George’s Boy

George’s Boy

The Showing Season

Bucks County Show - 2009

Hi, my name is Ray Hall, and this is my second year with the riding club. My horse is called George (piebald gelding), and after my wife’s Christmas present to me, a 2 day Lynn Russell workshop last year, we started coloured ridden showing.

It all became a bit addictive as George did bring us lots of beginner’s success. Sue, my wife does all the hard work as groom (BIG job with white neck flashes, mane plus four legs, ugh!), and I do the riding.

We joined CHAPS in 2008 and qualified for the UK championships at Grantham UK arena. We achieved 8th place (nice rosette) but realised that it all seemed to be ‘professionals’ at these final events.

This year we joined the BSPA and decided to compete at a number of the county shows (Leicestershire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Bucks, West Morland…), where the Judge has to ride your horse too. We were always placed in the top 3 with just one exception, and qualified for the BSPA World Championships of Colour at Addington this August. We were really chuffed to gain two 2nds and a 3rd place at Addington, although we just missed quailifing for RIHS by a whisker.

Overall Sue and I had a great time traveling round, meeting lots of different people and gaining more experience, but it all comes down to what ‘competition’ turns up, and how things go on the day, and oh yes, the dreaded ‘Judge”. Ha Ha.

There is a lot of hard work and time needed for preparations, coupled with varied emotions too, but one thing is for sure, that ‘Showing’ is quite unpredictable!

The question is: Will we do it all again next year?

Ray and George

1 Comment for George’s Boy

Michaela | February 16, 2010 at 2:24 pm

I like this horse very much – you def need to get out 2010!!

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