Hints & Tips
Please Contact Us if you need any more info or are unsure about what to do/how to enter.
Video Classes
Your video should aim to be a maximum of 2 minutes long and include a typical ridden or in hand show for your class (see below for suggestions and guidelines).
This should preferably be performed at home, in a field or arena, turned out as for your showing class, or alternatively out at a competition, either in the warm up or in the class (as long as there were no restrictions to recording or sharing the video). If you are recording at an event, please be mindful of other competitors and focus the recording only on your horse/pony.
Ideally the video should be taken by someone else standing in the centre (as if from the judge’s viewpoint) and should clearly show the horse/pony at all times. The best way to do this is to get someone to help you by holding the camera/phone whilst you perform your show around them.
If this is not possible, then you can do your best balancing trick on the field/arena fence, or with a spectator from the sidelines - whatever you are able to do will be good enough. Please don't feel you cannot enter if you have not got a perfect video!
We appreciate it is not always easy to take a clear video, but please remember the judge can only judge what they can see. If the horse/pony is too far away to make it out clearly, or there are obstructions in the sightlines, then they will not be able to judge you fully and you will be at a disadvantage to other competitors.
A sample show - ridden video classes
If you are not sure what to perform for your show, then a simple show is outlined below as a suggestion. Your show should be brief, but include a good halt, walk, trot on both reins, canter on both reins and an extension (if applicable, see note below). A short show is best - a judge only needs to see the good bits and if you keep going on and on then invariably bad bits start to creep in!
Make your transitions clear and look like they were intended to happen at that spot/time. Make sure you do a few nice strides of walk at the start and end of your show and always start and finish with a good, square halt. Take your time, don't feel rushed and most importantly (as it does make a difference) is to remember to both breathe and smile!
Stand alongside the judge a few metres away from them so you are not too close they can't see the whole picture; then walk away in a straight line, go into trot, trot a figure of eight (two circles with a change of rein in the middle) and then canter a figure of eight (two circles with a change of rein in the middle) and then extend along the straight (long) side a few strides - don't rush it - then back to a controlled canter, trot, walk and halt in front of the judge again.
If you are entering the leadrein/first ridden classes then you would only halt, walk, trot; if you are entering the veteran classes then you walk, trot and canter but don't extend.
A sample show - in hand video classes
Again, for the in hand classes below is a suggested in hand show.
Stand alongside the judge a few metres away so that they can see the whole picture. Then ideally your videographer should walk behind the horse/pony so that they see the view form behind as you walk away roughly 10 metres. Then turn the horse/pony away from you (ie to the right) and do a small turn to face back to your videographer, then trot back towards them and past them and keep trotting around so you trot along the long side. Come back to walk then into a square halt. Job done!
Working Hunter and WHP classes
For the working hunter classes we would very much like to see your horse or pony jumping a course over a minimum of three fences (rustic or show jumps), including a change of rein (i.e. jump at least one of the fences on the other rein). These can either be three different jumps set out in your arena or field and jumped as if made into a course of fences; or it can be a video of a longer course of fences. It doesn't matter if the fences are home made or purpose built as long as they are safe and jumped in a controlled manner. Please make the fences to any suitable height for you and your horse/pony. You will not be judged on the size or type of fences you are jumping, more on the style and manner with which the round of fences are completed. Points will not be deducted for jumping faults (e.g. if you knock the fence down) but this will be reflected in the style mark, so don't fret if you can't video a clear round!
Photo Classes
Your photo(s) should ideally include one side-on photo of your horse/pony standing still, one side-on photo of your horse/pony moving and one photo of your horse/pony taken from the front (moving or still). This provides the judge as much opportunity to assess the horse/pony as if they were in the ring, and therefore gives you the best advantage at being judged as well as possible.
If you are only able to submit one or two photos, this is absolutely fine but please make them as relevant as possible for the class description.
For the ‘fun’ classes, such as Funniest Pose, only one photo is required and you may choose the best one you think is most suited to the class description.
Turnout
To allow yourself the best chance during your class, it is best to turn out as if you were entering the show ring at a competition. The judge will take into account the turnout of the horse/pony and the handler/rider - but this will not be the only criteria they are judging against, so if you are unable to get a video/photo(s) of you both all togged up then please don't let this put you off entering.
If you need advice on how to turn out for your specific class, please don't hesitate to get in touch. We are working on developing a series of online lessons/tutorials on how to turn out for each specific class. These will be available online on our website and socials in due course.
Feel free to post on our socials to get feedback on your turnout from not only our British Showing judges but also from fellow competitors - both amateurs and professionals alike.