New Showing Series Set for LIHS

London International Horse Show has announced a new showing series with finals to be held at their Christmas show. Organisers have joined forces with the British Show Pony Society (BSPS), the British Show Horse Association (BSHA) and the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations (ASAO), to create the series, which consists of 20 different classes.

The aim of the new series is to bring showing to a wider audience with its emphasis on inclusivity and a focus on the amateur home-produced competitor, encouraging them to compete at their local agricultural and county show. Entrants for the classes will not have to be an association or society member to compete in the qualifying classes but would have to join the relevant body if they reach the final.  It is hoped that this will encourage more competitors to ‘have a go’ at their local show. 

All the BSHA classes are aimed at amateurs, whilst the BSPS classes are all performance classes and are not restricted to amateurs. These classes offer an ideal opportunity for ponies and horses competing in other disciplines to gain experience from the excellent educational competitive platform that showing provides.

The final list of Shows that will host classes for the series will be released mid-February. 

Paul Hooper OBE, Secretary of the ASAO and President of the Mid Somerset Show said; “Equine Showing is an intrinsic part of our member shows and we look forward to working with LIHS this year to expand this fantastic new series across the UK.  We hope all competitors enjoy competing at our member shows throughout the Summer and wish them all the very best of luck at reaching the finals of all the equine competitions on offer.”

Paul Cook of BSPS said, “It is very exciting that so many Show organisers have come forward to request permission to run these classes.  We are sure that this new format will make the classes more interesting for the public to watch as commentators will be encouraged to be much more informative for the watching public, describing what is required of the competitor and what the public should be looking out for.  The finals in London at Christmas time are going to be an event not to be missed.”

Nigel Hollings, of BSHA said, “I am so pleased that we’ve had such a fantastic response from Show organisers.  It will be a great experience for finalists to compete at The London International Horse Show in December – Showing started in the capital with The International Horse Show at Olympia, holding many classes when it started in 1907, so the circle is now complete with Showing coming home.  This is such an exciting development for the Showing world.”

The showing classes are:            

Rising Star of Small and Lightweight Hunter Type

Rising Star of Middlewight and Heavyweight Hunter Type            

Rising Star of Hunter Type Championship            

Rising Star of Lightweight Cob Type        

Rising Star of Heavyweight Cob Type      

Rising Star of Maxi Cob Type      

Rising Star of Cob Type Championship   

Rising Star of Small Riding Horse Type    

Rising Star of Large Riding Horse Type   

Rising Star of Riding Horses Type Championship

Rising Star of Hack Type

Rising Star of Hack Type Championship 

Rising Star Racehorse to Show Horse

Rising Star Ladies Show Horse   

Rising Star Working Show Horse

Rising Star of Working Hunter Type        

Rising Star Workers Championship         

BSPS Junior Performance Pony  

BSPS Performance Pony not exc 148cm 

BSPS Performance Pony not exc 158cm 

BSPS Performance Pony Championship 

BSPS Performance Coloured Native/Cob/Traditional Horse/Pony Class   

BSPS Performance Coloured Non Native Horse/Pony Class          

BSPS Performance Coloured Championship        

BSPS Heritage Lead Rein Working Sports Pony   

Open Cradle Stakes Class            

Open Nursery Stakes Class