ApHC UK 2004 National Show Report

THE BEST YET !! That is the feed back we are getting from our wonderful 2004 show - with 85 entries in nearly 80 classes. The weather stayed fine if warm and thanks to the wonderful efforts of David Brindley the show ran smoothly - even if some competitors did get shouted at to get into the ring on time!!   Our two judges Sarah Runyan (USA) and Sarah Jull (UK) were impressed by the quality and numbers forward - and I have to agree with them.  Yes there were problems which need to be looked at : stabling of stallions, running to time with the English ridden classes, presentation of dressage and show jumping awards - but these will hopefully all be corrected by next year - but our National show is certainly getting bigger and better.  We even had five competitors for the Most Versatile Appaloosa.

Unfortunately the warm weather and long day on Saturday meant that some exhibitors pulled out of the freestyle to music but the two entries that did perform were FANTASTIC and for those who did not stay to watch - you missed a treat.  Both entries were very different with the wonderful SHREK costume and music (Nicola Sands "Tuscany Talos") and the poise and elegance of BARNHAM (Brian Jeffels and "Classic Bounder").  A huge amount of work must have gone into both and certainly had the audience clapping and cheering at the end - let us hope more will compete next year.

I do have a list of THANK YOU's because without these people the show would not run. To give you some indication of what it takes to run a two day National breed show: the venue hire was £1200.00; the rosettes cost just under £1000.00 and the trophies a further £300.00 - plus all the costs of judges, officials, hospitality etc.  So "thank you":

NUMERICA - show sponsor

Tuscany Sands Stud - Female Champion Sponsor

Heather Julian - Western Novice & Open Hi Point.

Sponsors/donations/prizes : Jaki Canning, Helen Smith, Mel Prichard, Margaret Kemp, Brian Jeffels, Jane Nicholas, Debbie Bell, Jess Bryne Daniel, Catherine Wager, Joe & Dick Mutimer, Lyn Rickman, C J Flowers, Develyn Drodge, Ronald Coatsworth, Helen Gough Stinton, Sharon Nimmo, Natasha Fountain, & Tony Curtis, Shirley West, Angela & Derek Sherwin, D J Murphy Publishers, Di Wilson

Officials : David Brindley, Anne Batley, Janette Keeley, Roger Wells, Julia & Ed  Bottomley, Heather Julian, Steve & Wendy Scott (Solihull RC - SJ), Richard & Sally Chamberlain.

Joe & Dick Mutimer for running the shop AND showing - very successfully.

Natasha Fountain & Tony Curtis - second hand tack stall.

Judges hospitality: Jim Nutland, Kim Sands, Peter Gunn.

Show Committee: David Brindley, Joyce Nutland, Angela Sherwin, Tim Keeley, Sally Chamberlain

For all those who donated prizes and trophies - (see results page).

As I have been the National Show organiser/show secretary/general runner around for the last five years I am now putting my feet up and passing the job over  to Polly Lloyd Owen. I would like to personally thank those of you who have helped but mainly the members who have taken the time to actually compete - without YOU we would not have a show.  See you in 2005.

Sally Chamberlain

PS: For those of you who did not claim your 2004 show rosette please send a 9 x 6 SAE to me and I will get one sent out (one per horse entered).

ALSO : some very nice person dropped off two boxes of HORSELYX by the rosette tables.  I assume these were for the APHC UK but there was nothing to indicate what they were for. Can someone please enlighten me?

From your Editor, Kim Sands:-

David Brindley has very kindly given us his feedback from the national  show which you can read; before you do I have listed my top moments from the show:- 

Jane Shakespear's stunning highly coloured Dynamic Edition winning the most colourful class.  How cool is that! 

Debbie Bell winning the part-bred championship with her lovely colt Haverlands Rainmaker.  A real achievement given the awful experience he and Debbie went through last year. 

Joan Sillitoe in a western class.  (Joan we will have you in a Stetson next year!) 

The beaming smile on Lou Tallintyre's face when her impressive stallion Private B Riker won the stallion class.  What a top class line up it was! 

Sharon Nimmo's immaculately turned out and stunning filly, Handy to Have winning the youngstock championship.

It was a real privilege to present the Tai Wind Stud Perpetual Shield to the delighted Helen Smith and her beautiful champion mare Rustlers Ms Reed. 

Natasha Fountain shedding a tear when her handsome appy Curtise Bespotted won the hunter type class.  (We saw you Tash!)

Rachel Whitehall's face when she convincingly won the youth handler class with her gorgeous pony, Whinfell So Special. Bless! 

The amount of times an Exbury offspring appeared in the line up especially that beautiful foal Exbury Dundreaming that I would have liked to take home with me (had I been allowed to have another appaloosa!) 

Helen Gough Stinton giving Stephanie Woollon a big congratulatory hug after Steph won the English ridden championship on Tuscany Talos.  I nearly shed a tear!

My niece, Nicola Sands for being the Bloxham Blue Belle youth Hi Point winner, for proving her versatility in the English and Western ridden classes and for the enormously entertaining 'Shrek' (Nice one Nicola!) 

Brian Jeffels and Classic Bounder's wonderful display to 'Barnham' What a treat! 

The opportunity to see the legendary Amazing Blue and Joyce Nutland in action and having so much fun! 

Joe Glow and Amanda Moore competing in the show jumping - Who said western horses can't jump?! 

Last but not least the look of complete surprise on Sally Chamberlain's face when the unbeatable Mannog Moonriver won the ApHC stallion class in front of awesome competition.  I do have a soft spot for River!

These are my top moments from the show I wonder what yours are?  Write in and let me know and I will print them in the next newsletter.

Who'd be a Show Manager - by David Brindley?

There has to be a degree of masochism within anyone who decides that for one reason or another they wish to become involved in the management of a horse show.  I am a professional project manager. For a living I have to co-ordinate teams of surveyors on projects all over the UK.  Prior to this job I was involved in quite complex building projects but this was all child's play compared with your average horse show - why?  Because I was dealing with fellow professionals - yes even builders have a professional approach to most projects.

Horse shows however involve dealing with two of the most unreliable factors on the planet - horses and riders!  Horses we all know are fickle beasts with a mind of their own. Riders are a different being whose sense of direction, time and often common sense disappear as soon as their bum hits the saddle, and I know speaking from both sides!

The show manager is often the first on the showground and the last to leave. Everything from timings of classes, lost children, forgotten tack, forgotten patterns, poor catering and the weather is always their fault. But let's stand back for a moment and just appreciate that without this incompetent uncaring individual there would be no show.  At some shows the manager will be an individual, at others there may well be a team but they all have one thing in common - a desire to promote their sport and enable the majority  i.e. the competitors have a good a time as possible.  The work doesn't start and end on the day sometimes it starts weeks or months in advance. Show venues and judges are being booked mid 2004 for shows in 2005, schedules planned and rosettes ordered. Closer to the day patterns prepared entries taken, catering organised and after the day results submitted and volunteers thanked.

So how can you help this poor overworked individual?

Recently whilst both running and attending shows it has become clear that the majority of competitors simply do not appreciate the problems they can generate.  Here are a few simple do and don'ts which can make everyone's life easier.

• Remember what classes you have entered - write them down on the schedule. Most managers write them on the reverse of your numbers so copy them down - you can't see them when you are on your horse.
  
• Make sure you know if you are eligible for the classes you have entered - it may not be spotted before you are in the ring and it's very embarrassing to be called out of the class.
  
• Make sure you have completed your entry form correctly with the registered name of the horse (It is surprising how many people have different names used for both themselves or their horses) and correct register numbers etc. Do not use stable or pet names
  
• Learn the rules. The rulebook is full of useful information but no one except the judges read them.
  
• Make sure you are ready for your class - timings of classes are very difficult to estimate so ensure you monitor progress
  
• Make sure you are displaying your numbers correctly and indeed you are displaying the correct number for you horse/rider combination.
  
• If you have to change horses between classes make sure you have help and the second horse is ready. Small shows may hold up a class for a few minutes but the larger shows simply cannot do this. If a show has 20 classes and each is held up by 5 minutes it's added over an hour and a half to the day - would you do an hours and a half overtime and not get paid extra?
  
• Similarly if you have to change tack - make sure you have help and your tack is ready.
  
• If you can't get help to change you must seriously consider whether you should be entering consecutive classes with differing horses/tack. How can you and your horse perform at your best if you are stressed from a horse/tack change?
  
• If you are unhappy about a judges decision don't take it out on the manager - for one they will support the Judge and you'll just cause trouble to the extent that they may mot take an entry off you in the future.

Judge makes a decision on what is presented in front of them. It is the competitors responsibility to ensure they are in the right place at the right time. Just remember that the show manager doesn't have to be doing what they do and without the efforts of both them and their team you'd have no show to take your horse to.

So finally - remember to say 'thank you' these two words go a long way after a hard days work!  David Brindley