by Syd, age 12

So you’ve been riding for a while and you’ve watched all the major shows and competitions on television for years. You know which pro riders are your favorites and root for them every time they compete. Maybe you’ve even been to a few shows to watch. And finally you’ve decided you want to compete too! You love to compete; you love the thrill, the competition, the hard work and most of all the reward of a great showing! Well it sounds like YOU are ready to start showing! In this three-part blog you’ll learn everything from the different types of classes to how to prepare to what to do after!

A few things to consider before your first show are; make sure both you and your instructor agree you’re ready. Remember to both think positive and be logical. Don’t be all ‘oh my gosh I’m such a bad rider’ but also don’t shoot too high. And last but not least — practice, practice, practice before the show! Now you are for sure ready to enter the exciting world of equestrian competition!

In this part one of the three-part blog, it’s time for a crash course in showing! That means I’m going to teach you a little bit about the shows. First off you need to decide what kind of show you want to enter. That doesn’t mean you’re stuck and can only compete in that kind of show — you can always change your mind or compete in different types of shows. But my advice is to pick one or two types of shows and classes you want to compete in, and focus on those. Really try to do your very best in a few things.

There are 4 main show types; pleasure, performance, gymkhana (‘jim-KAH-nah’), and breed shows.

In pleasure shows there are many different kinds of riding (yes both western AND English AND open to both), but usually there are separate classes for each kind of riding. In pleasure shows you can enter: A pleasure class where you walk, trot and canter around an arena; a trail class where you work through obstacles; a working hunter class where you go over jumps; or a showmanship class where you lead your horse through a pattern.

In performance shows you compete in a specific type of activity. The most common are:

• Dressage, where you memorize a test then perform the flat work movements in front of judges. What test you get depends on what level you are.
• Hunter-Jumper or working hunter classes are one of two types of jumping where you jump natural type fences in an arena with good form.
• Jumper or show jumping type classes are timed events in an arena and the rider with the fastest time wins.
• In three-day eventing you compete in dressage, show jumping and cross country.

If you choose performance shows I suggest you choose one activity to excel at. In gymkhanas you compete in various mounted, usually timed games so there are no specific classes. In breed shows you compete against horses of the same breed as yours, so most breed shows offer a variety of classes.

Now that you know all about the different shows, pick your show! I suggest if your lessons have been geared toward a certain type of riding (ex: jumping, dressage, barrels) you go with the show that has that class, or you could always try something new!

Now it’s time to learn about the two different ways of judging. Subjective judging is when the winners and placements depend on the overall opinion of the judge. Pleasure, equitation, and hunter classes are judged subjectively. Objectively judged shows have a certain criteria you must meet, like a time limit. Show jumping, dressage and gymkhanas are judged objectively. There are also different divisions; youth (13 and under or 13-17), novice (like novice riders, it means ‘new’; both adults and youths can be novice), amateur (a step up from novice), and professional (a whole new set of divisions — it means you are being paid to coach or compete).

Also when you get to a show you will need to know who the show people are! The Show Manager is the person who makes sure the show runs smoothly. You probably won’t come in contact with him/her unless it’s before the actual show day. The Secretary keeps track of all the paperwork and is important to you as a rider if you need something. The Announcer is the person you hear announcing everything over the intercom or loudspeaker. The Judge is the person who chooses the winner and other placings.

Now you know everything else about shows. In part two of this blog you will learn how to prepare for your show, like how to find the right horse, what to bring, and much more. So don’t miss the next part of this exciting blog on how to enter the show world!

Read Ready, Set, Show! - Part Two

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