new to showjumping what comps?

[geeup]

My daughter currently does local shows and has been teaching our pony to jump. Last year we did local shows and did not push the pony merely got her used to different courses and environments. This year however we want to build up to something but I'm confused about what. Pony is 14hh and daughter 12, we finished last season jumping 2'3" with 2'6" in the second round quietly and sensibly. The courses were increasingly complicated with a seven strided double when pony does 6 strides to the double etc. We also jumped over a variety of jumps with wierd objects around. To me she still needs schooling and a bit of grid work but she clearly thought 2'6" to be a doddle, and achieved this when we only started jumping her in May and did only 8 shows. She also did a trebble at one. Can any one suguest where we might aim next. You hear things like PUK and county shows being branded around but were unsure if were ready or how you get to them. What should our next step be?

[Vic]

Possibly to affilliate her, junior british novice starts at 85cm so its not too far off what you are doing now. The course building is usually quite good, aimed at novices although you'll see plenty of odd fillers and the suchlike!!! It can be quite pricy to get the pony, rider and owner registered but if you seriously want to carry on with the showjumping IMO its the best way to go. A lot of show centres have a clear round before the british novice which you daughter could go in with out actually competing and you are also allowed to compete pre-registration 'on a ticket' but you are then not eligible to win. You have the opportunity to qualify for regional finals at different levels by completing 4 double clears in a year, which can then qualify you for a national final, there are also other finals such as the scopes to qualify for, some of which are not to tricky to get a place in the final.

I did BSJA show jumping from when i was 11 til when i was 16 and it was fantastic fun, got the opportunity to jump at Hickstead and at the Scope festival which i probably will never do again (even though it did cost my poor parents a bomb!!) Its not for everyone but if you are competitive and like to jump there is a fair chance you will like it. Have a look at www.bsja.co.uk/index.html

Where are you based???

[cubic]

PUK and county shows for ponies are more for showing than for show jumping. There are working hunter pony classes at most, but the courses are testing and a 14hh pony would have to jump 2ft9 in novice classes and 3ft3 in opens.

Something like the trailblazers series and UK Riders are excellent winter competitions run by equestrian centres. The aim of trailblazers is to have good quality courses for unaffiliated riders - I think they start at about 2ft3 going up to ?3ft3. It's much cheaper than affiliating while you're still jumping fairly small. If you're in the Pony Club they do team training and competitions at the height your daughter is jumping over good quality courses too. Courses designed for ponies will be strided for ponies, but ones for horses and ponies are likely to be strided for horses (eg 7 strides in a 1 stride double), and the better quality the course the more likely you are to see fillers/combinations/related distances etc, but you'll also get a good surface over well built jumps, which you don't always get at local level.

Affiliating is a big step, both in terms of the standard of courses (they'll be up to height and width) and quality of the competition, but it's something to consider if you're seriously wanting to compete in showjumping. I'd be wary of doing it too soon and putting your inexperienced pony and your daughter off.

[geeup]

Thanks for your replies, its made it a bit clearer. Think we'll see how we go this year and hope to affiliate in the future. ;D Have joined pony club this year as last year pony too green so we should get some advice on how fast to go with her, really don't want to rush this as we have taken soo much care to bomproof and train her slowly and confidently.

[emily99]

I'd try for the PC teams and possibly trailblazers showjumping, then possibly bsja next year.