The 2010 R2R journey begins at Osbaldeston


The Racehorse to Riding Horse Show Championship, which is supported by the charity, Retraining of Racehorses, was initiated by South Essex Insurance Brokers (SEIB) to help ex racehorses when they come out of training and help to recognise their abilities in the show ring.  Horses need to have been in training with a recognised trainer and have raced to be eligible for these classes, which provide an opportunity to qualify for the prestigious HOYS finals.  As part of the ROR SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Elite Performance Awards, the HOYS winner also earns a valuable £2,500 prize to the winner. The Racehorse to Riding Horse Class was judged by conformation judge, Jean Wright and ride judge, Sara Leatherbarrow. 

First place was awarded to Sara Neachell’s ten-year-old bay gelding, Blue Rondo. Sara bought him in November 2008, but she then fell pregnant and was unable to take part in last year’s showing season. The 16.1hh gelding was bought from Jo Bates to show and had previously competed in large riding horse classes.  “He ran as a two, three and four year old and had 9 starts but I know nothing more about his racing career.  This is the first racehorse class that he has done,” says Sara. “Ponies UK was his first show that I took him to and he was a bit unsettled but since then, he has calmed down and is always turned out in the field the night before a show”, says Sara, whose daughter Olivia is now six-months old and stays with Sara’s mother when she competes, “I have to balance riding with looking after Olivia”, continues Sara who works on the family farm and horse trailer sales business, based in Aldridge. Sara has attended HOYS before where she competed in the Intermediate Championship in 2002 and 2003.  Sara will now enter more HOYS and RIHS qualifiers and continue to do racehorse classes.  Professional show producer and rider, Katie Jerram rode her parents, Mr & Mrs Michael Jerram’s Night Prayers.  Originally in training with Brian Smart, the horse came out of racing and was then found in a yard in Wales before the Jerram’s bought him from Steve Pitt and Vicky Smith.  The 15.2hh liver chestnut has only been with Katie for a short time and has had just three outings in hack classes where he has been unbeaten.  He has also qualified for the Royal International Horse Show.  Katie says, “It was very lively in there with all the horses and I am glad that he was well prepared – you do need to be prepared for this.  Some of the horses can be very sharp in a small environment but he was well behaved.”  Katie plans to do some more hack classes to prepare for HOYS. She added, “I love racing and have done some myself, so I was keen to get an ex-racehorse.  The fact that he is also a lovely hack is a bonus.  This is a great class, gaining in popularity and I hope a lot more people will attend”.  This was the first time Katie had been to Search for a Star event, and she said “I have enjoyed the day and it has been very interesting watching the Search for a Star classes.  I take my hat off to SEIB for organising it” she said.



HOYS Show Championship judges announced:

• Osbaldeston Equestrian Centre (23rd May):
Sara Leatherbarrow & Jean Wright

• Vale View Equestrian (13th June):
Ian Smeeth & David Ingle

• Badgeworth Riding Centre (4th July):
Guy Landau, Richard Ramsay & Matthew Maher-Burns

• Wellington Equestrian Centre (11th July):
Sam Fisher & Janet Holder

• Vale View Equestrian (18th July):
Richard Mills & Tim Wiggett

RoR SEIB Elite Performance Awards

£30,000 prize money – is your horse eligible?

The charity, Retraining of Racehorses (ROR) and South Essex Insurance Brokers (SEIB) have joined forces to create an exciting new series of competitions to encourage and recognize the success of ex-racehorses, with a valuable prize fund of £30,000.  Horses in training are expected to win high stakes, but when the time comes to leave racing these horses often face an uncertain future.  The new series will provide a focus for ex-racers competing in the disciplines of Eventing, Dressage, Show Jumping, Endurance and Showing and encourage more riders to recognize the talents and versatility of the thoroughbred and their potential for success in another sphere. 

To be eligible, horses must have run in the UK and be registered with ROR.  There is a significant monetary prize for each discipline that will be presented to the winners and runners-up at the British Breeding Breeders Dinner and Awards Ceremony in January 2011.

THINK YOU CAN WIN?
Enter the SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Show Horse Championship 2010
and make sure your horse is registered with RoR at www.ror.org.uk and please ensure your horse has run in the UK.


How to Cope at HOYS!

A coveted place to compete at the Horse of the Year Show is every rider’s ambition and for a fortunate few, that dream will come true in Birmingham this month. 

Competitors in the South Essex Insurance Brokers’ Search for a Star Championship are all competing at HOYS for the first time.  To help prepare and to ensure that this dream does not turn into a nightmare, SEIB invited them to a training workshop with well known show producers, Richard Ramsey and David Bartram.  Here we summarise their wise advice on being organised.

HOYS is like no other horse show you have ever attended.  The NEC consists of vast acreages of tarmac car parks, huge exhibition halls and officious traffic controllers – all rather alien to the green fields of most equestrian events.  Just arriving at the showground can be fraught with difficulty and extra time is needed for the journey and the arrival procedure. 

Queuing starts well before the entrance to the horsebox park, and once there, all paperwork must be in order for the horse to be allowed in.  It is heartbreaking to arrive, only to find that your horse’s vaccinations are incomplete, perhaps because of a lapsed date with a previous owner, and be turned away at the gate; this has happened.  Then you need to find your allocated stable, which may be some way from the horsebox, get your horse settled in and collect the passes you will need to get to the arenas and back again.

There is plenty of walking to be done, as the arenas are a good 10 minute walk from the stable area.  The timetable is strict and times are allocated for evening exercise and for the class.  Miss your slot and you will not be allowed in, so don’t forget anything, such as your number, on your way to the ring.  Check everything carefully and allow plenty of time to get you and your horse ready to present yourselves in a calm and relaxed state in the collecting ring.   It is better to arrive 10 minutes early than to have to rush, upset the horse and be unable to give your best performance when you enter the arena.

The atmosphere in the arena is electric, another experience that can be unexpected.  If all goes well, you may be required to return for a championship in the international arena and it is as well to check the turnout requirements should this happen as a top hat or white stock may be required. 

Coping with HOYS, while suffering the inevitable nerves, takes planning and the key is to allow plenty of time.   This is a big occasion and you should enjoy the experience and remember that just qualifying and getting to the final is a great achievement.  Having put on your best performance, dazzled the audience and caught the eye of the judge, it might just be your day, and when the lights are dimmed and all focus is on the winner in the spotlight for the lap of honour, it just could be you and everything will have been worthwhile!



TWO DIFFERENT COMPETITIONS FOR YOU TO ENTER WITH YOUR EX-RACEHORSE

The Racehorse to Riding horse competitions encompass most of the equestrian disciplines.   Whether you compete at a multi-discipline level or want to ride your horse at the Horse of the Year Show there is a way to participate and show off how re-trainable an ex-racehorse can be.   

The South Essex Insurance Brokers series offers two different types of competition, The Racehorses to Riding Horses Points Championship and the Racehorse to Riding Horse Show Championship which culminates at the Horse of the Year Show and both are open to professionals as well as amateurs.

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