Scottish show jumping hitting its busiest season
SADLY it’s time for the end of the monthly show jumping reports. As I say goodbye, I leave Scottish show jumping in its busiest season where riders chase Highland show qualifiers, some are just returning from successful trips abroad, and others have ventured south in search of bigger classes and opportunities.
Unfortunately, classes above 1.30m in this country are limited, making it hard for those with real talent and horsepower to make a living and several good jockeys making the decision to further their career by moving south.
We’ve watched the likes of Jemma Kirk move to France. Scott Brash, Nicole Lockhead Anderson and Sandy McLean all base themselves in the south of England, giving them easy access to the international and national circuits.
Equally, it is not easy
keeping Scottish owners or sponsors happy when their horses have to travel out of the country to compete.
Every owner wants to see their horse perform but that’s not always possible if the horse is hundreds of miles away chasing prize money.
At home, amateur classes are the real money-spinners
for show centres continuing to thrive but there are still a lot of very good riders and yards producing horses and ponies up the grades through British Novice to Foxhunter classes – although from Newcomers upwards its rare to find the one-horse or amateur rider.
Show centres come and go as we lose the likes of
Blue Ridge but we see Bogenraith opening up.
Muirmill still offers one of the best outdoor arenas, Morris runs some of the busiest winter shows, while Highfield of Howe has good indoor and outdoor facilities and continues to expand and improve. SNEC is always popular then we have Tillyoch, Netherton,
Chapelton, West Kype, Champfleurie and Ian Stark’s plus a few remaining agricultural shows to keep the calendar full all year round.
The Royal Highland show and the Scottish Extravaganza are two of the main aims every year, with everyone wanting to perform in front of a home crowd and win one of the few Scottish-based HOYS qualifiers.
Junior numbers ebb and flow as the years pass with the 148cms sections lacking competitors at the moment although not lacking talent.
The 128cms and 138cms have a few promising riders coming through and through all the sections there is a decent number of talented kids who look sure to go on into seniors in time.
One or two former 148cms riders are already doing well in seniors and it was promising to see the Under 25 class at the London International with more Scots than ever forward. So let’s hope some changes are afoot to allow more qualifiers, bigger classes and more opportunities here north of the Border to try to encourage some of this talent to stay.
I’d just like to sign off with a glimpse of a potential star in the making – Amy Capper, who must have broken all previous records for ponies qualified for the RHS this season.
She has been in incredible form around the premier circuit, resulting in wins in the Winters with her team of Dooneens Electric, Riverview Sandy and Katie McArdle’s Schierensees Cypress Hill all through for the 128cm section, joined by Rathcoona James and Playboy Van De Zoetewei for the 138cms.
Amy has also now qualified the first of her rides for the Highland show, making her summer looking like it is going to be a very busy one.