Katie Jerram-Hunnable on why the backbone of showing – the county shows – are suffering
I, like the rest of the equestrian community, was deeply saddened to hear about the loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Her influence on the horse world has been so great and I personally have been so lucky to work closely with her by riding her home-bred horses for the past 20 years.
She really was the most remarkable and knowledgeable horsewoman, something you might not realise unless you met her. She was so passionate about her horses as well as breeding, and to have been involved with The Queen, her home-breds and stud manager Terry Pendry was an honour and a pleasure. We will all miss her greatly.
Shows will disappear
This year it has been great to get back to a somewhat normal show season after the pandemic interrupted usual proceedings for some time. While most of the Covid protocols have been dropped, there have been some changes to the circuit, mainly regarding which shows have run post-Covid and which have not, and also the allocation of Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifiers.
Some of the shows that didn’t run during 2021 have lost some or all of their HOYS qualifiers, most not through choice. This has ultimately affected the entry numbers, with some classes not receiving a single entry or at very most just the one; competitors would post on social media they had won at a county show, but they’re just winning one-horse races!
Much-loved county shows such as Royal Cornwall, Royal Norfolk and Kent County are just a few that have lost all of or some of their HOYS qualifiers this year. These are just a few examples of background shows that are steeped in history and make up the bricks and mortar of the sport.
What will happen if these beautiful shows don’t get their qualifiers back and equine numbers continue to plummet? The main goal for most riders these days is to get to HOYS, but I’ve intentionally run my season differently this year, choosing to support some of the county and agricultural shows.
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If I hadn’t entered some classes, there might have been no entries in them. It used to be an achievement to win at a county show, and I pray that the prestige will be re-established as we continue to move further away from the pandemic. If they don’t get more support, or are not awarded their qualifiers back next season, these shows will not continue in their current format; they will either disappear or become display shows.
It’s the taking part that counts
This column will be published at the beginning of HOYS week and this show, as always, is regarded as the pinnacle of our competitive year. Riders, supported by families, owners and breeders, have travelled up and down the country to qualify. I wish everyone the best of luck. It’s the one show of the year where taking part is the only thing that counts; you’ve already had to be a winner, or very close to a winner, to qualify. Getting there is the exciting bit, so enjoy your time at HOYS and treasure your finalist rosette, whether you come home with or without a placing.
● Do you think county shows have been impacted by qualifier allocations? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com
This exclusive column is also available to read in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 6 October
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Katie Jerram is one of the country's leading show horse producers and her horses have taken the supreme champion title at HOYS, RIHS and other major shows. A regular Horse & Hound columnist, you can read Katie’s views in the magazine or H&H VIP members can view them online below. Find out how to join H&H VIP
