State of the Show Ring

Hi,
I just spent the weekend at the OHAHA show in Springfield Ohio. It was a well attended show, though mostly by training barns. There were not a lot of people showing there independently, but there were almost 300 horses entered which was a pleasant surprise. Everyone seemed to be content .... I did not hear much grousing about judging or facilities. The weather wasn't great, but they do have an outdoor COVERED ring that people were using for lunging and work. All in all the show ran smoothly. If you have an opportunity to show at the Champions Center do so - it is a really nice facility. Get your entries in on time though, they had overflow stabled in a couple of more open barns near the work arena. Those stalls aren't bad, they just aren't in the same building with the showring.

Horse handling seems to be improving. I didn't see as much stress as has been common. And there was a definite reduction in the balding and grease applications...those that did have "makeup" were a few of those in the English classes and the MR halter classes. There are still a lot of wonky shoes out there, but even they seem to have been toned down some.

I was there too, and it was a really nice show. people were happy, the horses were well behaved especially for so early in the year, but yes, not many folks without a trainer, I think it was pretty much a trainers show.
Huge classes with every single horse in the ammie classes having a rider,
for example,
atr western had 17 or 19 in the class, every horse in the facility that did western had an ammie rider, but in open there were only 6 horses,
same with each discipline, so I guess the ammies were there, just not alone!
Champions center is THE nicest place I have ever shown, EVEryTHING is indoors, food, facilities, stalls, arena, super nice, and HEATED.
We had a great time.
Lori

This past weekend I attended another show at the same facility that the OHAHA show mentioned above was held at. It was the Heartland Classic, primarily a Saddlebred show, but with classes for Morgans, Hackney Ponies, Fresians and a handful of open classes. The size of the show was similar with roughly the same number of stalls sold and occupied. Everyone seemed happy with the facilities and the judging. There was an exhibitors party Saturday evening - just like an arab show, but with a glaring difference.

The trainers weren't doing most of the showing. They were on the rails, they were instructing, they were leading little future showmen around on old showhorses, they were polishing boots and hooves. Only occasionally did you see one warming up a client's horse. They classes that the trainers rode in were primarily the open and junior horse classes. The bulk of the classes, far and away, were written for amateurs or dominated by amateurs. The amateur classes were open to all amateurs - they were not Amateur "to own". If there was a rider not up to snuff for the regular classes, there were plenty of academy (adults too) and walk trot classes. Youth even had park and five gaited-classes. These trainers are financially dependent on attracting people who want to ride and learn. Guess what - OUR next generation of trainers are learning now - in Saddlebred barns. Most of the trainers are trainer/instructors. The ads in their publications feature horses - with amateur riders. In contrast, how many Arabian barns have lesson programs....most trainers will teach a junior if they have to, if mommy and daddy have bought them a horse...that the trainer has in training. Granted, most amateurs cannot keep a Saddlebred in show condition and pretty much are all trainers clients, but the whole environment is to bring the client along - not a specific horse.

When was the last time you saw a huge 6, 8 or 12 horse driving class go into the ring without everyone white-knuckling it waiting for the next demolition derby? Happened there - multiple times. After talking to a lot of people, the difference appears to be that grandma and grandpa go to the barn and drive their horses - a lot - many go more than a couple of times a week. The horses and people are very comfortable with each other. The horses are not being hooked up only when a class is coming down the pike. Whole families are involved...from the equitation kids, through mom and dad, to the cart driving grandparents.

During breaks the whole facility was empty and quiet - no rush to get horses into the ring to train. No training being done in and around the horses trying to warm up for their next class. No horses being slapped in circles or being backed furiously down the rail. Maybe one or two horses being lunged or long-lined during the breaks, but the general attitude was that training is done at home.

Now for the part that went to my gut - we have turned our English type arabian horses into nice little Saddlebred Show horses. They move identically. We have in many cases even kicked it up a notch! Our country horses are being expected to break higher than the SBs. The shoes that we have subjected our horses to are as big as what the SBs are wearing. They were not as glaring on the SBs because proportionately the SBs have a bigger foot to support it. What happened to the powerful, reaching, floaty trot that Arabians can do naturally, and that differentiated them from the other breeds.


I am trying to be as analytical (facts only please) as I can be writing this. I had not been to a SB show in a very, very long time and was absolutely gut floored to see how striking the similarities were between the two breeds.....and how much we had moved toward the typical SB presentation. I want to encourage everyone to go to a SB show to see for themselves. I want Arabians to succeed and thrive, but I don't know how it can happen if we are only "SB light".

I recieved an e-mail asking if I could comment on my impressions of the SBs.

There were several very beautiful animals, great upright necks, hingy throatlatches, substance with refinement.

There is still a lot of lordosis (swayback) in evidence. In some individuals, it was very pronounced. I do not know if it is something that breeders are actively trying to breed away from or not.

There were some good front ends, but many were crooked especially through the fetlock and pastern - is this a result of shoeing? I don't think that all of it is although I am sure that the shoes do not help. There was a fair bit of winging and tightrope walking is evidence - I would be inclined to blame some of that on the shoes.

There were some horses that worked off of their hocks well, but the majority weren't using them anymore than many of our Arabians.

All that being said - while I did take lessons at a SB barn many years ago, I am not a SB afficionado (Arabs do it for me). If someone knows more about the state of SB conformation and breeding and would like to comment, PLEASE DO !!! I can only comment on what I observed or what I think I was seeing.

I sat and watched a great deal of the Buckeye this past weekend via streaming video. A couple things struck me; 1) The amateur owner classes were bigger than I've seen in a while; 2) The pro classes were small; 3) The Country horses are now the EP horses, the EP horses were park and the park, well they should have shown in EP. And halter was pretty much non-existent.

I am glad to see the Amateurs showing. Unfortunately to show at that level in country, it appears you need a BNT to train you, but at least those classes had entries. I was surprised the hunter classes were small and I am not sure if that was a regional thing or what, but that seemed unusual. At shows I have attended the hunter classes are packed.

I just wonder what the industry leaders are going to do now that country pleasure has been ruined. Once again, the industry has taken something that started out with a good purpose and turned it into English part 2 (and Show Hack has become English part 3). There are few markets for the nice free moving Arabian type other than going towards Dressage or sport horse. I agree with what Audie said above, the industry seems to be only concerned with breeding Saddlebred type Arabs..... very sad.

I just have to shake my head. I have friends that have other breeds and they are always so shocked when they see the Arabian shows... and then they always say how glad they are that they have "their breed" because they can still show at the top shows without a trainer and do well. And if they need help, they can still go get lessons.

Sorry, rambled a bit, but I am very concerned with the direction the breed in general seems to be heading. It just seems to keep getting less and less middle class amateur owner friendly - and these are the very people needed to keep the breed going.

Hi all,
I went to the Buckeye for a while on Friday. I was pleased that their numbers were still pretty good. It was interesting to listen to the places that the exhibitors had traveled from.....Connecticut, Idaho, Florida, Wisconsin, Texas - not so many Ohio horses considering that the show is smack dab in the middle of the state. I stopped and talked to the vendors I don't know if things picked up for them through the weekend, but they were all uniformly depressed over the lack of sales to that point....an average space ran $400 plus $55 for electricity. That means that they have to sell at least $900 worth of stuff to just break even on the space, to say nothing of gas, food and lodging or paying themselves or help to be there. Shirley and Larry Izor were holding down the stabling office again and were their usual cheerful selves. The barn party was a resounding success. Saw Cindy Clinton from a distance - she was going at a run.........

People are going to shows, but not spending any more there than necessary. It is sad that most shows dont' even have photographers that want to come. I would always like to buy a picture,
and many shows have now done away with Championship classes, which is sad, for ammies like me who won't ever get to see Nationals, those championship classes really mean something.
Lori

I've been at the Region 4 Pre-Show the past few days. The Region 4 Championship show started tonight with trail classes. Most ammies seem to be with training barns, but there are a few of us "on our own." It's been a great show so far -- no real drama that I've seen, and eveyone is friendly. Some great barn set-ups, even from the ammies. (No regimental drapes, though). The facility is fantastic -- the facility's "ambassadors" (mostly friendly, retired gents) keep my cooler fully supplied with ice, and I can't walk 4 feet without being offered a ride in a golf cart, complete with a bottle of cold water. My daughter shows with me, and we've been having a great time.

Hi Horseafire,
Wow on the customer service at your regional show. How are the entry numbers? Up, down, about the same as past?

Entry numbers seem to be up -- the facility has 600 stalls and they had to bring portables in to accomodate entries. Class sizes vary widely -- WP ATR and AAOTR seem biggest at 20-25, but there are few halter and driving entries. Most entries are from other regions --several barns from Utah came up, and a good number of people came from CA, British Columbia and WA. Idaho's a tall state, so an entry from northern Idaho had as long a haul as entries from the Seattle area.

Have heard that the entry/stall reservations for Region 14 are very good. Looks like it will be a pretty decent weekend to show - some popup showers but otherwise not bad !!

Have also heard that the Crabbet Celebration is going to be at Roberts Arena in Wilmington Ohio, Labor Day weekend. The Roberts people have put a lot of money into the place to rehab it (it had gotten kind of run down) so that it is like new again.

The OVAHA show is coming up at the Champions Center in Springfield Ohi - that is a really good facility to show at - clean facilty, good food, plenty of parking, campsites - the outdoor arena is covered, as is the warm-up. There is an additional work ring at the other end of the arena and a huge work ring across the parking lot near the indoor arena. The footing is very good and worked regularly.

This is a great little show, exhibitor and AMATEUR FRIENDLY !!