British Show Pony Society

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The British Show Pony Society (BSPS), formed in the autumn of 1949, is an organisation which oversees affiliated show pony, hunter pony and working hunter pony competitions for children's ponies in the United Kingdom. The Society offers three scholarships each year to help young riders develop their skills, and a number of recognition awards are also made. Owners, trainers and riders of ponies entered into BSPS championship shows must all be members of the society before the date of the show in which the pony qualified (though if they have never been BSPS members before, they may become members within seven days of the qualifying show), and all ponies shown at BSPS Championship shows must be registered with the society (though for animals never registered before, registration is allowed to take place within seven days after a pony has qualified at a qualifying show). Heritage Mountain and Moorland ponies must also be registered with their own breed society.

Contents

Organisation

The country is divided into 17 areas, plus Scotland and Ireland, [1] and members join the appropriate area for where they live. Members earn points by competing at shows in their area. Each area is run under a franchise from the BSPS, and is responsible for its own funding, from which it has to cover organisation of all BSPS events within its own area. [2]

In 2007, the BSPS united with 14 other British showing societies to create the Showing Council, an organization to represent the societies with the British Equestrian Federation. [3]

The showing of horses and ponies is widespread around the UK. The BSPS offers a large range of classes for the affiliated show rider or horse. Around 500 shows each year are run by the BSPS areas, with showing divided into the summer season (April to August) and the winter season (October to March) which consists of competitions mainly aimed at novice ponies, with each season having its own championships. The summer season championships are usually held in August, and the winter season championships in April.

Rules

Ponies must be four years of age or over (age taken from 1 January of the year in which it was born), and riders must be a minimum of three years of age. Each separate class has its own entry requirements for age and height of pony, and for age of rider.

Stallions may not be shown in any class other than the Heritage Mountain and Moorland, part-bred Arab, and Anglo-Arab classes. Mares who have foaled in the current year may not be shown in any class at all.

Show Tack, Turnout and Clothing

Novice ponies and ponies for young children must be shown in simple snaffle bridles, and non-novice working hunter and heritage ponies for older children may be shown in any suitable bridle, though a double bridle or a pelham bit is most often used. A Rugby pelham, which, with its separate loose rings imitating the double bridle, is preferred by many as it removes the necessity for a pony to have two bits in its mouth. In the working hunter and non-jumping hunter pony classes it is considered more 'correct' for ponies to be shown in plain leather 'hunt type' bridles, while fancy browbands are used in children's riding pony classes.

The correct dress for riders includes a hat which meets the current approved safety standards, riding jacket (tweed is considered the appropriate jacket for showing Heritage Mountain and Moorland ponies and hunter ponies, with a dark showing jacket for children's riding ponies), shirt and tie or stock, and breeches with long boots or jodhpurs with jodhpur boots.

All ponies apart from the Heritage Mountain and Moorland ponies must have their manes plaited, with tails either plaited or neatly pulled.

Qualifications and examinations

The BSPS, in conjunction with the British Horse Society, run a number of examinations each year in which people can qualify to become a Show Groom, an Assistant Trainer, or an Accredited Trainer. The society also has an "Accredited Yard" scheme. It also has qualifiers for RIHS and HOYS [4]

Related Research Articles

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Show jumping, is a part of a group of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes are commonly seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics. Sometimes shows are limited exclusively to jumpers, sometimes jumper classes are offered in conjunction with other English-style events, and sometimes show jumping is but one division of very large, all-breed competitions that include a very wide variety of disciplines. Jumping classes may be governed by various national horse show sanctioning organizations, such as the United States Equestrian Federation in the USA or the British Showjumping Association in Great Britain. International competitions are governed by the rules of the International Federation for Equestrian Sports. Horses are very well-known for jumping in competition or even freely.

Equestrianism Use of horses for sport or work

Equestrianism, commonly known as horse riding or horseback riding, includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the use of horses for practical working purposes, transportation, recreational activities, artistic or cultural exercises, and competitive sport.

Horse show A judged exhibition of horses

A horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and ponies. Many different horse breeds and equestrian disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels. Most horse shows run from one to three days, sometimes longer for major, all-breed events or national and international championships in a given discipline or breed. Most shows consist of a series of different performances, called classes, wherein a group of horses with similar training or characteristics compete against one another for awards and, often, prize money.

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Fell pony Breed of horse

The Fell Pony is a versatile, working breed of mountain and moorland pony originating on Cumberland and Westmorland farms of northwest England and is used for riding and driving. The breed is closely related to its geographic neighbour, the Dales Pony, but is a little smaller and more pony-like in build. The Fell Pony is noted for hardiness, agility, strength and sure-footedness.

Pelham bit

A pelham bit is a type of bit used when riding a horse. It has elements of both a curb bit and a snaffle bit. In this respect a pelham bit functions similar to a double bridle, and like a double bridle it normally has "double" reins: a set of curb reins and a set of snaffle reins. Because it has a bit shank and can exert curb-style pressure on the horse, it is considered a curb bit. Like all curb bits, a pelham bit has a mouthpiece, shanks with both purchase and lever arms, a ring for rein attachment at the bottom of the shank, and a curb chain. But like a snaffle bit, a pelham bit also has a bit ring on either side of the mouthpiece. Like some curb bits, a pelham bit usually has "loose" shanks - hinged at the mouthpiece in the same way that the rings of a snaffle bit are hinged. When two sets of reins are used, the snaffle rein generally is wider, to help distinguish it from the curb. A "cowboy pelham" is a western style of loose-jawed curb bit with additional rings at the mouthpiece allowing a second set of reins to be added.

Double bridle

A double bridle, also called a full bridle or Weymouth bridle, is a bridle that has two bits and four reins. One bit is the bradoon, is a modified snaffle bit that is smaller in diameter and has smaller bit rings than a traditional snaffle, and it is adjusted so that it sits above and behind the other bit, a curb bit. Another term for this combination of curb and snaffle bit is a "bit and bradoon", where the word "bit" in this particular context refers to the curb.

Show hunter

The Hunter division is a branch of horse show competition that is judged on the horse's performance, soundness and when indicated, conformation, suitability or manners. A "show hunter" is a horse that competes in this division.

Hunt seat Competitive equestrian sport

Hunt seat is a style of forward seat riding commonly found in North American horse shows. Along with dressage, it is one of the two classic forms of English riding. The hunt seat is based on the tradition of fox hunting. Hunt seat competition in North America includes both flat and over fences for show hunters, which judge the horse's movement and form, and equitation classes, which judge the rider's ability both on the flat and over fences. The term hunt seat may also refer to any form of forward seat riding, including the kind seen in show jumping and eventing.

Horse showmanship

Showmanship is an event found at many horse shows. The class is also sometimes called "Fitting and Showmanship", "Showmanship In-Hand", "Showmanship at Halter" or "Halter Showmanship" It involves a person on the ground leading a horse, wearing a halter or bridle, through a series of maneuvers called a pattern. The horse itself is not judged on its conformation. Exhibitors are judged on exhibiting the animal to its best advantage, with additional scoring for the grooming and presentation of both horse and handler.

Saddle seat Style of horse riding

Saddle seat is a style of horse riding within the category of English riding that is designed to show off the high action of certain horse breeds. The style developed into its modern form in the United States, and is also seen in Canada and South Africa. To a much lesser extent, it is ridden with American horse breeds in Europe and Australia.

Mane (horse) Hair that grows from the top of the neck of an equine

On horses, the mane is the hair that grows from the top of the neck of a horse or other equine, reaching from the poll to the withers, and includes the forelock or foretop. It is thicker and coarser than the rest of the horse's coat, and naturally grows to roughly cover the neck. Heredity plays a role, giving some horses a longer, thicker mane, and others a shorter, thinner one.

Cob (horse)

A cob is traditionally a draft type pony. Should be of a stout build, with strong bones, large joints, and steady disposition; it is a body type of horse rather than a specific breed. Historically, in the United Kingdom and, to a lesser extent, the eastern United States, a 'cob' may be a common horse used for everyday riding but in the past was used for driving carts.

Halter (horse show) Type of horse show class where horses are shown in hand and not ridden

Halter is a type of horse show class where horses are shown "in hand," meaning that they are led, not ridden, and are judged on their conformation and suitability as breeding stock. Depending on breed and geographic region, such events may be called "Halter," "In-Hand," "Breeding," "Model," or "Conformation" classes.

Show hunter (British)

The show hunter is a type of show horse commonly seen at equestrian events across Britain. The British "show hunter" is shown primarily on the flat, while the "working hunter" must also jump a series of rustic fences.

Show hack

The show hack is a type of ridden show horse, exhibited to a standard first established in England.

National Snaffle Bit Association US horse association that promotes the sport of pleasure riding

The National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA) is an equestrian organization in the United States that began by promoting and staging Western Pleasure events in 1983. Since then, focus has expanded to promoting the show horse at every level across multiple disciplines. The association is currently headquartered in Gurnee, Illinois, United States. The NSBA has a partnership with seven alliance breed organizations, including the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), American Paint Horse Association (APHA), American Buckskin Registry Association (ABRA), Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC), International Buckskin Horse Association (IBHA) Palomino Horse Breeders of America (PHBA) and Pony of the Americas Club, Inc. (POAC) in order that associations can benefit from the many rules and regulations they have in common.

The riding horse is a type of show horse in the UK. Riding horses can be any breed, but are generally warmbloods or Thoroughbred crosses.

Mountain and moorland pony breeds

Mountain and moorland ponies form a group of several breeds of ponies and small horses native to the British Isles. Many of these breeds are derived from semiferal ponies kept on moorland or heathland, and some of them still live in this way, as well as being kept as fully domesticated horses for riding, driving, and other draught work, or for horse showing.

References

  1. "Your Local BSPS Area". BSPS. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
  2. "Frequently Asked Questions". BSPS. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
  3. Spinner, Karen (March 14, 2013). "Showing World Gets One Voice". Horse & Hound. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
  4. "BSPS Accredited Trainers, Assistant Trainers & Show Grooms". BSPS. Retrieved 2013-12-02.