How about a 3-4 day long finals that was battle of the west coast versus east coast with brackets like NCAA. Do you think that’s a format that would get jumper people excited? Not just pony jumpers… jumpers in general. I’ve always thought that would be a fun format for a final!
Unfortunately, the division isn’t getting the respect and support it needs from many trainers. Trainers who could make a difference in the quality of the riding. It has gotten the reputation of being scary to watch and therefore some trainers just don’t want their riders participating. There are some scary riders that just run at all the fences and are lucky to get home safely. However, there are many that do give a technical ride and are a pleasure to watch.
I think it is kind of sad to see some very small riders on great big horses in the Child/Adult Division. Those are kids who could have benefited from a few more years on a pony while they honed their jumper skills.
I believe that the toughening of the qualifying process for Pony Finals is an attempt to reward the better pairs who are comfortable at height and less likely to just barrel around the course. Veronica, each Zone and Pony Club fields a team at Pony Finals so there is a bit of the bracket aspect.
I think there are alot of ideas on this thread that play into the situation in pony jumpers. My daughter is 11, rides a division medium… next year she will be on a large or possibly a smaller horse, and by 13 definitely on a horse. She has done some jumper classes at local shows and loves it, but it’s definitely not something her current hunter can do, and for little kids like this, if you’re going to have a pony, it’s going to be a hunter because that’s where the big players and competition are. Like it or not, it’s become traditional to come up the pony hunter ranks, to the children’s and junior hunter ranks and then to equitation. Seems backwards since the big eq is supposed to be a breeding ground for jumper riders, but its just not how it’s done. If I were to consider getting her a pony jumper, I would strongly reconsider that if only because the division rarely fills (zone 3) and then I’d be stuck with a jumper who can’t show in a division that qualifies for pony finals. It’s a catch 22. Of course in Europe, where they are not as into hunters like we are, the breeding ground is pony jumpers.
[QUOTE=lcw579;7520623]
Unfortunately, the division isn’t getting the respect and support it needs from many trainers. Trainers who could make a difference in the quality of the riding. It has gotten the reputation of being scary to watch and therefore some trainers just don’t want their riders participating. There are some scary riders that just run at all the fences and are lucky to get home safely. However, there are many that do give a technical ride and are a pleasure to watch.
I think it is kind of sad to see some very small riders on great big horses in the Child/Adult Division. Those are kids who could have benefited from a few more years on a pony while they honed their jumper skills.
I believe that the toughening of the qualifying process for Pony Finals is an attempt to reward the better pairs who are comfortable at height and less likely to just barrel around the course. Veronica, each Zone and Pony Club fields a team at Pony Finals so there is a bit of the bracket aspect.[/QUOTE]
I know, and that’s cool-- but that’s a team thing and I know a lot of kids might be more into a solo competition. Just my own personality, I’d much rather have my mistakes count only for me, I’m not comfortable in team competitions.
[QUOTE=annaelizabeth;7520188]
I have no suggestions but to look at england and what they do. They have massive pony divisions.[/QUOTE]
But hunters isn’t a “thing” there… so it’s not really a fair comparison. We have tons of ponies too… in the hunters.
[QUOTE=vxf111;7520841]
I know, and that’s cool-- but that’s a team thing and I know a lot of kids might be more into a solo competition. Just my own personality, I’d much rather have my mistakes count only for me, I’m not comfortable in team competitions.[/QUOTE]
Ahh, gotcha. The kids do also compete as individuals though. So even if your team is out of the ribbons you have a chance to make it to the Individual Final on the last day.
The one thing I would change though is I wouldn’t have the faults from the Team Competition follow you into the Individual Round. It was a bit unfair that the kids who competed in the Farewell Class had a fresh slate and were awarded points based solely on that class while the kids who were in the bigger class brought their tally of faults with them. I think they should have been awarded points based on the placing in that class as well as for the overall placing. It would be a nice way of rewarding them for riding well throughout the competition. Just my 2 cents. 
[QUOTE=vxf111;7520842]
But hunters isn’t a “thing” there… so it’s not really a fair comparison. We have tons of ponies too… in the hunters.[/QUOTE]
That’s not really correct though.
Showing is a very big thing here, and while only the Working Hunter ponies jump, the vast majority of them will also compete in Showjumping/Eventing/Hunter trails/Pony Club.
The main difference I suppose is that our style of ‘hunters’ lends itself more readily to doing other disciplines too - big fences, unrelated distances, emphasis on being workmanlike and getting the job done.
There are ‘Style & Performance’ classes which are a cross between equitation and hunters - so a round over showjumping style coloured fences where the position and effectiveness of the rider, the pony’s way of going and the pony’s conformation are all judged - no reason something like that couldn’t happen on your side of the pond?
Honestly, the idea of kids running a small or a medium pony jumper around a 3’ course terrifies me.
As an outsider looking in - maybe the problem is lack of ambition? If pony riders can’t jump three foot you are not going to have many pony jumpers!
In the UK, 14.2 ponies regularly jump 1.20 which is just under 4 foot. Actually, the 13.2 do so as well. Not much stops a good pony.
[QUOTE=Willesdon;7522094]
As an outsider looking in - maybe the problem is lack of ambition? If pony riders can’t jump three foot you are not going to have many pony jumpers!
In the UK, 14.2 ponies regularly jump 1.20 which is just under 4 foot. Actually, the 13.2 do so as well. Not much stops a good pony.[/QUOTE]
Well, quite. Jumping big fences is not a big deal for children or ponies. But then I think the longer children stay on ponies the better - I don’t understand the rush to get 12/13 year olds jumping 3’ plus courses on 16.2h horses tbh.
I had a quick look on horsequest.co.uk for examples of ponies doing what we consider to be normal activities. Not hard to find!
http://www.horsequest.co.uk/advertisment/94018
http://www.horsequest.co.uk/advertisment/93521
http://www.horsequest.co.uk/advertisment/93576
http://www.horsequest.co.uk/advertisment/93001
http://www.horsequest.co.uk/advertisment/91346
http://www.horsequest.co.uk/advertisment/94023
http://www.horsequest.co.uk/advertisment/74109
I think that with the right instruction kids have a lot more ability than you give them credit for!
[QUOTE=vxf111;7520480]
How about a 3-4 day long finals that was battle of the west coast versus east coast with brackets like NCAA. Do you think that’s a format that would get jumper people excited? Not just pony jumpers… jumpers in general. I’ve always thought that would be a fun format for a final![/QUOTE]
I think this would be great! Everyone could do their brackets… I bet it would be fun.
As to why Zone 2 has a larger group of PJ’s than other zones…I had a slightly different idea than Findeight. I thought maybe it’s because we have a larger group of kids who have access to good training but maybe don’t have a huge pocketbook with which to buy a made jumper horse. The kids take the pony they have and make it the best it can be instead of buying a horse as soon as they’re physically big enough to handle it. Plus the fact (as Findeight pointed out) we have a lot of rated shows and there are PJ’s at almost every show, every weekend. Or maybe we just have a bunch of shorter girls who can ride :lol:!
Zone 2 PJ’s also have their own Facebook page where they communicate with each other to see who’s showing where to make sure that there are a decent amount of ponies for the division at a given show.
I would love to see the PJ’s move to under 21. I think that would be a great idea and keep the division fuller.
[QUOTE=EasterEgg;7522084]
That’s not really correct though.
Showing is a very big thing here, and while only the Working Hunter ponies jump, the vast majority of them will also compete in Showjumping/Eventing/Hunter trails/Pony Club.
The main difference I suppose is that our style of ‘hunters’ lends itself more readily to doing other disciplines too - big fences, unrelated distances, emphasis on being workmanlike and getting the job done.
There are ‘Style & Performance’ classes which are a cross between equitation and hunters - so a round over showjumping style coloured fences where the position and effectiveness of the rider, the pony’s way of going and the pony’s conformation are all judged - no reason something like that couldn’t happen on your side of the pond?[/QUOTE]
I put “thing” in quotations on purpose. There is a big, big, big business in the hunter ponies in the U.S. Complete with pony finals and a big machine behind the division. Competitive ponies in the hunters often won’t have the chops to cross enter jumpers and are too valuable as hunters to take the risks. That’s not the same as in England. So here, there’s a push to get kids on hunter ponies doing the hunters that isn’t comperable to what is in the UK.
