Katie Jerram-Hunnable: ‘It’s time for a change in our sport’

Top showing rider and producer Katie Jerram-Hunnable on working together to save county showing

We’re currently in that time of year where we have a slight lull in the showing calendar ahead of the Royal International (RIHS), after some of the busiest few weeks. For the past couple of seasons I, alongside some of my fellow horse specialists, have not attended some of the county shows due to a lack of classes for our show horses.

At Royal Norfolk, there were no classes for open hunters and riding horses, though I was fortunate to have a ride in the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) ridden heavy horse qualifier. It’s an interesting class to be involved with; it’s judged in a slightly different way, but it’s definitely becoming more of a showing class and the standard is always improving.

The Shire Horse Society is brilliant at hosting workshops for competitors to learn how to present horses correctly, and the ridden sections are constantly growing in numbers and quality.

Similarly, the success and popularity of the Irish Draught is continuing to shine through, more so now given the addition of the breed final at the RIHS. The entries in these qualifiers have confirmed that people want finals at prestigious championship shows.

From the Retraining of Racehorse finals at the Hickstead Derby Meeting, to the RIHS, to HOYS, it’s evident in class numbers across the board that people have big goals and they want to ride at these shows.

However, I do agree with fellow columnist Robert Walker’s thoughts that the qualifiers for London International’s (LIHS) ridden horse classes have reduced entry numbers at county shows, and that amalgamating these with open classes could be the way forward. Robert suggested that the highest-placed LIHS-eligible combination in an open class be presented with the qualification, and this would ensure that us non-amateurs could also support our local county fixtures.

I find it a great shame that I can’t ride my hunters at some of my favourite shows, including South of England and Kent County. While at Hertfordshire County there were open hunter classes, the entries were so small that it made sense from the outside eye to combine this section with the LIHS classes.

It’s time for a change as we are at risk of losing showing from some of our favourite fixtures, and then we’d lose both classes. We would all miss the big rings at county shows, and we would also miss out on the opportunity to improve our horses’ way of going in bigger atmospheres ahead of their finals.

“It bridges the gap”

At Sports Horse Breeding of Great Britain’s (SHB (GB)) spring show earlier this year a new restricted working hunter class was added to the schedule, and my hope is that other shows will follow suit.

Working hunter entries at the spring show were colossal, and it proved to be the ideal stepping stone class for novice horses ready to step up a level, or open horses who needed a confidence boost.

Moving a horse up from novice to open workers is a mammoth task, especially mid-season. It often requires riders to look elsewhere, such as in showjumping, for opportunities to get more rounds in, and you’re often at risk of over-facing your horse if you push him up too early in his career. A restricted class bridges the gap.

We hope that secretaries will introduce this class at their shows in the future, and we are running it at the SHB (GB) championships next month, alongside new Racehorse to Riding Horse and ridden heavy horse classes. We also welcome the return of Burghley young event horse classes, which encourage people from other disciplines to come to our shows.

● Do you agree with amalgamating LIHS qualifiers with open classes at county shows to boost numbers? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and country, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

• This exclusive column will also be available to read in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 11 July

You might also be interested in:

Record-breaking champion Shire mare makes history once again

Robert Walker: ‘Are we asking too much of judges?’

‘Anything’s possible, isn’t it?’ Rider whose leg was amputated wins Hickstead championship

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access too

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Subscribe today and enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus unlimited website access and digital versions of the magazine dating back to September 2012.