HORSE OF THE YEAR SHOW 2024 – THE OTTBS
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Text: Amelia Campbell-Horne
It’s that time of year again when all our showing stars descend on Kyalami Park Club for the annual Horse of the Year Competition.
For horse lovers, it’s an event not to be missed as a vast array of breeds and types congregate for all to see. With special displays, Championship Classes and a range of activities for the whole family, if you can be there – you should!
Last year, we gave you an inside look and a how-to guide to the Warmblood classes. This year we will be looking into the classes offered to a breed that produced some of the most well-known sporthorses of all time, the Thoroughbred!
Fast fact
KPC and SA Showing organise the Thoroughbred classes, but you do NOT have to be a member of SA Showing to enter the classes, and KPC offers a special reduced temporary membership of R150.00 per competitor!
The classes on offer for the Thoroughbreds are similar to those of most other breeds and include Breed Classes (which are performed in-hand and categorised by age and gender), Working Hunter, Working Riding Horse, and the Riding Horse classes (Show Hack, Show Hunter and Show Riding Horse). An additional special class is hosted for Thoroughbreds that have raced within the last four years, and that is the Racehorse to Show Horse Class.
So… for those of you who may not have tried their hand in the show ring, what are the different classes, and how do you decide which to enter your OTTB in?
1. Breed classes (in-hand)
These classes are allocated by age, sex and with horses over three years old by height (those up to and including 1.63m in height and those over 1.63m in height).
Fast fact
If you want to enter your horse in a class with height restrictions, it will require the horse height certificate section of their passport to be completed by a vet and presented at the show.
How the classes work:
- The judges stand in the middle of the arena, and all handlers enter the arena together, leading their horses.
- Competitors walk in a large circle/oval, following each other around the arena while the judges observe.
- The judges will then hold up the queue or ask the handlers to line up and allow one handler to trot half the arena or the whole arena at a time.
- The horses will then be lined up in order of preference and pulled forward individually for a conformational assessment.
- The judges then take a moment to choose their prize winners and then call the horses forward to award prizes.
- The winners of each of the Youngstock Classes proceed to a Championship Class (which runs in the same format) in which the Champion and Reserve Champion Thoroughbred Youngstock of the Year will be announced.
- First and second place in the mare, stallion and gelding height classes proceed to the Champion Thoroughbred Mare, Stallion and Gelding of the Year Classes, respectively.
- The Champion Gelding goes forward to the Supreme Champion Gelding of the Year, while the Champion Mare and Stallion go forward to the Supreme Champion Breed Horse of the Year.
- These classes are pre-judged on the Sunday morning, and top qualifiers are to present themselves for the Supreme Champion Awards in the afternoon.
2. Riding horse classes
There are three classes in this category, and all run in a similar format, but each of the classes looks for slightly different things.
How the classes work:
- All competitors enter the arena at the same time and form a line following one another.
- The judges will indicate that the competitors need to trot, canter, change rein and trot and canter on the other rein.
- The judges will then line the horses up in order of preference.
- Riders will be called forward to perform an individual test.
- The top five or six horses will be pulled forward for a ride by the judge.
- Riders will also be required to dismount and remove the saddle so that a conformation examination of each horse can be performed.
- The winners are then called forward for the presentation of prizes.
Top tip
In riding horse classes, if the judge does not indicate specifically what they want you to do in the individual test, you can follow a format of trotting a figure of eight, with the option of showing a lengthened trot, then a canter figure of eight, with a lengthened canter, and then halt and salute in front of the judges.
How do you decide what class to enter your horse in?
Show Hack- If your horse is very beautiful, elegant and well-behaved, this is the class for you!
Show Riding- If your horse is good-looking and the kind of horse that you would love to take out for a ride in the country, this is the class for you!
Show Hunter-Would you like to go hunting on your horse? Does he have a good gallop, and is he sturdy and strong? Then this is the class you should enter!
3. Working Riding and Working Hunter
For those of you who have an affinity with events that include obstacles and jumps, then these are the ones for you!
Working Riding –Classes are suited to horses that are not easily frightened and willing to give most things a go. The working riding class is most like what some might think of as a ‘utility’ class. Generally, all competitors enter the arena at the same time and walk around. They are then lined up and called forward to complete a course of obstacles one at a time. This course can include trotting poles, bending poles, a jump, a lane, and a rein back and can require the rider to pick up an item such as a basket and carry it before returning it to its original position. The horse and rider combinations are given a score out of ten for each obstacle as well as a mark out of ten for general style and manners.
Fast fact
The Working Riding and Working Hunter Classes can include a ride by the judge, but this is usually limited to the top five to six contenders due to time constraints.
Working Hunter – Classes are likely the classes that would appeal most to riders with a passion for showjumping. Before the class begins, the riders will walk a course of rustic jumps. The riders then jump the course individually and, after completing the course, have a gallop. Once all riders have completed the course, the top few combinations will be called in for a ride by the judge and a conformational assessment before prizes are awarded.
The type of horse suited to this class is one that is brave and canters freely and rhythmically from one jump to another.
4. Racehorse to Show Horse
This class was incorporated to encourage riders to give racehorses second careers, with the hope that more people would realise that there is another life for racehorses who come off the track.
It is a Show Riding Class (that is run in the same manner as the other show riding classes, but without a ride by the judge). It is open to all ex-racehorses who have been retired from racing for four years or less. Horses must be shown under their registered racing names, and the class is judged based on schooling, manners, and conformation.
With South Africa’s rich history of Thoroughbreds competing at the top levels of the Olympic disciplines, it is wonderful to see that Thoroughbreds are given an opportunity to excel in a second career.
Did you know?
Jessica George and her Thoroughbred Wrap Up are one of the three South African combinations contending for the single individual eventing spot at the Olympics.
The admin
Costs to enter:
- SA Showing Membership: Not required.
- KPC Temporary Membership: R150 per competitor
- In-hand classes: R300 per class (*No additional charge for championship classes)
- Riding classes: R350 per class (*No additional charge for championship classes)
- Racehorse to Show Horse: R300
Entries are to be submitted through the KPC website.
HOYS 2024 Timetable for Thoroughbreds:
TUESDAY 27th FEBRUARY 2024
- BOB CHARTER
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- 8am – Thoroughbred In Hand
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- 1pm – Thoroughbred Riding Horse, followed by Racehorse to Show Horse
- MAY FOXCROFT
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- 8am – Thoroughbred Working Hunter
- PETER MINNIE
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- 8am – Thoroughbred Working Riding
SUNDAY 3rd MARCH 2024
- BERNARD MCHARDY
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- 7.30-9.30am – Pre-Judging Breed Supreme Geldings, Stallions and Mares
- BOB CHARTER
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- 10am – Supreme Working Hunter
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- 11.30am – Supreme Working Riding
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- 2.15pm – Gelding Supreme
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- 2.30pm – Breed Supreme
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- 3.15pm – Ridden Supreme