ROR Showing classes rule change

Some of the extra funding given to ROR by ROA is to go to supporting development of the ex-racehorse showing classes sponsored by ROR and Tattersalls. This is great news, as these classes are a wonderful opportunity for ex-racers to prove how well they can rehabilitate and strut their stuff successfully in the showring, once allowances are made for their history and any blemishes they may have acquired during their racing careers.

So often, otherwise beautiful and well-schooled ex-racers have been marked down because their legs carry the honourable battlescars of their racing days. In other cases, recently re-schooled ex-racehorses new to showing have lost out due to typical new-ex-racer behaviour letting them down compared to their less-lovely, but better-behaved, competitors. So, showing classes just for ex-racehorses are a much-needed development.

Precise judging criteria varies, depending on which organisation is sponsoring the classes, but generally allowances are made for racing-acquired blemishes , the length of time the horse has been out of racing, and the amount of rehabilitation progress made. In the ROR classes, judging is as for normal Riding Horse classes. Each horse is ridden by the judge, and marked separately for conformation and action.

This year, ROR has amended the entry rules so that every horse must have actually raced. In the past, any Thoroughbred that has 'been in training' was eligible to enter. This meant that some horses - perhaps already singled out for a showing career - have merely spent a few weeks in a race-trainer's yard to qualify for ROR and other ex-racer classes. They then left the yard as physically ( and psychologically) perfect as they went in, ready to trounce more genuine ex-racers in the showring. The rule-change will put an end to this, and leave the true battle-hardened ex-racehorses a level playing field to compete on. It will also make it easier for the amateur owner/riders, with their less-than-perfect ex-racers, to compete against the better-resourced professional producers.

The ROR/Tattersalls showing series is now in its fifth year with qualifiers’ nationwide going forward to the final at Hickstead's Show Jumping Derby meeting from 25th to 28th June (exact date to be confirmed). Those who qualify after the South of England Show in June, compete in the final in 2010. Judges will be from the RoR panel.

Coming dates are here:

MAY 3rd & 4th May* - LEICESTERSHIRE COUNTY SHOW, Leicestershire10th May - NEWARK & NOTTINGHAMSHIRE SHOW, Nottinghamshire Results: 1st TROPPI GUAI - Rebecca Peace; 2nd DOUBLE SPEY - SALLY Beeden; 3rd RUSTY PLUMBER - Miss D. ParkerVeteran - TROPPI GUAI15th May - ROYAL WINDSOR HORSE SHOW, Berkshire 23rd May – DEVON COUNTY SHOW, Somerset 23rd May - HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY SHOW, Hertfordshire23rd May* - HEATHFIELD & DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL SHOW, East Sussex24th May* - HAMBLETON SHOW , Yorkshire27th May - SUFFOLK SHOW, Suffolk 28th May - ROYAL BATH & WEST SHOW, SomersetJUNE 6th June - MIDLAND COUNTIES SHOW , Staffordshire 11th June - SOUTH OF ENGLAND, West Sussex QUALIFICATION FOR HICKSTEAD 2010 17th June* - YORKSHIRE SPORTS HORSE SHOW, Yorkshire 20th June* - EAST OF ENGLAND, Cambridgeshire23rd June - CHESHIRE COUNTY SHOW, Cheshire24th June* - LINCOLNSHIRE COUNTY SHOW, Lincolnshire27th June* - POTENTIAL COMPETITION HORSE SHOW, Merseyside28th June* - DERBYSHIRE COUNTY SHOW, Derby25th to 28th June - FINAL 2009, Hickstead Derby Meeting (exact date to be confirmed) JULY 7th to 10th July - THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SHOW, Stoneleigh 19th July - KENT COUNTY SHOW, Kent 24th to 26th July - TATTERSALLS IRELAND/WARD UNION SHOW, Ireland25th July* - BORDER UNION SHOW, Roxburghshire28th July* - RYEDALE SHOW, Yorkshire 28th to 30th July* - NEW FOREST & HAMPSHIRE COUNTY SHOW, Hampshire AUGUST 1st August* - BICESTER & FINMERE SHOW, Oxfordshire13th August* - WALES & WEST HUNTER SHOW, Monmouthshire23rd August* - NOTTS DERBY CHARITY HORSE SHOW, Derbyshire 31st August* - EDENBRIDGE & OXTED SHOW, SurreySEPTEMBER 5th September* - DORSET COUNTY SHOW, Dorset9th September* - NATIONAL HUNTER SUPREME CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW, Buckinghamshire12th September - THE BRITISH ELITE HORSE SHOW, Lincolnshire12th September - ROMSEY SHOW, Hampshire19th to 20th September* - ROYAL COUNTY OF BERKSHIRE, Berkshire

ROA gives more to ROR

In other words - the Racehorse Owners Association is boosting its annual donation to the Retraining of Racehorses organisation - which is great news, especially in the present economic climate, when all horse owners and carers are feeling the pinch. This is from the ROR website:

Racehorse owners, mindful of welfare concerns, have taken steps to bolster the funds they give to Retraining of Racehorses (RoR), as racing's central charity involved with promoting the welfare of the industry's retired racehorses.
The Racehorse Owners Association (ROA) has approved that the surcharge paid by racehorse owners on entry fees will be increased from 50p to £1 as from 1st May 2009.
Michael Harris, Chief Executive of the ROA, said: "The increase is a response to the ROA's concern about the welfare of retired racehorses and the need to ensure that there is an effective structure in place to monitor and respond to their needs. We hope it will enable RoR to continue its excellent work in promoting the options available to retired racehorses."
Peter Deal, Chairman of RoR, said: "This is terrific news. Unsurprisingly, RoR's funding is under pressure this year and, at the same time, we are expecting greater demand on our services. It is really very reassuring that the owners are prepared to increase their support, and the ROA Council agreed so readily, particularly in this current climate. This demonstrates again the responsible attitude of owners towards the welfare of their racehorses."

So well done, ROA and ROR - carry on the great work you both do.