Shows this year?

[anitaridemore]

Perhaps the eager people from the area should start aspiring to become course designers, judges, coaches.... there are many courses and programs offered. It takes more than just talking about being like the "rest of Canada", it takes action.

[pony]

well said liz!

[Andrea]

Maybe if I was rich... my mommy and daddy can't fly me to Ottawa or wherever to have lessons every so often like some people.. therefore becoming a coach or course designer isn't as easy as someone might make it sound. I think that once our horses and barns are more 'up to par', that's when we should start implementing those EC rules. It's becoming so political, and it's just not fun anymore. I miss the days of just jumping on a horse, and going and having fun with friends. Trailering out to a fun show, getting lots of pretty ribbons. Might sound childish, but really, why do we ride horses? Just so we can look at Ontario and say "Ohhh, I'm almost as good as you now!" Well.. Maybe some people. The people who give horse back riders the snobby stereotype, but I don't think everyone thinks like that. I think more of us are still the same little girl that fell in love with that little pony years ago, on the inside.. back when we didn't know what "course designers" were, or what "bronze level" meant.

Anyway, I'm glad Kathie still has jumping in her show. I think the whole course designer stuff is bull. Lets just have fun!

[Sarah]

Yeah I do think that it is sad that we adopt the EC rules and therefore lose half of our shows... I understand that you cannot please everybody but I find it a bit foolish that we are trying to be "like the rest of Canada" when our horse industry is little "like the rest of Canada". In other parts of the country there are EC coaches every which where, but here we have only Liz and once she leaves we will have no one (speaking from an english riders perspective, I know that we have EC western coaches). There are shows to choose from every weekend, qualifiers and point systems - but we just don't have the demand for that kind of competition right now. Personally I think that to get to that level of competition we first need to attract more riders and bring in more horses - and the best way to achieve that is probably not by narrowing class choices and decrease show numbers but by opening up the competition scene for more people to participate. Seriously, as of now if you are a beginner rider above the age of 12 you can't even compete really. And I think that most people would agree that a fair number of the beginner riders here are older than 12.

Not trying to step on any toes here or show disrespect - I understand that a lot of work goes into the show season and running the NEA and I think I speak for us all when I say that we respect those who step up to do it! Just putting in my two cents on the topic.

[happilyeverafter]

Maybe if I was rich... my mommy and daddy can't fly me to Ottawa or wherever to have lessons every so often like some people..

Woahhh Andrea... unecessary.


Sarah- well put, I agree... except for the part about beginner riders being over 12. I know Liz has a bunch of riders under 10 who will probably want to start doing some showing this summer!!!

[anitaridemore]

Hmmm, perhaps I should clarify. What I meant by this was that Erin has arranged for an NCCP course to be run in Newfoundland which is required if you wanted to take an instructor or coaching exam. This would be an excellent opprotunity for people who are interested in coaching now or down the road. I don't think that the issue is whether or not NL is more like "the rest" but that it is always improving. There is a shortage of coaches and instructors, and from what I have seen there are many horses and riders on this island capable of completing this if they start logging the hours and ticking off the pre-requisites. As far as course design goes, I think a lot of it has to do with safety issues that jumper courses are designed and set correctly. Hunter courses at bronze level are a little more straight forward than jumper courses. For those who are interested in completing some of these things, its important to remember to take opporotunities when then come, and that by taking clinics, completing course design seminars, instructors exams, and what have you, you are essentially creating a career for yourself in the horse industry and expanding the breadth of the horse world. If there was enough demand, I am sure that the NEA might be interested in arranging for a clinic of some kind. All of these things enhance the education of people in the horse world who are interested. Working student positions are also great ways for horse people to get exposure to something that they are interested in (be it hunter/jumper, dressage, reining, breeding, polo, etc etc) and get paid to do it. In fact, many barns will offer programs to help you get certified in one way or another. Again, this is for those who want to take this road.
For those who want to do it for fun, that is wonderful, if people understand that riding is "fun" then we are likely to have more people in the sport. In fact, that is probably how we all got into it in the first place. I think we are talking about 2 different things. I whole heartedly agree with you though. Horses = fun, big changes in EC = less fun, but ineveitable
Back to the lack of o/f shows, I believe that there aren't as many organizers this year and so there are fewer o/f shows. So it may not be for lack of interest, but just fewer organizers. It happens.

[Andrea]

Haha, I think that's it's wonderful that the person I am talking about got to do something like that. I'm jealous as hell. I'm just saying, not everybody can do that.
No hatin' haha.

[anitaridemore]

Ok, well lets talk about keeping it on the island then. Then there is no bias.
I think we forget that there are some excellent english certified instructors here on the island. And I bet if you ask them, most of them prepared for, and took their instructor exam here.
Let me see if I can string some logic here as this could apply to any horse world. What a successful show needs, isn't necessarily more good horses, it needs more good people (coaches, breeders, horsemanship, etc). To get numbers up to warrant the EC sanctioned shows, it isn't going to happen by shipping in a bunch of expensive horses. Yes, horses are expensive from good breeding, but more so from good training. And who trains horses? Us bipeds do! So if focus is more on the riding caliber and trainers, and then horses, we have a stronger base for up and coming grassroots horses and riders to grow from (competitive or not). And if people are always pushing to better themselves, then that gives the next generation something to aspire to. It's a vicious circle, but a good one The newbies are likely where a lot of the increased show entries will come from, but they have to have trained horses and guidance to get there.

[Andrea]

I think it all comes from the population of Newfoundland. We have a pretty small population. The province is in debt, we can't even afford to keep a stadium (the Mile One) up and running. Low minimum wage.. gee, most people are moving away for work. So, it's no wonder why the horse world is bigger and better in places like Alberta, or Ontario. It's because they have more people and moonneeyyy. In terms of the horse world, it's like, we're Africa, and the other Canadian provinces are like the US, and ..Russia? I don't know. I guess what I'm trying to say is we're just like a little developing country..
I've always liked how we have such a small tight knit horse community, where everybody knows everybody, and we have lots of fun. Maybe we're pushing it too far now. I think we should stay unique, like Newfoundland has always been.

[Jess]

I've got to disagree with you on that one, Andrea. Newfoundland is a unique and awesome place and I love living here - no where else I'd rather be. With that said, I DON'T love the lack of opportunities, facilities, coaching/training and showing that we have here. Just because the horse community were to grow and prosper, it doesn't mean that there won't still be a close-knit group. And everyone knowing everyone else isn't necessairly such a great thing all the time. I would love to go to a show and have more than three or four people in a class, and have people and horses I'm not familiar with showing. As it stands, I show against the same people, in the same classes, every show season.

We seem to plateau here, or at least I know I did. We get our horses training, and our riding, to a certain point and then stop. There's no real competition and no drive to search out a coach who can bring you farther than that. I enjoy my horses regardless of what I'm doing with them, trail riding, grooming, just hanging out or showing. But I do enjoy competition, and I want to keep pushing myself and keep bettering my horses training - I don't want to reach that plateau. The best way to do that is to try and open the door to more "mainland" type policies. I don't necessairly agree with how it's happening, and I think it's a little putting the cart before the horse but it's a step in the right direction.

Not everyone wants to be a trainer, coach, instructor, whatever. But for those who harbour those ambitions, go do it! I plan on getting my coach ASAP, I'd love to do a working student position somewhere, and by bringing some new blood and new ideas into the horse community, it's the best way to get the maximum benefit and to start to grow. Don't complain about what's going on unless you're planning on doing *something* to resolve it.

[teezernbreeze]

Well said jess..
just to throw this out there , i was talking to dennis ( Last name gone o boy i'm horrible ) but he came from gingerwood pei. he told me today after my lesson that he is able to be a course instructor. He said unless a curtain rule changed, but isn't it worth a try to contact him and ask? that means he's on the island meaning no worries of flying someone over meaning he's done it before in NB and NS and PEI, meaning less money worries about getting one??
Isn't it worth a try talking to him?? i think so anyways

[Jenn]

Ok im bumping this up just to ask about the showing schedule again!! Don't want to start another argument! Does anyone know what shows are scheduled for this year so far??

[sq]

GFW has a showed planned and the NEA show at the end of the summer.....

[beauradical]

Let's start a whole new post for this ok?