I am a huge believer in when you achieve something then don't try again, but go for a bigger achievement. Reach further and aim for a bigger goal.
It is not uncommon to see the same competitors attending every riding club show year after year. Often at the end of the year at the annual presentation evening they will also be the ones who collect the most trophies and it becomes a competition in itself for who has the biggest table of prizes.
So, why do they do it? Why don't people move up a level when they have achieved something special that year? Is competing at one level deemed comfortable enough for certain individuals or is the prospect of moving up to be competing against different combinations a scary one?
Is it fair to be competing against someone that always wins the classes they enter? Are you one of those people that see a certain person is entering the same competition as you, know they are going to win and so don't bother entering?
Last year, every Prelim and Novice dressage test I was entering on Ceaser he was winning and If he wasn't winning he was coming a very close second. On one particular day I arrived at a dressage competition and someone said "Oh not you again, you'll win".
Most people would love to be deemed a threat to someone and whilst I found it very flattering it did make me think; what was I doing at that level still? So we moved up to Elementary. Then when he started to get high percentages in the Elementary tests I started to affiliate. I didn't need to but I thought it would be humiliating to stay at that level, come away with red ribbons all the time and go home. I want to come away feeling I have achieved something and I have worked hard all week to get that placing or percentage.
In dressage I am often faced with seeing competitors names down in the Prelim class when they are working at more of a Medium level at home. So, we need to ask, is it fair?
Just last week at a local level show I saw two producers entering clients horses to "give them experience". Need I even say that they either won or were placed second. Although shows need to be fair to everyone and not stop anyone from competing with them, surely there should be some line that cannot be crossed?
Last year I attended a show that isn't 'Novice' level but then on the other hand isn't HOYS level. Upon walking around with a friend I was told "That has been to HOYS". The worst was "That horse won HOYS a few years back but for the past couple of years its been sat in a field doing nothing so its here now".
Should this be allowed? I do feel show organisers should have more rules of who can and who cannot attend their shows. A decision needs to be made on what type of audience this show is wanting to attract and stick to that. I hate going to a show that has been advertised as being for Amateurs yet when you get there its for HOYS ticket hungry competitors that are there using it as a warm up for their qualifiers.
On the other hand though competitors could be sticking at that level because they do not feel they possibly can move up a level or simply don't want to add to the stresses of competing in such a rosette hungry environment. Could the thought of competing against different combinations at a more difficult level be a nail-biting thought?I know in both my head and heart (although I can dream) that Ceaser and I will end up at HOYS. I also know that we will not go much further than Medium level dressage so we physically wont be able to move up anymore.
So, where do you draw the line? Is it up to competitors to say enough is enough and let other people have a chance of winning the rosettes? Do you just carry on because you enjoy winning the reds? Or is it up to the show organisers to put a stop to horses competing below the level that they actually are?
Please get in touch and let me know - I really would love to do a bigger blog on the opinions and results that come from this.
Contact me below or on twitter @FurryMane
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