CHAPTER XIX

HUNTER SHOWS AND TRIALS

By Major V. D. S. Williams

MASTER OF THE GRAFTON

THE primary object of all horse shows is to improve and encourage the breeding of horses on an economic basis. This is a fact that should never be lost sight of.

There is an inclination to regard horse shows as an entertainment, and means of making money for the local Hunt or some other community. There is no reason why they should not be employed for this purpose provided the primary object is not overlooked and that they are not allowed to deteriorate into gymkhanas or circuses.

The schedule of the show should be published not less than a month before the date of the show—the earlier the better— and should contain as much information as possible. Great care must be observed in wording the conditions for the various classes so that there can be no doubt as to what type or age of horse is eligible to enter.

In the young stock classes it is advisable to enter the year of foaling, so that there is no possibility of mistake, i.e.:

Fillies, geldings, and in yearling classes, colts may be combined in the same class (it is not customary to allow colts of more than one year old to be shown), but it is not advisable to combine young stock born in different years in the same class— except for a championship.

If funds or time do not permit of classes for yearlings, two-year-olds and three-year-olds, it is better to cut out the younger classes altogether than to combine them. It is almost impossible to judge fairly young stock of different years together, and the older animals are of more value to the community.

In 1930 the four-year-old ridden class was abolished at the Hunter Improvement and National Light Horse Breeding Society Show, and a five-year-old class instituted in place of it. This was a very wise step, especially in shows that are held in the early part of the year.

Many four-year-olds are ruined by being unduly hurried in their training to prepare them for the show ring, and by substituting five-year-old riding classes more time can be given to the early training of the four-year-old, and the five-year-old will have a chance of competing against horses of his own age, instead of having to compete against older and, consequently, more developed horses. This fact is even more important with heavyweight horses than with lightweights, as the big weight carrying horse is very often not really developed until he is seven or eight years old.

In the riding classes, if there is an age limit, the year should be mentioned, i.e.:

Bearing in mind the primary object of horse shows it is a good thing to put a limit to the age of horses competing. It is not likely to encourage horse breeding if the same horse goes on winning all over the country for three or four years running. The more “fresh” horses that are brought out the better it is for the industry.

The wording of the weights that it is intended the horses in the different classes should be up to, must be carefully considered. The following are the most common errors:

Here there is nothing to prevent a 15-stone horse entering in all three classes. Or again:

Horses are generally catalogued in divisions of half stones: 13.7, 14, 14.7, and a large proportion of horses are considered 14-stone horses, and by the above wording the owner of the 14-stone horse is puzzled in which class to place his horse. The wording given below allows of no mistake. Where there are two classes:

or if it is intended that the lightweight class should include the 14-stone horse:

This latter division of the weights is not recommended: it allows the 14-stone horse into the lightweight class, and although on paper there is little difference between 13 stone 7 lb. and 14 stone, in practice there is a big difference in what is looked upon as a 13 st. 7 lb. and a 14 st. horse.

The latter is a big strong horse, and it makes things very much easier for the judges if he is allocated to the heavyweight class. Besides which it makes a fairer division of the weights and gives the bona fide lightweight a better chance.

Where there are more than two classes:

The weights can of course be subdivided as the executive think fit.

The names of the judges should without fail appear on the schedule: exhibitors like to know by whom they are going to be judged.

An entry form should be enclosed in the schedule, and the date for closing the entries should be as late as possible.

Secretaries should be instructed that they are not on any account to accept entries unless the name, age, breeding (if known), and description of the exhibit are given. The practice of entering “Nomination” is allowed at many shows, and it is undoubtedly on the increase, and if it is not stopped everyone will make his entry in that form—it undoubtedly saves a lot of trouble. It is, however, a practice that not only robs the show of a great deal of its interest and instruction to the spectator, but one that is grossly unfair to the small exhibitor. He probably has only one animal to exhibit, whereas the large exhibitor—especially the dealer if he is allowed to make a “Nomination” entry, can show a horse that he may not even have owned at the time of entry. If it is a question for shows simply to get as many entries as possible, the nomination should be allowed to stand; but if it is their ambition to encourage horse breeding, and prove a source of education to those interested, then the nomination entry ought not to be allowed.

The objection that is often raised by the exhibitor is that the entries are closed so long before the show, and that in the case where they have more than one horse that is eligible they have not decided which to enter, the secretaries state that this is necessary in order to get the catalogue printed in time. It appears that there are two methods of dealing with these objections:

1. To allow an exhibitor to make one entry at full fees, and more entries in the same class at a nominal fee. Then on the day of the show to allow him to show any of the horses entered, or if he wants to show more than one, he must notify the secretary on the ground, and make up the difference between the nominal and full fees for the additional horse or horses that he wishes to show.

2. To allow an exhibitor to make a nomination entry at the time of the closing of the entries, but the entry to be cancelled and the fees forfeited if the particulars of the exhibit had not been received by a certain date which should not be more than a week before the show (or the minimum amount of time required by the catalogue printer to add the details).

If all show executives were firm on this point, there is but little doubt that the nomination entry would quickly disappear and the number of entries would in no way suffer.

HUNTER TRIALS

Hunter trials have been in existence for many years in some parts of the country. Amongst the better known of the old-established ones are Lord Tredegar’s and Lechlade.

During the last few years they have become increasingly popular, and have been started by many Hunts.

It should be the object of all hunter trials to discover the most valuable horse to go hunting on, conformation, manners, and performance being combined. Great care must be observed to distinguish between hunter shows and hunter trials: in the former, conformation and action are the most important factors; in the latter, performance, constitution, and manners should be the main factors to decide the issue.

Conformation must, however, be taken into consideration, and it is a very difficult matter to decide the correct percentage of points that should be allotted. If too few marks are allotted the danger will be incurred of the prizes going to old worn-out or misshapen horses that in spite of their performances are of little value: on the other hand, if too many marks are given there is the danger of the performance being overlooked and the prizes going to good-looking animals that are only indifferent performers.

There are plenty of classes during the summer at the hunter shows for this class, and the object of the trials, namely, to discover the best all-round hunter, will be lost.

Ten per cent of the total points seems to work out as a good proportion to be given for conformation, and if only ten or at the most twelve horses who have obtained the greatest number of points for performances are allowed to come before the judges for conformation, the chances of the prizes going to indifferent performers is eliminated, and this should be a large enough proportion of points to prevent the very old, worn-out, or misshapen horses obtaining prizes.

Below is given a copy of the rules for judging as employed at the Grafton hunter trials, and these rules have proved very successful:

1. Course will be about a mile, with about twelve natural obstacles, including stake and bound fences, timber, water, and a gate which competitors will be required to open and shut.

2. Three refusals during the round disqualify.

3. Percentage of marks:

Only the first ten in jumping, manners, pace and style will be judged for conformation in each class.

4. Competitors to jump singly or in pairs at discretion of judges. There will be a time limit, one mark deducted for every five seconds over time.

5. No horse that has won £10 or more in a show jumping competition allowed to compete.

6. Any competitor jumping any of the fences before the events will be disqualified.

7. Horses must be shown in the bridles they are jumped in.

8. In judging conformation no exception will be taken to hunting blemishes or technical unsoundnesses providing they do not interfere with the horse’s efficiency as a hunter.

9. The same horse, if qualified, can be entered in more than one event. No groom or paid servant will be permitted to ride in any of the classes.

10. Bona fide farmer is as defined in the rules of the M.P.C.

11. If there should be less than twelve entries in any one class such class may be declared void.

12. Horses must be shown in the ring by the same person who rides them round the course, but in the event of a person riding more than one horse in the same class permission may be given for the other horses to be shown by others.

13. No entry accepted without entry fee.

The course should be laid out over a natural line of country, in length about a mile or a little over, with about ten fences. The fences should be stiff and varied, comprising all the fences typical to the hunting country in which the trials are held, and they should be as wide as possible.

Some sharp turns in the course are an advantage as they bring out the handiness of the horse. A good obstacle is a gate to be opened and shut into an enclosed “yard,” with a good flight of rails out. Open water is also a good obstacle to test a hunter, and should not be less than twelve feet wide.

It is most important to fix a time limit. The time that it takes to negotiate the course at a fair hunting pace should be tested, and points deducted from competitors for exceeding the scheduled time, but no marks gained for completing the course under the time. Competitors may be sent round the course singly or in pairs, the latter course is strongly advocated: the advantages are many, it reduces the time taken for the competition, and is very much more interesting to the spectators. It is a higher test of the qualities of the horse, and the judgment of the rider. The competitor who remains behind has the advantage of having a lead, but on the other hand he runs the risk of being interfered with, should the leading horse run out or refuse, and no allowances should be made by the judges for a horse so interfered with. Two reliefs of judges are necessary, and it seems to be the best plan for the same judges to judge the conformation that have judged the performances; the next class can then be started with the new judges while the conformation is being judged, and the judges having seen the performance can ensure that performance has the precedence of conformation.

There is no doubt that the popularity of hunter trials is increasing, and if well organised should prove of financial benefit to the Hunt, and should be the means of helping the sale of high-class hunters—thus tending to encourage the breeding and schooling of hunters.