The format

SEIB Search for a Star is designed to give amateur riders — people who don’t earn a living through horses and whose ponies aren’t professionally produced — the chance to compete at a prestigious event like Your Horse Live. In the final, the judges will wear a microphone and share their thoughts as the judging process takes place: First there is the go-round, where all ponies enter the ring and the judges watch them walk, trot, canter and gallop en masse. Everyone lines up and each pony is presented for an individual show. The judges’ focus will be on that pony only and a performance (riding) mark will be given. The ponies are stripped off (saddles removed) and each pony is trotted up in turn for the conformation judge to assess, before returning to the line up. Each pony is given a score, with 50% of the marks for conformation and 50% for performance. The champion and reserve will be crowned at the end of the class.