Anyone read the CotH article about Hunters as a sport?

[fivestrideline]

@trubandloki

I realize it was not your point, but I will say that I do not see lots outside spectators at the average event either. Even at the regional championship level there are not people watching who are not associated with the riders.

Oh absolutely! But the format, the way the “game” is played has fallen in line with the top levels - where the Olympics and other UL competitions are worried about viewership. Case in point: the short format.

Meanwhile, the rest of the sport couldn’t care less about spectators and doesn’t really draw any. But we are beholden to the formatting and change in goals/rules that ARE driven by the theoretical spectator. I personally do not love the way things are headed (hello arena “eventing”), and wouldn’t want to see the same impact in other disciplines, whatever that may look like.

(I do realize this has other factors as well, but the Olympics Issue is a big one.)

[trubandloki]

I agree with you.

The point I was trying to make (and clearly did not make well) was that the tone of the article and thread is that hunter shows must find a way to have an audience to succeed and since no one wants to watch it means the whole system sucks and needs to be fixed.
But no one is starting threads or writing articles that every day (rated, but not international level) eventing sucks because people do not watch that.

[fivestrideline]

Ah I got you. I agree on both counts

[Aussie_2020]

Arena eventing shudder I watched a bit of it and thought it was awful. But… but why can’t hunters be more like that? A large outdoor arena with some elevation changes and a clump of trees with natural looking fences?

[dmveventer]

To each their own I guess. I like the short format, and I love watching arena eventing. I wouldn’t want all eventing to get distilled to a ring but it’s a lot of fun and a good way to get people initially hooked on the sport. It’s definitely a different sport than it was 30 years ago but not all change is bad.

That said, I also don’t think viewership is really the issue in the hunters so it’s kind of a moot point. Addressing the costs and the loss of smaller regional shows are bigger problems to tackle IMO. I was surprised at how long it took the author to even mention cost as a factor and even then she barely acknowledged it.

[Hoofbeat_Heartbeat]

I’m not sure! @Tha_Ridge mentioned there could be a “Style” section … perhaps somewhere in there, or something like it?

[Zanny]

The show ring hunter will not make it as a sport as we have lost foundation. It will always be an exhibitor presenting a horse. Hunters are based on fox hunting that has a blood sport image attached not popular in the mainstream. It’s been dying with the same owners, trainers, and riders year after year. It’s about money and sponsors wanting returns on investment by viewership. It’s ridiculous in fees for everything when you show. Local top rated shows need to come back to build a base with fewer classes for fun and focus. Local horse riders making the news. Affordable family fun.

[Willesdon]

Transparency in scores woukd be an interesting change. Someone up-thread said they were unable to explain their score to their husband.

[nutmeg]

Probably because he was trying to sleep. Perfect Prep has a ripple effect.

[Equibrit]

There is a reason why “hunters” (as in USA) do not exist anywhere else in the world.

[crackerjack]

Hunters will always stay the same. With the economy the way it’s likely to go more people will be priced out. The programs high level hunters are in are ridiculously expensive. It also appears that the riders are encouraged to be hands off with the grooms taking care of all aspects of the care and preparation. (this could obviously vary from barn to barn). I don’t know that this happens to such an extent outside of the US although I could be wrong. It is not attenable for the average North American. In the UK, more people do their own care and are not in a rigid program. Horses are still expensive but not to the degree of here. People have fun!

Hunters are boring to watch. I do the hunters and I don’t stick around and watch. Today people have an attention span of a gnat. They want speed, action, and easy to follow scoring and results. Even the Working Hunters in the UK are more exciting than the hunters here. And can you imagine if the judges here were expected to ride the horses? There would be complaints coming from both the judges and the owners/trainers!

The big horse shows over in Europe and the UK are an event. There is something for everyone. Non-horse people attend- voluntarily!! My local A show put out a survey at the end of the year asking for feedback. None of it was taken. From what I could see the only changes were that the entrance fee was increased, the number of porta potties was reduced and they made more people stand out in the hot sun. There was nothing for non-horse people to do. The shopping was abysmal and the food was sparse. It’s become very insular and unwelcoming. More has to be done to make the show public friendly and accessible. We should be inviting people in.

[quietann]

Where have you seen drops in a derby class?

I honestly don’t see much difference between regular hunters and derbies, except the latter can have options (which are usually the same as the regular jump but higher), and maybe a trot fence. But it’s not like I’ve spectated a lot… because boring!

ETA the derby horses usually go a bit faster and one doesn’t see a lot of landing in a heap after the jumps.

[TWilson]

Why do show hunters need a fan base? What will be the benefit (and to whom) to having a crowd of non-horsey people hanging around at all the local shows? This topic comes up once or twice a year as though it’s some huge problem that the show hunter community needs to solve, but it’s a real head scratcher for me. Who is this really a problem for?

[Paint_Party]

@Willesdon

Someone up-thread said they were unable to explain their score to their husband.

@nutmeg

Probably because he was trying to sleep. Perfect Prep has a ripple effect.

OK, just had to point out that this is one of those rare examples of Hunter Humor.

Moving on…

[fivestrideline]

@TWilson

Why do show hunters need a fan base? What will be the benefit (and to whom) to having a crowd of non-horsey people hanging around at all the local shows? This topic comes up once or twice a year as though it’s some huge problem that the show hunter community needs to solve, but it’s a real head scratcher for me. Who is this really a problem for?

I have the same questions! Why do we care? What is the benefit of (gestures vaguely) spectators?

[Paint_Party]

@mika0116

like a class called “field hunter throwback” to where in the middle of the traditional hunter course you need to walk up to and open a gate walk thru & close it while mounted & continue to the final 4 or 5 fences.

This would really mess with the status quo, but I think something like this could potentially become popular, especially if started at the mythical grassroots level. You could cobble together a little mini-division that included an eq. class with working equitation elements.

Doing so would provide an opportunity for horses that aren’t Derby caliber or riders who aren’t sitting atop the prototypical zillion-dollar hunter to succeed. Even if it were an unrated division for several years, it’d be interesting to see if it would draw exhibitors.

[blondewithchrome]

@fivestrideline

I have the same questions! Why do we care ? What is the benefit of ( gestures vaguely ) spectators?

WE (royal) don’t. We love hunters because we love the magic of a beautiful hunter cracking his back over a 4’ oxer whether that’s at a show in your zone in the summer or at WEF under the lights. The show managers in charge of USHJA do. More spectators = more eyes on the event = bigger sponsorship draw = more money in the shows pockets. ~sigh~

[mika0116]

I think its bc I am sitting on one of those right now. An aged Eq / Derby gelding who moves lovely, but is an old style Westfalen (lanky, long limbs, tall) with a very normal horse stride 12-13 ft. He not the fat ambling hunter of modern times.

but boy can he move laterally, is bomb proof, and a very good boy to steer entirely off legs while on the buckle w bridged reins to “do a task”.

I feel like I’d clean up in that type of class.

[Aussie_2020]

Plus I think it would be more fun. Like the classes from some of the “working” classes in western and english shows.

[libgrrl]

We can have a melange of Working Equitation Ease of Handling, Hunter Derby, Ranch Trail . There are reasons why WE and Ranch are becoming popular. None of these reasons are because they are exactly spectator sports, however!