RAWF Line Classes/Cup Classes

[GoodTimes]

Anyone on here heading to the Royal with their babies?

We bought a foal earlier this year who won her RPSI inspection so we considered taking her down for the Presidents Cup, but last year I had two friends return with sick babies so I decided against it. I’ve got another friend showing one of his babies so I’ll head down and watch (and compare, but of course I’m biased).
The breeder of our baby had several qualified for the cups but none are related to ours. Similarly, the breeder of my hunter has an entry in the Cups as well, same sire different mare.

I’ve never done any line showing myself, and have always regretted not doing the Cups with my hunter as 3 of his full siblings attended and pinned U/S. I have no issue riding this baby in 2020, but I think I’ll have to hire a handler to stand her up. Honestly, even though I’m a runner (10km and half marathons), I can barely jog a horse for ribbons let alone to show them off lol!

[DarkBayUnicorn]

I took my first homebred to the Cups last year and had a blast.

[GoodTimes]

@DarkBayUnicorn

I took my first homebred to the Cups last year and had a blast.

That’s exciting! Do you mind me asking who yours was? What’s the plan for them? I’ve been following the Cups for years and it’s surprisingly hard to follow them afterwards.

[cherham]

Hubby and I have shown and bred horses for the Cup classes for a number of years! Our own horses are registered Canadian Sport Horses but lots of other Warmblood horses are represented for both these most prestigious classes held at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto every November. In the past it has been difficult to follow the progress of our young horses as they are sold to the US (and often name changes ensue). It has been a bit easier to follow our youngsters show records in the last few years however. Thanks to the USEF and the internet.

[DarkBayUnicorn]

@GoodTimes

That’s exciting! Do you mind me asking who yours was? What’s the plan for them? I’ve been following the Cups for years and it’s surprisingly hard to follow them afterwards.

Sent you a PM!

[mikali]

@GoodTimes

Anyone on here heading to the Royal with their babies?

We bought a foal earlier this year who won her RPSI inspection so we considered taking her down for the Presidents Cup, but last year I had two friends return with sick babies so I decided against it. I’ve got another friend showing one of his babies so I’ll head down and watch (and compare, but of course I’m biased).

Sadly, the President’s Cup is currently only open to those foals that are registered CSHA.

The two Cup classes for 3yo (the Governor General’s and Lt. Governor’s) are open to registered three year old Canadian bred (defined as foaled in Canada) horses that are suitable to become a Sport Horse (Hunter, Jumper, Dressage and Eventing).

Unfortunately, it can be difficult to follow the Cup horses since a large number of them never seem to go on to have a career afterwards, at least not a high profile one, and as cherham mentioned, some have their names changed.

[GoodTimes]

@mikali

Sadly, the President’s Cup is currently only open to those foals that are registered CSHA.

The two Cup classes for 3yo (the Governor General’s and Lt. Governor’s) are open to registered three year old Canadian bred (defined as foaled in Canada) horses that are suitable to become a Sport Horse (Hunter, Jumper, Dressage and Eventing).

Unfortunately, it can be difficult to follow the Cup horses since a large number of them never seem to go on to have a career afterwards, at least not a high profile one, and as cherham mentioned, some have their names changed.

Yes, I’m familiar with the entry requirements. I’ve had lots of friends show on the line, it’s just not something that I’ve done. The weanling we bought is RPSI and CSHA. The breeder has several horses down there this weekend.

There are 3 cup horses from last year in our barn right now. Two have been sitting in a field since no one has time for them, the other didn’t do much all summer and was just leased out. The full siblings to my hunter that did the Cups are all owned by older amateurs who either have other people showing them Trillium, or are at home being spoiled.

[Mistysmom]

I too have heard that many of the cup winners don’t go on to a career after. Many years ago, we bred a Lt. Governor’s Cup Reserve Champion that went on to a very successful career in dressage (currently at Prix St-Georges). I guess it’s a good thing she didn’t win the class

[cherham]

There is a curse to winning the Cup. You always want to pin 2nd…I am not kidding about this. It might be superstition but I have known enough Cup winners that have not gone on to particularly good things (or even die young) to believe it.

[Skyline]

Popeye K won the Governor General’s Cup and I think he went on to a successful career

[cherham]

And he is one of the VERY few that did…

[sherian]

I confess to being a believer in the cup horse curse - all three horses that I knew who had high ribbons on those classes were duds as show horses - most likely coincidence, as lots of promising young horses turn out to be duds as show horses but still makes you twitchy about sending your horse haha

[Fred]

@Skyline

Popeye K won the Governor General’s Cup and I think he went on to a successful career

Yes, he did!
That same year, one of my homebreds competed in the same GG class, he did not pin, but he did go on to be both an Advanced event horse AND a winning Grand Prix jumper - so in terms of being “suitable to become a sport horse” I think he did that indeed.
It would be interesting to see how well individuals who did not win the GG class did in later life.

[GoodTimes]

The thing with the cup classes is it’s one of the cheaper ways to compete at the Royal.
It allows regular amateurs like myself to buy a nice baby, keep it for a few years, start it, qualify and take it to the Royal cheaper then a season showing on the A’s. The end goal for lots of those horses is the 3’ hunters, and lots of those Cup horses are doing just that. In the owners eyes they are successful.

Unless a Cup horse gets a pro ride with the goal of being a top hunter/jumper/eventer then success could be any number of things.

[Corky]

GoodTimes - I agree. I am the proud owner of a beautiful 5 month old filly that I bred to be my personal sport horse. I am toying with the Cup classes for her 3yr old year because I might only have the option once in a lifetime to ride a homebred at the Royal. If I do end up on that journey with her it will not be with the focus on winning, but rather about enjoying the ride. I do not want her to be at the top of her sport because I have no desire to compete at that level myself, but I did want a nice enough horse that I would never hit the ceiling of her ability.

[GoodTimes]

@Corky

GoodTimes - I agree. I am the proud owner of a beautiful 5 month old filly that I bred to be my personal sport horse. I am toying with the Cup classes for her 3yr old year because I might only have the option once in a lifetime to ride a homebred at the Royal. If I do end up on that journey with her it will not be with the focus on winning, but rather about enjoying the ride. I do not want her to be at the top of her sport because I have no desire to compete at that level myself, but I did want a nice enough horse that I would never hit the ceiling of her ability.

Hopefully we’ll see you there!