The creators of an organisation they hope will be the “airline of showing societies” say their aim is for everyone to feel welcome, and for all competitors and horses to enjoy the experience.
The Friendly Showing Society (TFSS) was launched on 10 January and already has more than 3,800 followers on social media, and its first championships and qualifiers are in the diary.
TFSS was created by Craig McClelland and Alex Osborn, who formerly ran Golden Cross Equestrian Centre in East Sussex.
“Craig and I both worked for airlines as cabin crew and when we had Golden Cross, my ethos was that we wanted to be the airline of equestrian centres,” Alex told H&H. “Now we want to be the airline of showing societies. Welfare and safety are the most important thing, but equally, we want you to have a nice time and enjoy your journey with us.”
Alex said that at Golden Cross, he and Craig tried to make everyone welcome.
“We all had to start somewhere and when you don’t know, you sometimes go to fancy equestrian centres and feel a bit lost or left out, so we wanted to make it really inclusive,” he said. “Then we sold that and moved away; I did my own horses and we did some livery, but I lost my identity a bit, I missed helping people and that ethos.
“Craig and I both compete and are on panels, and I was quite involved with one society but after a setback at the start of this year, I thought I had to do something positive. We came up with The Friendly Showing Society, where everyone’s welcome – whether you’ve got 50p or £50, grassroots or professional.”
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The idea is to have fewer rules, to minimise complaints and issues, have judges who will give positive feedback if asked and who are “straightforward, friendly, people people, who are there for the right reasons”.
Judges’ panel
Craig told H&H all shows running TFSS qualifiers have been asked to select judges from the society’s panel, which is already more than 80 strong.
“Everyone on there, we know – or other people on the committee know them and their style and demeanour,” he said. “We’re hosting a meet-and-greet day for potential judges; not because we’re questioning their knowledge or ability, but it’s how they deliver it. People can be really experienced, but might not quite have the bedside manner to share that knowledge and really help other people.”
Judges will still consider conformation and performance as is standard, but Alex said competitors will not be penalised for, as an example, not having the right boots.
“There are always ups and downs but it’s how you deliver it, moving forward with positivity and not picking each other apart,” he said. “Life’s tough enough as it is and this is meant to be fun.
“Maybe you can’t afford the right boots, that’s fine; it’s just way of going, correctness, what it should be, traditional showing. It used to be that the best person won and everyone would think, ‘Gosh, one day I could be like that,’ and people would ask questions and for feedback, and that’s what we want.”
There is no charge for competitor membership, horse registration or show affiliation. Craig said that in future, the society may take a small percentage of entry fees to cover costs, but the idea is not to make a profit.
“We’re in it just to do it, as opposed to running it as a business, to provide something and enjoy it,” Craig said.
The Friendly Showing Society championships
Qualifiers, in in-hand and ridden classes, have been confirmed for county and riding club shows across the country. The first TFSS championship show will run on 6 September at Solihull Riding Club and some competitors have already booked their stables.
“We feel [the response] reflects a wider shift in showing, where competitors are still committed to correct, traditional judging, but are increasingly looking for consistency, approachability and welfare-led decision-making from officials,” Vikki Stanley, also on the founding committee, told H&H. “TFSS has been built to respond to that, without lowering standards or positioning itself in opposition to existing societies.
“TFSS is deliberately collaborative. We are actively working with other societies to avoid date clashes and to operate in harmony within the wider showing calendar, rather than fragmenting it further.”
The Friendly Showing Society has also confirmed that top showing rider Jayne Ross will judge the supreme in September.
Jayne told H&H she will do all she can to support the society.
“Alex and Craig are lovely guys, who try very hard to encourage everybody to enjoy their horses,” she said. “It’s really important to have new things going on and new societies, and I’ll back them wherever I can as their hearts are in the right place and they’re trying to do right by everybody.”
Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
