A winning pony at a horse show

A Horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and ponies. Many different horse breeds and equestrian disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels. Most horse shows run from one to three days, sometimes longer for major, all-breed events or national and international championships in a given discipline or breed. Most shows consist of a series of different performances, called classes, wherein a group of horses with similar training or characteristics compete against one another for awards and, often, prize money.

International organizations and competitions[link]

Dressage at the Olympic games

There are ten international disciplines run under rules established by the Fédération équestre internationale (FEI):

• Combined driving
• Dressage
• Endurance riding
• Eventing
• Horseball
• Paraequestrianism (Paralympic equestrian sport for athletes with disabilities)
• Reining
• Show jumping
• Tent pegging
• Vaulting

The rules of the FEI govern competitions open to riders from all nations, including the Olympic games and the World Equestrian Games.

At the other end of the competition spectrum, Pony Club is an international movement that teaches young people riding skills suitable for eventing and other English riding competition. To help develop positive experience and good sportsmanship, Pony Clubs also sponsor horse shows open only to young people under the age of 18 and their horses. Various nations also have their own programs for developing young equestrians, such as the 4-H program in the United States.

Horse shows within various nations[link]

Show Jumping

Australia[link]

Horse shows in Australia are governed by Equestrian Australia, Show Horse Council of Australia and different breed societies.

Canada[link]

The governing body for Equestrian activities in Canada is Equine Canada (EC).

United Kingdom[link]

In the United Kingdom there is a distinct difference between "horse competitions" such as dressage or eventing and horse shows. Horse shows provide an opportunity for riders and owners to exhibit their animals without taking part in any of the Olympic disciplines. Classes are divided into ridden and in-hand sections and there are many different classes for different horses and ponies. For example, there are classes for Mountain and moorland pony breeds, show hunters, show hacks, equitation, and various show pony classes. Many clubs hold riding club classes, where a horse or pony must perform a short "show" (solo performance) and jump a single fence that varies in height from 2 feet to 3 feet 3 inches. Most shows also include show jumping and working hunter sections.

The British Horse Society oversees many shows at national, regional and local level as does the Pony Club, the British Show Pony Society and the British Show Horse Association. Breed societies, particularly those that look after the Welsh pony and the Arabian horse also organise their own shows. At local, unaffiliated level, riding clubs across Britain organise regular shows, which are often staffed by volunteers. The newly formed Showing Council is working towards officially overseeing all horse shows (non-FEI disciplines).

The Olympic equestrian disciplines are overseen by the British Equestrian Federation. However, there are several subdivisions within the federation. Dressage competitions are held separately from regular horse shows, and are overseen by British Dressage. Show jumping competitions are overseen by the British Showjumping Association (BSJA), while one day and three day eventing are overseen by British Eventing.

USA[link]

The United States Equestrian Federation is the American national body for equestrian sport and as such is also the recognized entity overseeing the Olympic-level United States Equestrian Team. It also organizes and sponsors horse shows for many horse breeds who wish to utilize the drug testing, judge certification and standardize rulemaking process of the USEF. In addition, it sanctions events in disciplines and lower-level competitive areas that are not internationally recognized, such as show hunter and equitation. Other US organizations such as the National Cutting Horse Association [1], United States Eventing Association (USEA) and United States Dressage Federation (USDF) organize competitions for specific disciplines, such as Cutting, and some breed organizations such as the American Quarter Horse Association sanction their own breed-specific shows.

Horse shows in the United States take several forms: Some are restricted to a particular breed, others are "open" or "all-breed" horse shows, which offer both classes open to all breeds as well as breed-specific classes for many different breeds. In the last few decades, American "open" horse shows have tended to become specialized by discipline into hunter-jumper or "sport horse" shows, dressage shows, and shows featuring English or Western riding events. However, there are still some multi-day, all-breed events that feature multiple breeds and disciplines.

Structure[link]

A saddle seat class lined up and awaiting awards

There are a range of competitive equestrian events available and specific offerings range widely by nation and even by region within a given country. However, in North America, most horse shows provide the following range of classes:

The English riding classes fall into two primary styles, hunt seat and saddle seat. "Hunt type" or sport horse classes include dressage, show jumping and show hunters, Eventing (also called horse trials), and English pleasure or Hunter Under Saddle, also known as a "flat" class, where the event is judged on presentation, manners and rideability of the horse). "Saddle seat" or "Saddle type" classes are all on the flat and are mostly variations on English Pleasure, though the high action "Park" style classes differ because they emphasize brilliant trotting action. Equitation classes judge the form and ability of the rider.

Show jumping, eventing and dressage are sometimes called "Olympic" events, because they are the equestrian sports included in the Olympic Games.

Western or stock horse competition includes working cattle events, such as cutting, team penning and working cow horse in the USA, and campdrafting in Australia. They also include "dry" classes (without cattle) that include western pleasure, reining and equitation.

There are also specialized classes for draft horse showing, and a number of events for horses and ponies driven in harness, including Fine Harness classes for Saddle Seat-type horses, Roadster classes that use equipment similar to that of harness racing, and the FEI-sanctioned sport of combined driving. Miniature horses also have their own shows, with a number of specialized classes.

Most horse shows offer Halter classes, also called "breeding," "conformation," or "In-hand" classes. In these classes the horse is led without a saddle, not ridden, and its conformation and gaits are judged. To train young equestrians in halter showing techniques, horse showmanship classes (also called Showmanship in hand or youth showmanship), are offered. They are the halter equivalent of equitation, in that the handler, not the horse, is judged on his or her abilities.

Classes may be broken down by the age of horse or rider, by the number of first place ribbons earned by horse or rider, and by size or breed of horse (or pony). In addition, there is a near-infinite range of regional or specialty classes that may be offered. Various types of costume classes are frequently offered; sidesaddle classes are common; a "leadline" or "walk-trot" division may be offered for small children or very inexperienced riders; and assorted "freestyle" classes, where a horse and rider perform a routine set to music, are also popular.

Rodeos and horse pulling competitions are not technically horse shows, but they are competitive equestrian events, often with a great deal of prize money. Equestrian vaulting is not usually seen at ordinary horse shows, even though it is an FEI-recognized equestrian sport. Games, such as Gymkhana or O-Mok-See competition are usually held separately from ordinary horse shows, though a few of these "speed" events may be thrown in as "fun classes," particularly at 4-H, Pony Club, and other small shows.

Awards[link]

A competitor in a sidesaddle class receiving an award

Prize money is sometimes awarded, particularly at larger competitions. The sum varies by the placing of the rider, the prestige of the show, and the difficulty of the class. Horse Shows do not offer cash purses as large as those the Thoroughbred racing industry, though a few of the biggest show jumping, cutting and reining competitions may offer purse money into the low five figures. However, most show horses in the United States, especially those at the amateur levels, rarely win significant cash prizes during their show career. At best, a solid competitor might break even on entry fees and, if they are quite lucky, cover some travel expenses. Most money made from showing horses is indirectly earned by breeding fees paid for top horses, the sale of their offspring, or from the training fees paid to top trainers.

Trophies are usually awarded to the first place horse in a class, depending on the size of the show. In a championship event, trophies may be awarded to both the champion and the reserve champion, and at a national or international show, trophies are sometimes given to the top five to ten competitors.

Medals are given at international events such as the World Equestrian Games and the Olympics. Usually only three medals, Gold, Silver, and Bronze, are awarded to the top three individuals or teams.

Ribbons are often given for the top placings in a class. Often ribbons are given through the top six place entries, although some of the larger shows may award ribbons to the top ten. Ribbon color varies from country to country, as shown in the following chart:

Champion & Reserve Champion ribbons are commonly called Tri-colors. They are usually a combination of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place colors (2nd, 3rd, & 4th for Reserve Champion).

See also[link]

• Agricultural show
• Equestrian at the Summer Olympics
• Equestrian drill team
• Equestrian Federation of Australia
• Equestrianism
• Equitation
• Horse show steward
• International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI)
• Ringmaster (horse show)
• Show (animal)
• United States Equestrian Federation (USEF)

Horse show sanctioning organizations[link]

• British Show Horse Association
• Equestrian Australia
• Equine Canada
• Federation Equestre International (FEI)
• United States Equestrian Federation

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Medal record
Nick Skelton
Equestrian Showjumping
Alternative Olympics
Silver	1980 Rotterdam	Team jumping
World Championships
Bronze	1982 Dublin	Team jumping
Silver	1986 Aachen	Team jumping
Bronze	1986 Aachen	Individual jumping
Bronze	1990 Stockholm	Team jumping
Bronze	1998 Rome	Team Jumping
European Championships
Gold	1985 Dinard	Team jumping
Gold	1987 St Gallen	Team jumping
Bronze	1987 St Gallen	Individual jumping
Gold	1989 Rotterdam	Team jumping
Silver	1991 La Baule	Team jumping
Silver	1993 Gijon	Team jumping
Silver	1995 St Gallen	Team jumping
Bronze	2011 Madrid	Team jumping
Bronze	2011 Madrid	Individual jumping
Junior European Championships
Silver	1974 Lucerne	Team jumping
Silver	1975 Dornbirn	Team jumping
Gold	1975 Dornbirn	Individual jumping

Nicholas "Nick" Skelton (born 30 December 1957 in Bedworth, Warwickshire) is a British equestrian who competes in showjumping. He began riding at age 18 months and in 1974 and 1975 took two team silvers and an individual gold at the Junior European Championships. He has competed numerous times at the European Show Jumping Championships, winning three golds, three silvers and three bronzes both individually and with the British team over a 26-year time period. In 1980, he competed in the Alternative Olympics, where he helped the British team to a silver medal. He currently holds the British Show Jumping High Jump record, which he set in 1978.

Biography[link]

Skelton began riding aged 18 months when he got his first pony, a Welsh Mountain, called Oxo who was born in the same year as Skelton and lived to be 39; both Skelton's children learnt to ride on Oxo. Skelton rode in pony classes with little tuition before taking his pony to Ted and Liz edgar for help when he was 14. He worked for and helped at The Edgars' for two years before leaving school with no qualifications to work full time for them. Skelton had plenty of early success with a horse called Maybe, but he went lame just before the Junior European Championships in 1975 and his placed in the team looked lost, however, O.K, an reputedly ordinary horse substituted and Skelton won Individual Gold. After this Skelton began riding more of The Edgar horses and in 1978 jumped just over 7 foot 7 inches to set a new British record at Olympia with Lastic; when Skelton partnered with St James the following year he broke into the senior GB team of which he has been an integral part of ever since.

In 1985 Skelton split from the Edgar's and went on his own, his main horse at the time, Apollo went with him and together they formed a great partnership that won nearly all the top prizes in the sport as well as many Championship medals. After Apollo, Skelton competed at the top level with many different horses before he teamed up with Dollar Girl in 1992 with the specific target of competing at the Barcelona Olympics. Despite the Olympics going badly for them, Skelton and Dollar Girl ultimately won the coveted World Cup Final in Gothenburg in 1995.

Skelton broke his neck in September 2000 which could have ended his show jumping career, but after retiring in 2001, he recovered and began competing again in 2002. Skelton returned to the saddle to partner Arko III, a horse he had been riding as a youngster before breaking his neck. Together Skelton and Arko won the British Open title in 2004 at the British Open Show Jumping Championships and many other top Prizes. Their most disappointing moment came at the Athens Olympics in 2004 when leading until the final round.

After Arko retired Skelton revisited an old friend and owner for support and new horses, Gary and Beverley Widdowson now own his competition horses that include Carlo 273, his European Individual Bronze medal partner, Big Star and Unique.

He has written an autobiography, Only Falls And Horses, and will soon publish an updated version.^[1]

He has two sons and both are active in horse racing, Daniel is Assistant Trainer to British jump racing Champion Trainer, Paul Nicholls, and Harry is a National Hunt Jockey who in 2009 became the youngest winner of The Irish Grand National on Niche Market.

Major achievements[link]

Skelton has had many successes at home and abroad and has ridden on over 164 Nations Cups teams (1978–2011). He has won various medals both as an Individual and as part of the teams in the Olympics, World Championships and European Championships between 1980 and 2011.

• Alternative Olympic Games
  • 1980: Rotterdam. Team Silver medal with Maybe

• World championships
  • 1982: Dublin. Team Bronze medal with If Ever
  • 1986: Aachen. Team Silver medal and individual Bronze medal with Apollo
  • 1990: Stockholm. Team Bronze medal with Grand Slam
  • 1998: Rome. Team Bronze medal with Hopes are High

• European Championships
  • 1985: Dinard. Team Gold medal and individual 4th with St. James
  • 1987: St. Gallen. Team Gold medal and Individual Bronze medal with Apollo
  • 1989: Rotterdam. Team Gold medal with Apollo
  • 1991: La Baule. Team Silver medal with Phoenix Park
  • 1993: Gijon. Team Silver medal with Dollar Girl
  • 1995: St. Gallen. Team Silver medal with Dollar Girl
  • 2011: Madrid. Team Bronze and Individual Bronze medal with Carlo 273

• Junior European Championships
  • 1974: Lucerne. Team Silver medal with Maybe
  • 1975: Dornbirn. Team Silver medal and individual Gold medal with O.K

• Volvo World Cup Final
  • 1995: Gothenburg. Winner with Dollar Girl

• Hickstead Derby
  • 1987: Winner with J Nick
  • 1988: Winner with Apollo
  • 1989: Winner with Apollo

• King George V Gold Cup
  • 1984: Winner with St. James
  • 1993: Winner with Limited Edition
  • 1996: Winner with Cathleen III
  • 1999: Winner with Hopes are High

Skelton currently holds the British Show Jumping High Jump record, at 7 ft 7in 5/16th (2.32m) set at Olympia in 1978 with Lastic.

Horses[link]

Nick Skelton & Arko III, Dublin 2008

Top horses that Skelton has ridden include Maybe, If Ever, Apollo, St. James, Major Wager, Top Gun, Grand Slam, Phoenix Park, Dollar Girl, Limited Edition, Showtime, Tinka’s Boy, Hopes are High, Russel and Arko III.

Skelton's current top flight horses are Big Star, Carlo 273 and Unique, all of which are owned by Beverley Widdowson.

Career statistics[link]

Individual wins[link]

Year	Location	Class	Horse
2012	La Baule, France	Grand Prix	Carlo 273
	Antwerp, Belgium	Grand Prix	Big Star
	Palm Beach, USA	Grand Prix	Big Star
2011	St Gallen, Switzerland	Grand Prix	Carlo 273
2008	CSIO Spruce Meadows 'Masters' Tournament, Spruce Meadows, Canada	CN International Grand Prix	Arko III
	Grobbendonk, Belgium	Grand Prix	Arko
2007	Estoril, Portugal	Global Champions Tour Grand Prix	Arko
2006	Lucerne, Switzerland	Grand Prix	Arko
	Rome, Italy	Grand Prix	Arko
2005	Leipzig, Germany	World Cup Qualifier	Arko
	Spruce Meadows, Canada	Grand Prix	Arko
2004	Royal International Horse Show, Hickstead, Great Britain	Grand Prix	Russell
	British Open Show Jumping Championships, Sheffield, Great Britain	The British Open	Arko
	Royal Windsor, Great Britain	Grand Prix	Russell
2003	Leeuwarden, The Netherlands	Grand Prix	Arko
2002	Portimao, Portugal	Grand Prix	Arko
	Lizerias, Portugal	Grand Prix	Arko
2000	Royal Windsor, Great Britain	Grand Prix	Jalisco
1999	Royal International Horse Show, Hickstead, Great Britain	King George V Gold Cup	Hopes Are High
1998	Madrid, Spain	Grand Prix	Showtime
	Gijon, Spain	Grand Prix	Hopes Are High
	Dublin, Ireland	Grand Prix	Hope Are HIgh
	CSIO Spruce Meadows 'Masters' Tournament, Spruce Meadows, Canada	Du Maurier Grand Prix	Hopes Are High
	Leeuwarden, The Netherlands	Grand Prix	Zalza
1997	Lisbon, Portugal	Grand Prix	Showtime
	Horse of the Year Show, Great Britain	Grand Prix	Showtime
1996	Bordeaux, France	World Cup Qualifier	Dollar Girl
	Royal International Horse Show, Hickstead, Great Britain	King George V Gold Cup	Cathleen III
	Moorsele, Italy	Grand Prix	Dollar Girl
	Madrid, Spain	Grand Prix	Showtime
	Gijon, Spain	Grand Prix	Dollar Girl
	Olympia, Great Britain	Masters	Zalza
1995	Gothenburg, Sweden	World Cup Final	Dollar Girl
	Barcelona, Spain	Grand Prix	Showtime
	San Marino, Italy	Grand Prix	Showtime
	Horse of the Year Show, Great Britain	Grand Prix	Showtime
	Aarhus, Denmark	Masters	Dollar Girl
	Stuttgart, Germany	Grand Prix	Dollar Girl
1994	Millstreet, Ireland	World Cup Qualifier	Dollar Girl
1993	Paris, France	Grand Prix	Major Wager
	Paris, France	World Cup Qualifier	Major Wager
	Gothenburg, Sweden	Grand Prix	Major Wager
	Royal International Horse Show, Hickstead, Great Britain	King George V Gold Cup	Limited Edition
	St Gallen, Switzerland	Grand Prix	Dollar Girl
	Horse of the Year Show, Great Britain	Everest Final	Showtime
	Ascona, Switzerland	Grand Prix	Dollar Girl
	CSIO Spruce Meadows 'Masters' Tournament, Spruce Meadows, Canada	Du Maurier Grand Prix	Dollar Girl
1992	Genk, Belgium	Grand Prix	Major Wager
	Gothenburg, Sweden	Grand Prix	Major Wager
	Amsterdam, The Netherlands	Masters	Limited Edition
1991	Horse of the Year Show, Great Britain	Leading Showjumper Of The Year	Phoenix Park
	Horse of the Year Show, Great Britain	Masters	Phoenix Park
	Dublin, Ireland	Grand Prix	Phoenix Park
1990	Kossen, Austria	Grand Prix	Fiorella
	Cortina, Italy	Grand Prix	Fiorella
	Dublin, Ireland	Grand Prix	Phoenix Park
	Dortmund, Germany	Grand Prix	Top Gun
	Horse of the Year Show, Great Britain	Grand Prix	Grand Slam
1989	Hickstead, Great Britain	Hickstead Derby	Apollo
1988	Hickstead, Great Britain	Hickstead Derby	Apollo
	Dublin, Ireland	Grand Prix	Apollo
	Aachen, Germany	Grand Prix	Apollo
1987	Hickstead, Great Britain	Hickstead Derby	J Nick
	Aachen, Germany	Grand Prix	Apollo
1985	Antwerp, Belgium	World Cup Qualifier	St James
	CSIO Spruce Meadows 'Masters' Tournament, Spruce Meadows, Canada	Du Maurier Grand Prix	St James
	Dublin, Ireland	Grand Prix	Apollo
	Toronto, Canada	World Cup Qualifier	Apollo
	New York, USA	World Cup Qualifier	Apollo
1984	Royal International Horse Show, Hickstead, Great Britain	King George V Gold Cup	St James
1983	Toronto, Canada	World Cup Qualifier	St James
	Olympia, Great Britain	World Cup Qualifier	St James
	Aachen, Germany	Grand Prix	If Ever
1979	Geneva, Switzerland	World Cup Qualifier	Lastic
1978	Horse of the Year Show, Great Britain	Leading Showjumper Of The Year	Maybe

Nation's Cup wins[link]

Year	Location	Horse
2011	Dublin, Ireland	Carlo 273
2008	Dublin, Ireland	Arko III
2005	Dublin, Ireland	Arko III
2005	Rome, Italy	Arko III
2004	Hickstead, Great Britain	Russell
2003	Hickstead, Great Britain	Arko III
1997	Modena, Italy	Showtime
1997	Royal Windsor, Great Britain	Showtime
1997	Gijon, Spain	Tinka's Boy
1996	Lisbon, Portugal	Cathleen III
1996	Dublin, Ireland	Dollar Girl
1996	Calgary, Canada	Showtime
1993	Hickstead, Great Britain	Limited Edition
1992	Hickstead, Great Britain	Limited Edition
1992	Calgary, Canada	Dollar Girl
1991	Calgary, Canada	Phoenix Park
1991	Dublin, Ireland	Phoenix Park
1991	Rome, Italy	Apollo II
1991	Luxembourg, Luxembourg	Phoenix Park
1990	Rome, Italy	Grand Slam
1990	Calgary, Canada	Grand Slam
1990	Dublin, Ireland	Phoenix Park
1990	New York, USA	Grand Slam
1989	Luxembourg, Luxembourg	Serenade
1989	Dublin, Ireland	Grand Slam
1989	Calgary, Canada	Grand Slam
1989	St Gallen, Switzerland	Apollo
1988	Dublin, Ireland	Apollo
1988	Rome, Italy	Apollo
1987	Gijon, Spain	Airbourne
1986	Jerez, Spain	Apollo
1986	Dublin, Ireland	Apollo
1986	Toronto, Canada	Apollo
1986	Washington, USA	Apollo
1986	Rotterdam, The Netherlands	Airbourne
1985	Dublin, Ireland	Apollo
1985	Hickstead, Great Britain	Apollo
1985	Calgary, Canada	Apollo
1984	Paris, France	St James
1984	Liege, Belgium	Apollo
1983	Paris, France	St James
1982	Lucerne, Switzerland	If Ever
1981	Aachen, Germany	Maybe
1979	Zuidlaren, The Netherlands	Maybe

References[link]

• Skelton, N. (2001) Only Falls and Horses. Greenwater.
• BSJA profile
• FEI Rider's Biography

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Nick Skelton

• Official Nick Skelton website

Medal record
Competitor for  Denmark
Equestrian
Olympic Games
Bronze	2008 Beijing	Team dressage

Andreas Helgstrand (born October 2, 1977) is an award-winning Danish dressage rider who is most known for riding the 9-year-old mare Blue Hors Matiné (d. January 25, 2010) at the Grand Prix level. Helgstrand has also represented Denmark in Olympic dressage events in 2004 and at the World Equestrian Games. Helgstrand was part of the Bronze winning Danish team at the Olympic games in Beijing 2008.

Helgstrand competed in the 2006 World Equestrian Games on December 20 in Aachen, Germany. He rode Matiné in his freestyle dressage test, where he opened the routine with a double canter pirouette. Both Helgstrand and Matiné performed wonderfully, receiving high marks from the judges. A video of the routine can be found on YouTube.

See also[link]

• Denmark at the 2004 Summer Olympics

External links[link]

• Interview with Helgstrand
• Footage of Helgstrand and Blue's silver medal dressage routine on YouTube
• sports-reference

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