Where are all the 3'6'' A/O Hunters?

[awaywego]

[QUOTE=APirateLooksAtForty;7888592]
Why? Because I don’t want to see my division due out. It’s that simple.[/QUOTE]

Anyone want to buy me a nice 3’6" horse and pay for me to show it? I will gladly ride in the division to help keep it going

Like a lot here - did the 3’6" as a junior. Now I probably could never justify the expense of doing the shows that even offer the 3’6", showing at any height. There’s a whole lot more to my life than there was at 17, and I’m pretty happy with that. If showing didn’t limit something else that was important to me, then I’d be happy to do it all! But until I have a money tree in my backyard, this is how it’s going to be.

[mvp]

[QUOTE=SportArab;7887464]
Yes, but does that mean you show in exactly the same division, year after year after year, collecting blue ribbons? Not trying to be snarky, but I don’t understand what the point would be. And I say this as someone who is currently working with a trainer once a week to get the horse I bred to get to the highest level I can get him to. I think if I got him to 2’6" and won a bunch of blue ribbons, I’d hang it up if I couldn’t progress with him. After all how many blues does any of us need in the same class?[/QUOTE]

Doesn’t sound snarky to me.

And another thing!

You dinky jumpers-- for whatever reason, at whatever height, even Nickelodeon in the respectable 3’3"s:

Don’t take someone else’s lament about the Tall Jump Division personally! Geez.

Everyone knows one could spend a lifetime trying to get eight perfect jumps and a Cadillac On Cruise Control Ride…… at any height fence. There are some cases where the horse and/or rider look quite competent and competitors would prefer that pair move up as opposed to winning one more tricolor. I get it. And look, if you can’t because one of you can’t jump bigger, then stay. But if you really are resting on your laurels, you’ll know it.

This really is a case of “if the shoe fits….”

But if the shoe doesn’t fit you, people, don’t go looking for an accusation to get pissy about! It’s not always about you.

For the record: What used to keep me in the Dinkies was a limited horse and lack of dough for the next one. With more money, I would have found a way to deal with other limits-- maybe some old lady fear, lack of fitness, what have you. The right horse for the A/Os and enough money to do that somewhere between safely and competitively. I’d consider that a bucket-list thing and try hard to make it happen.

[staceymc]

[QUOTE=flexion;7888030]
From the perspective of an amateur who actually is doing the buy-young-and-cheap method of gaining a 3’6" AO hunter… in all honesty, while we are the poster children for this process, we will never actually make it into the 3’6" ring. I am fortunate enough to have the time to ride every day, ability to do the training by myself, and a fancy prospect with the potential to be competitive. We will start the pregreens next year but as soon as a large offer arrives it’s all over. I’m a normal person - I can’t say no to that kind of money. I’ll ending up buying another greenie and starting over again.[/QUOTE]

Bingo. The really, really nice young horse I had got sold the moment I got a (very) nice offer. He’s currently winning all over the country with his new owner in the 3’6" A/O, including great ribbons at Harrisburg and CC. After I sold him, I went out and bought a 4 year old to start all over with. While I have gotten the new one up to the 3’3" A/O, I seriously doubt he’ll still be around when we’re ready to move up to the 3’6". I just can’t afford to turn down the money.

[Blinky]

To the OP
I see your point. There are lots of former AO 3’6" riders (that did well) that are now in the AO 3’3". Perhaps it is best to ask them. There are probably a multitude of different reasons.

[comingback]

Not that I’m there now, but I would love to show at 3’6" eventually. For me, it is about the challenge of moving up. However, I cannot move up as an A/O. Why? Because I don’t have the bank for ownership, so no A/Os for me. So what am I left with? Either sit in the AAs or go into the Performance divisions where the pros are warming up horses for the AOs. Yay me;)

My personal story aside, you really don’t know why someone is in the height that they are. Horse may be coming back from injury, they may be trying to preserve the green year, the rider may just not want to move to 3’6" for any multitude of reasons, but unless you are in the know, I don’t think you can pass judgment on them.

Also, by me I am seeing many more junior 3’3" than 3’6". Maybe that varies by region, but at least from my vantage point, a similar trend is happening in the junior hunters.

[HunterBranded]

[QUOTE=Goldie locks;7886462]
The horses that do the 3’6" + up these days are few and far between and cost $100,000 and up.

It’s not like 30 years ago in the US you had the OTTB horses, bold riders and lesser cost horse shows. The winning round was much different too…

Just watch this.

1982 Maclay -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj6hh5w4Afk

2014 Maclay -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPRqIyU1riE

In life things change regardless what we like :)[/QUOTE]

I agree with this to a degree and propose to an extent that this was even the case 7-12 years ago. I have a non-traditional horse for the hunter ring, who has a outstanding jump, but is a mediocre mover. I rode her in the Childrens and did a few Juniors, when I aged out the choice was between 3’0 that was HUGE and VERY competitive in my area or the 3’6 that typically had 12-18 horses, but was not filled with that same amazing and expensive amateur horses. In the 3’6 I could carry a little more pace and have a little play here and there and still place. In the last few years the division started filling with those $100,000 horses that we simply are not competitive with, so the last few times I showed we dropped down to 3’3 where we are a tad more suited now.

This is just my experience and our choice. I don’t know if this is the case everywhere, but it seemed to be for me. I kind of miss the 3’6 because my horse jumped wonderfully at the higher height, but thus is life. We have fun at home and have played around in some other disciplines; I don’t show a whole lot anymore, so when I do the 3’3 just seems like a better fit.

eta: I haven’t been to a show myself (I don’t show a lot) where the two divisions were combined…maybe that would change my mind.

[salymandar]

Many of the people I know who did the 3’6" as juniors were fortunate to have parents who were well off before their children became involved in horses. Now that they are adults and out on their own, they are average working ammys with an expensive horsey habit. As juniors they could ride multiple horses a day everyday to stay sharp. Now, they are lucky to ride their one horse multiple times a week. Where their parents bought them the ready made 3’6" horse, or paid for the pros to ride and show it so it could get to the 3’6" safely; they are now buying and bringing up their own projects. Life gets in the way. Even if they still show in the 3’6", they are not showing as often as they did when they were juniors, so there is less likely to be that critical mass at every show.

As for me, I showed once or twice at three foot as a junior, then stepped away from the show ring for 20 years. My first four year old as an adult sold after its first pre-green year (totally in a pro program) and went on the following year to qualify for Devon and indoors with a pro in the First Years and indoors with its AO at 3’6". My current horse was also bought as a four year old. Almost five years later, between financial and other setbacks, we are preparing for 2015 to be our first solid year at three foot. He’s had me doing 99% of his training and all of his showing. He is just as nice as the first horse, but he is not in a pro program. I will be happy to be able to show him for a few years in the 3’3" AOs before we move back down. In the unlikely event that I am lucky enough to be racking up the blues or look like I need to move up, my horse will probably be approaching mid to late teens, so for the sake of his health and longevity, the move up on this horse most likely will not happen. Maybe I will be lucky enough to have another horse in my life after him that I will be able to show in the 3’6", but it is unlikely.

Maybe the smaller 3’6" numbers will encourage someone with a less fancy horse to give it a try. I think it is crazy that people think they need to have the six-figure plus horse to even play in that division. Sure, if you want to win at the biggest shows. But I have seen horses who tend to be a bit more jumpery, eq-y or off breed put in respectable trips in the 3’6" divisions and pin where they deserved to pin – even above those fancy big dollar horses. Many of us will never be able to afford to buy or bring up “The Winner”, but that doesn’t stop us from showing or trying to beat it. An honest assessment of both horses mentioned in this post is if they put in their best trip ever against those high-dollar horses putting in good trips, they are going to be at best, middle of the pack. So my options are: go cry in my wheaties and don’t ever go to a show, find shows and divisions where I can beat the pants off everyone and I can feel great about myself and my horse, find shows and divisions where my horse and I are among peers and its anyone’s game, or go out and test myself against the big dogs. Personally, I find the last two options most satisfying, even if I don’t ever see a blue ribbon or tri-color.

[Pennywell_Bay]

[QUOTE=Blinky;7888675]
To the OP
I see your point. There are lots of former AO 3’6" riders (that did well) that are now in the AO 3’3". Perhaps it is best to ask them. There are probably a multitude of different reasons.[/QUOTE]

There is a whole range of reasons. My friend backed to 3’3 more recently than I after much thought and discussion.

1. Wear and tear on her horse. She only has 1,he’s pretty awesome, he just developed minor maintenance issues
2. Horse is now older- 19 I think (see point 1)
3. She doesn’t have the money to replace him with a younger model
4. She backed off AA/A shows almost altogether because she is priced out of it. She can attend a whole summer series-literally-for the price of one or two A shows. And these are some NICE local series. Nice horses, awesome prizes etc.
5. No muss no fuss stepping down now her horse is a school master. Showing is actually enjoyable.
6. I know she misses the 3’6 but it isn’t realistic.

For a lot of us to do it, you almost have to be a triple threat:

1. Horse to do it on and be competive
2. Money to spend on it
3. Desire to do it with 1,2.