{"piano":{"sandbox":"false","aid":"u28R38WdMo","rid":"R7EKS5F","offerId":"OF3HQTHR122A","offerTemplateId":"OTQ347EHGCHM"}}
Trending:

Marking systems in showing – their benefits, flaws and what the future may be

Bethan Simons Bethan Simons

    • Some 30 years after the marks system hit mainstream showing, many are debating whether it still provides the transparency and consistency competitors seek. Bethan Simons investigates in this exclusive article for H&H subscribers

    A casual conversation sparked a revolution in the show ring: the introduction of marks in the assessment of classes.

    “It was 1994,” says pony breeder Tom Best. “At that time, there was only one section for ponies at the Horse of the Year Show [HOYS], which was judged using a marks system at the final; at local level, a marks system was already in use in working hunter pony classes.

    “It was in discussion with the late Jim McTiffin – vice chairman of the BSPS [British Show Pony Society] at the time – about the number of complaints about judging at HOYS qualifiers that I simply asked if there were complaints about working hunter pony results. If not, why not use marks in flat classes, too?”

    Tom later set the seed for a move to a marks system by proposing the idea at the BSPS Scotland AGM and the BSPS judges’ conference. In a subjective discipline rooted in tradition, his was a radical proposal: the allocation of two marks per competitor – one for performance or ride, and one for conformation. The animal with the greatest sum of marks at the end, wins.

    Sound familiar? Radical or not, the system has stood the test of time. It remains used by HOYS for its finals and most of its ridden qualifiers, and marks form the basis for assessment in most major flat showing fixtures, including at London International (LIHS).

    How marks are used in showing

    We’d love to hear your thoughts. What do you think about the current marks systems in showing? Write in and share your views at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your response published in a future issue of Horse & Hound.

    You might also be interested in:
    Bethan Simons
    Bethan Simons

    H&H showing editor
    Bethan joined Horse & Hound as showing editor in January 2025, after spending two years as Editor for Showing World. Having adored ponies since childhood, she started showing as a teenager and has enjoyed wins at major shows up and down the country, including Royal Highland, New Forest, and the Royal Welsh, as well as HOYS, RIHS and London. She is particularly passionate about Welsh breeds and is also a Welsh language commentator.
    Bethan Simons

    You may like...