qualifiers and over a nine-day interval on the finish of Could there have been a minimum of 10 exhibits, a few of which had been two-day fixtures.

At this level within the season the Horse of the Yr Present qualifier chase additionally ensues.

Let’s say somebody tried to chase a ticket at Royal Three Counties, Royal Cheshire, The Lincolnshire Present and the Royal Highland, that are all on consecutive days. In the event that they drove from showground to showground, that’s simply over 520 miles – with out factoring within the drive to and from their very own yard. The final leg from Lincoln to the Highland alone is 280 miles!

Except you take totally different horses to those exhibits, please don’t do that. The riders, drivers and grooms should even be exhausted by this.

What makes exhibiting particular

It has been nice to be out competing and showcasing our horses on the massive grass rings at county exhibits once more. Having most of the people spectating and having the ability to give our house owners a very good time out is what actually makes exhibiting particular.

General, the going has been good, contemplating how laborious the bottom has been and organisers must be recommended on this. Nonetheless, we had been grateful for some rain.

I’ve been responsible this 12 months of not supporting early novice courses, however this was purely as a result of mine was not prepared, and I’d love extra exhibits to place novice courses on all through the season. A real novice doesn’t grow to be prepared for open courses in half a season.

On the current Hambleton and Rutland fixtures, my novice had a stunning day, exhibiting on a pleasant giant grass ring. We then hung out grazing him whereas we loved a picnic with our house owners. He had an amazing expertise.

With the early exhibits, when the climate is chilly, you’re rapidly placing horses again on the lorry. That have doesn’t actually give the younger horses an opportunity to take all of it in and loosen up.

I used to be disillusioned to see some rivals not staying for both a championship or a supreme. Some exhibits go to nice efforts to offer trophies and even prize cash, so it may be disheartening for them when they don’t seem to be supported.

Are laborious copy catalogues needed?

I’m typically pissed off with the excuse some exhibits give to not take a late entry, as a result of {the catalogue} has already been printed.

Most exhibits do take late entries, which is useful to the competitor, improves declining class numbers, and finally the present’s income. Are catalogues actually that in style these days? I have no idea many individuals that may spend the cash on one. I dread to assume what number of unsold catalogues are disposed of after a present.

Maybe to avoid wasting cash, facilitate late entries and to do our bit to save lots of the planet, don’t print a list. On this period of smartphones, certainly a QR code to scan or an internet hyperlink could be probably the most cost-effective and environmentally pleasant means ahead.

On a lighter be aware, at a current county present, there was a name on the tannoy for anybody who might lend some spare stirrups and leathers to a competitor.

I can recall some years again, a well known producer who had introduced a lorryload of horses to a present, solely to seek out he had fallen foul of the net entry system and hadn’t entered a single horse. Simply think about the tannoy name: “Might anybody lend a horse?”

● Within the age of Google and social media, how essential is a printed catalogue to you and why? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, together with your identify, nearest city and county, for the prospect in your letter to look in a forthcoming situation of the journal

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