Lol …even when we are saying the same thing over and over hahahahaha …see, laughing…“sorry”
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I think the issue is that there are two issues (1) does the West have quality hunters and (2) is it as competitive as the GTA A shows. Everyone seems to agree that there are nice hunters out west, just fewer of them. This allows the very nice ones to come to the Royal and be competitive. The problem is that that doesn’t translate to the same level of competitiveness. I don’t have any experience out west, but from chatting with people who do, your ability to get a good ribbon on an nice enough horse is higher out west as its less competitive overall.
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Backstage said it much better than me…this is exactly it! I think if the whole Western side of N America were as populous, we wouldn’t be having this circular discussion LOL. It’s frustrating for those of us that love the hunters and have a nice hunter, because we really would like the bigger classes the East gets!
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And unfortunately that was a huge part of why I came back to Ontario. Don’t tell my SO that lol! It was fun at first, I won some nice coolers and pretty ribbons. But having the 3’6" hunters get canceled, or only run with 3 entries was pretty discouraging.
Another point is that Ontario utilizes the Silver or Provincial tier of EC recognized shows where you accrue points provincially.
BC and I think Alberta only do Bronze and Gold (local and national) in all disciplines.
I think because there just isn’t a population base to make Provincial points meaningful?
Also when you get as far West as BC, riders with big show ambitions might be more likely to go down to California for HITS or other venues rather than the 4 day drive to Ontario.
We have some big jumpers that do Spruce Meadows etc training quietly in BC but in general the jumps for junior and ammie shows top out under 3 feet. I don’t think hunters is that huge a thing here, perhaps lots of people show jumpers and hunters at the same show.
Scribbler…our Provincial points are accrued under our own Provincial body, Alberta Equestrian Federation. We do indeed have Provincial awards, if those points are accrued in Nationally recognized divisisions (ie, adult amateur hunters), they also go toward the national points. I’d assume our Provincial points are the same as your Trillium? I do have a few silver level shows but yes most are Gold with some schooling being bronze.
For super competitive hunters, we do have to travel to Thunderbird summer shows, and down to California…and riders from California also come upto TBird in the summer!
Alberta doesn’t really have anything equal to Trillium.
Ontario has A shows (Gold) similar to RMSJ/Spruce/Edmonton Classic, etc that are run with the Ontario Hunter Jumper Association. OHJA points count for qualifying for the Royal and for year end awards.
Trillium shows falls just below, they’re silver level. The province is split into 7 zones, you accrue points within your zone, the top 7 in each division from each zone compete at the championships in the fall. Each zone has their own year end awards.
Below that you would have schooling shows.
Interesting that in Ontario (as I’ve seen on other threads) an EC recognized Bronze show is considered a schooling show. In BC its considered a legit recognized show with all the bells n whistles, and a schooling show is something put on by a riding club or a stable with no EC sanction at all.
And to give an idea as to the size of the circuit, each zone typically runs 7-13 shows each. Most of those shows are in 4 months - May to August as Championships are the labour day long weekend. Most zones run the shows over 2 days, a few over 3 days where necessary. Its an active circuit, and quite cost effective relative to the A circuit, and more manageable scheduling wise for those with more traditional work schedules (competitors and parents of competitors!).
I think it may vary by area. In my area, the bronze shows often run alongside the Trillium/Silver shows. Most shows have 3-4 rings, sometimes 5, and will juggle both Silver and Bronze divisions over the course of the weekend. Our zone will typically run a 1.10m and 1.0m divisions on one day (both Silver), then the 0.90m (Silver) and 0.80 (Bronze) on the other day. The hunters are a bit more variable. Most 2’9" and up (Silver) divisions run on the Sunday. A few Silver divisions run on the Saturday (2’6" Adults, Children’s and Pro division + Hack division), alongside the Bronze hunter divisions (smaller heights and some divisions aimed at greener horses, and greener riders).
The Bronze circuit has its own year end awards and banquet. No Championship show, however.
My understanding is Bronze, Silver and Gold is determined by prize money amounts! There is a push to get more shows going again, as like everywhere else in North America, we suffered when Big facilities took over entire circuits and now we are stuck showing at the same place week in and week out. Slowly, there are a few more shows appearing and they seem to be at the Silver level so far…kind of like when we used to have our Alberta Hunter Horse Circuit. I hope they can make it work, it was a great circuit I miss it!
plus like Backstage said, RMSJ does run a bronze show alongside some of their gold/Silver shows. It’s for the xrail, 2ft hunters etc…the classes we all used to call the “schooling” show circuit…
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Backstage answered it well. In our area bronze shows don’t really run on their own. Bronze divisions will often be added to Trillium shows based on regional demand.
Some schooling series will run as EC sanctioned and require memberships. Most are unsanctioned.
And I believe that if a show wants to use EC officials (steward, judges), they have to be at least Bronze.
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Are the Wild Rose shows in Alberta schooling shows? Or what is Wild Rose?
They were a couple of years ago, I don’t believe they’re still around. I think it was a circuit that Alberta tried to get going but because in order to use recognized judges, course designers etc you have to be bronze, silver, gold etc it just ended up becoming part of AEF (Alberta Equestrian fed), so any existing shows just rolled into the Equestrian Canada system or folded!
edited to add., I googled it and found this, maybe it is still around? Personally I don’t know any of the show barns that attend these shows. I’m thinking it maybe more of a schooling type day or gymkhana event?
