I imagine it’s more of a financial move. If the big guys want to continue showing with the same level of judging, courses, etc., they probably must get more entries from the lower levels.
I feel like someone on here (or several) have said that the 2’3"/2’6" 'ers are the ones who bring in most of the revenue for horses shows.
Also, Spruce Meadows have many of their own young green horses in these small jumper classes. Why pay to ship them to other shows when you can hold your own? If you can get around a course their your horse can handle anything LOL
Plus theses novice riders or novice horses are also getting the benefit of jumping around top class courses, designed and set by world class designers… No dumbing down whatsoever and they always set full height no matter what you are entered in (so a 2ft6 rider better be ready to jump 2 ft 9 still with the spread for 2ft6 and 1.15m goes to 1.20m with the spread at 1.15 height etc) Spruce set big and technical always … No exceptions!
I’d also probably bet that most people that don’t like it, show at the other show in his Grand Prix Ring, where let’s face it they get the money, the best footing, the best everything and also have the means to already be jumping the bigger fences and travelling out of a Province and Country to more shows anyway! Nothing like wanting to take even more away from those that have already lost their more introductory shows! I for one, applaud Spruce for trying to give it back I just wish more would!
You know, you’ve got to start somewhere, and there are only so many venues/shows offering jumper divisions. Yes, Spruce is a “destination” for many jumper riders, but I see absolutely no dumbing down or catering to the lowly by offering jumper classes starting at 2’ 11" (.90m). If the addition of these classes doesn’t effect the bigger classes, why is it an issue for anyone? We aren’t talking 2’ Hopeful Jumpers here. I doubt that folks from my area would be hauling their barely broke, super green jumpers a 1000 miles to scramble around in a .70 class–even if SM offered it!!
As someone who is struggling to transition to the jumpers as an older adult, I appreciate a show that has the space to offer some smaller jumper classes. I see nothing wrong with sticking around in the .95s and riding well over great courses. I have no ambition to show above that at this time. I guess that makes me a dumby.
Calvincrow, they actually do offer well below .90m at their indoor shows…it’s great for local riders, but they do not offer these classes at their large outdoor shows! They are filling a much needed void for us in Calgary. As for the “dumbing down” you will even see, gasp, some BNR’s in the 2ft6’s (and below) with their super greenies this week…ya’ll gotta start somewhere! 
I think the biggest problem we are having during these shows is how busy and dangerous the warm up ring has become with so many different levels of riders trying to hack/warm up all day.
The owners are free to offer any classes they choose. You are free to NOT go. Nothing wrong with some diversity. I am not a fan of the super low speedy jumpers type classes, that doesn’t mean a show has to comply with my opinion. Perhaps this is a chance for people doing lower classes to experience the facility and develop a love for going there and thus become a long time exhibitor at Spruce.
I wish SM had hunters and I am glad they have lower height classes. Great facilities need to be supported and including the grass roots of hunter/jumper land is one way to do it. I just wish it wasn’t so darn far north and that I didn’t have to deal with the US Homeland Security folks to come home!
I used to love their hunter classes. The only bad part, you had to jog in and then GET ON to do your victory gallop. This led to some, er, interesting mounting to say the least and to some good announcments… ahem “and now that we are finally all on our horses we can proceed with the victory gallop” (hangs head in shame and slinks off)…
Thanks for the replies.
[QUOTE=eclipse;7230014]
edited to add: the other facility has essentially sucked our show life from this city…makes me sad as we used to have a ton of A and B shows to choose from[/QUOTE]
I politely disagree, but then I have a different perspective because I’ve been showing on the Alberta hunter/jumper circuit since the mid-80’s and have seen a lot of shows come and go over the years - the entire Alberta Hunter Horse Society circuit, the Heritage Horse Show in Edmonton in June, driving out to the H & M Cattle Company in Calgary in May, the A circuit Alberta Light Horse Show in Millarville in July (which always held a hunter derby way back then), the A circuit Alberta Spring Horse Show at the Westerner at the beginning of May…brrr, what were we thinking with that one?
Back in the early 90’s, I personally feel we had an amazing circuit, but the equine economy was amazing back then too, and that makes all the difference in the world! 
When the Alberta Spring Horse Show stopped running at the beginning of May, another show picked up the slack. Debbie Garside used to run two fabulous A circuit shows at her True North Stables in Calgary. The True North Summer Welcome ran in July and the ASJA Classic was at her facility every year at the end of September. Eventually, Debbie sold her facility, retired and moved on to bigger and better things. When her two shows stopped running, other shows picked up the slack. When Sea Fever was sold and those shows stopped running, other shows picked up the slack. Like everything, things change, cycle and evolve. No single show facility went and choked everybody out!
Back in the late 90’s is when I remember things slowly starting to change. We had a fairly dismal hunter/jumper circuit in the Edmonton area and if you really wanted to get your horse out there, you had to travel down to Calgary! You want to talk about sucky shows? You don’t know what sucky is until you show up at an Edmonton & area hunter/jumper show the middle of February, have mandatory, pricey stabling at the back of a dark and dismal show barn with no heat and frozen water buckets in the morning and, I kid you not, hunter courses with two standards and two poles making up each jump. No fillers, no brush, no straw bales. Nothing. Then add to that the resident hunter/jumper trainer who’s kids couldn’t ride out of a paper bag and make the lines so short my medium ponies could get the horse strides done. That was sucky showing! And with no other big facilities in the area, if you wanted to get out to schooling shows in Edmonton early in the year, that was the only show facility available.
Then in the late 90’s, there was a sigh of relief (at least in our barn) when Tyrrell Farm (operating out of Anderson Ranch in Calgary) started up their series of schooling shows in the spring. It was a blessing to travel down to Calgary mid-February to a heated barn, heated arena, bright stalls and arena, wonderful courses with fillers, flowers and great judging. For me personally, those shows filled a huge void for many people in the area and the excellent courses allowed us to develop our horses to their full potential.
Unfortunately in the spring time in Alberta, there just aren’t that many facilities that are big enough and capable enough of holding a decent hunter/jumper schooling show that allows us to get ready for the A circuit shows. And back in the 90’s, there were no big schooling shows at Spruce Meadows in the spring. Basically, first show of the year used to be the National. So be careful who you’re shooting down here…as, as the Anderson Ranch shows developed throughout the years, so did more and more Spruce Meadows shows.
I’ve watched Rocky Mountain Show Jumping develop from the ground up. Always looking for the next innovative idea to draw competitors in and keep them happy, constantly improving and asking competitors what they want. I’m a big supporter of both RMSJ and Spruce Meadows, but again, you don’t know how good you have it until you come up and stable in the Edmonton & area for a show season. Do that and then let me know your thoughts on our Alberta shows!
I’m not going to comment on the divisions offered at Spruce Meadows, as I am a judge and don’t think it is appropriate to respond, but I really felt the need to defend some of the shows in Alberta. :yes:
Off my soap box now!
[QUOTE=Daventry;7235090]
I politely disagree, but then I have a different perspective because I’ve been showing on the Alberta hunter/jumper circuit since the mid-80’s and have seen a lot of shows come and go over the years - the entire Alberta Hunter Horse Society circuit, the Heritage Horse Show in Edmonton in June, driving out to the H & M Cattle Company in Calgary in May, the A circuit Alberta Light Horse Show in Millarville in July (which always held a hunter derby way back then), the A circuit Alberta Spring Horse Show at the Westerner at the beginning of May…brrr, what were we thinking with that one?
Back in the early 90’s, I personally feel we had an amazing circuit, but the equine economy was amazing back then too, and that makes all the difference in the world! When the Alberta Spring Horse Show stopped running at the beginning of May, another show picked up the slack. Debbie Garside used to run two fabulous A circuit shows at her True North Stables in Calgary. The True North Summer Welcome ran in July and the ASJA Classic was at her facility every year at the end of September. Eventually, Debbie sold her facility, retired and moved on to bigger and better things. When her two shows stopped running, other shows picked up the slack. When Sea Fever was sold and those shows stopped running, other shows picked up the slack. Like everything, things change, cycle and evolve. No single show facility went and choked everybody out!
Back in the late 90’s is when I remember things slowly starting to change. We had a fairly dismal hunter/jumper circuit in the Edmonton area and if you really wanted to get your horse out there, you had to travel down to Calgary! You want to talk about sucky shows? You don’t know what sucky is until you show up at an Edmonton & area hunter/jumper show the middle of February, have mandatory, pricey stabling at the back of a dark and dismal show barn with no heat and frozen water buckets in the morning and, I kid you not, hunter courses with two standards and two poles making up each jump. No fillers, no brush, no straw bales. Nothing. Then add to that the resident hunter/jumper trainer who’s kids couldn’t ride out of a paper bag and make the lines so short my medium ponies could get the horse strides done. That was sucky showing! And with no other big facilities in the area, if you wanted to get out to schooling shows in Edmonton early in the year, that was the only show facility available.
Then in the late 90’s, there was a sigh of relief (at least in our barn) when Tyrrell Farm (operating out of Anderson Ranch in Calgary) started up their series of schooling shows in the spring. It was a blessing to travel down to Calgary mid-February to a heated barn, heated arena, bright stalls and arena, wonderful courses with fillers, flowers and great judging. For me personally, those shows filled a huge void for many people in the area and the excellent courses allowed us to develop our horses to their full potential.
Unfortunately in the spring time in Alberta, there just aren’t that many facilities that are big enough and capable enough of holding a decent hunter/jumper schooling show that allows us to get ready for the A circuit shows. And back in the 90’s, there were no big schooling shows at Spruce Meadows in the spring. Basically, first show of the year used to be the National. So be careful who you’re shooting down here…as, as the Anderson Ranch shows developed throughout the years, so did more and more Spruce Meadows shows.
I’ve watched Rocky Mountain Show Jumping develop from the ground up. Always looking for the next innovative idea to draw competitors in and keep them happy, constantly improving and asking competitors what they want. I’m a big supporter of both RMSJ and Spruce Meadows, but again, you don’t know how good you have it until you come up and stable in the Edmonton & area for a show season. Do that and then let me know your thoughts on our Alberta shows!
I’m not going to comment on the divisions offered at Spruce Meadows, as I am a judge and don’t think it is appropriate to respond, but I really felt the need to defend some of the shows in Alberta. :yes:
Off my soap box now![/QUOTE]
Nothing further to add other than amen to the Edmonton comments. When you’re wearing your winter clothes and your fingers are freezing off while you warm up on a 10x10 square of mud only to take your horse back to a flooded stall/barn aisle/tack room at Whitemud, you will take just about anything.
