Horse of the Year Show are pleased to announce their 2022 qualifying shows for the season!

Horse of the Year Show are pleased to announce their 2022 qualifying shows for the season!

As everyone is aware, 2021 was a difficult year with many shows cancelled. The showing season was on a knife edge as to whether it would reach the HOYS finale. However, HOYS were incredibly grateful to the shows that persevered and did manage to run and will continue to support them in 2022. This qualifying season will offer competitors even more opportunities via a greater geographical split of shows than ever before.

There are some exciting changes and additions to the Mountain and Moorland classes at Horse of the Year Show this year.

Following on from extensive feedback and wanting to encourage the younger generation of riders within the sport of showing, Horse of the Year show will be introducing a Mountain & Moorland 122cm Junior Working Hunter Pony Class.

This class will be for children who have not attained their 12^th birthday by the 1st January in the current year.  The course of fences will consist of only one double and no water tray, with a maximum fence height of 65cm, and a maximum width of 55cm at the final. At qualifiers, the height of the fences will not exceed 60cm.

There will be 10 junior qualifiers throughout the season. Eligible ponies for both the Open 122cm and the Junior 122cm will only be able to compete in one of these categories at the Horse of the Year Show final. They may enter both categories when competing at qualifying shows but must compete in the class they qualify for first at the Horse of the Year Show final.

In addition to this, in the Mountain and Moorland Ridden Classes, Dartmoor ponies will now have their own final at the Horse of the Year Show 2022. The previous Mountain & Moorland Ridden Dartmoor/Exmoor/Shetland Pony of the Year class will now be the Mountain & Moorland Ridden Exmoor/Shetland Pony of the Year class.

Throughout the season there will now be some individual qualifying classes for the Dartmoor ponies, as well as the usual mixed qualifying classes for all breeds as in previous years.

We’re sure you’ve missed showing as much as we have over the last two years of disruption. Let 2022 be the year of encouragement, support, and appreciation for what we have in this sport. Tell the person next to you in the line-up that they did a nice show, and refrain from posting that comment online that might bring someone down. There are so many exciting opportunities for everyone this year, through both the new classes and an increased geographical spread of shows, so let’s all aspire to restore the sport to its full glory after this bump in the road.

Remember, there’s only #ONEHOYS – enjoy the ride!