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With the HOYS qualifiers done and dusted, those who are fortunate enough to have collected their golden ticket this season are well underway with the HOYS prep.

It feels like yesterday that we were heading to Onley for the first RI qualifiers of the season and now we just have the big one left. It has been a bit of a different season for me doing a lot of freelance plaiting and turn out at shows rather than full days show grooming but it has been nice to have the freedom of working like that. I’ve also absolutely loved helping Izzy with her beautiful 12.2 show pony Annie for the second half of the season. 

The final Stoneleigh show and Moreton show can feel a little like the places where the HOYS dream goes to die for a lot of people. For most classes those two shows are the final tickets on offer for the season and if you aren’t one of the lucky ones to collect a HOYS ticket there it can feel rather deflating after a very long show season, especially if you have had a few near misses. 

The last Stoneleigh this year however was a day to remember. Izzy and Annie had had a fabulous second at the July Stoneleigh going beautifully however nerves, understandably, then struck Izzy at RI and we had a slightly wobbly run at New Forest. NPS came around and they had a busy couple of days that, despite a couple of wobbly moments and little miscommunications, proved to be invaluable for the partnership with Izzy riding Annie better and better in every class. They even had a spin in the evening performance which Izzy trotted out of absolutely beaming.

After a little break for Annie we headed to Stoneleigh with the aim of putting everything we had worked on into practice and to end the season on a positive note no matter the result.

After a low pull from the go round I sent Izzy out to do her show with the instruction of “ride it like you stole it” and she certainly did! I always find it nerve-wracking watching the children do their show but I didn’t need to worry that day, Izzy came out and rode her socks off, Annie was spot on and it all came together perfectly. After they nailed the conformation as well I left Izzy to it with a final comment of “top job Iz, best show yet, you should come up a few places but don’t expect to come up to win”. 

Well how wrong was I! As they called the results in reverse order and got down to the top 3 I thought they’d done well to come up to 3rd, but they weren’t 3rd, or even 2nd, they had indeed come up to win! I think we were all a little shocked that they’d actually pulled it off, this was always a bonus season with Annie for Izzy to gain experience and ringcraft ready for the qualifiers next year but they have certainly exceeded expectations.

HOYS prep is well underway and with that the coat stress that is such a big part of that prep. The question of trying to keep the coat or clipping is the first question, then if you decide to clip it’s what blades do you use and how many days before do you clip, then the inevitable stress of have they grown enough coat through to get quarter marks in if you clip with a fine or medium blade or are they growing too much coat through off a covercote clip. 

Alongside all of this will, whether you decide to clip or not, be the constant rug changing, analysing the weather forecast, checking they aren’t too warm or too cold, are they carrying enough weight without being fat.

Then it is a case of ticking them over ahead of the big day, keeping them fresh and interested in their work and ironing out any little kinks that have come to the surface without boring them.

This year we have 5 Australian and a South African judging at HOYS as well as a selection of home judges. This has been met with a largely positive reception, although a lot of aren’t sure about not finding out who will be judging each section until the night before, mainly due to the possibility of a connection to a judge. I personally am looking forward to watching them judge, I think they will do a good job and it will be very interesting to see what they make of our horses to ride. I also think it will make a nice change to not know who is judging until the night before provided it doesn’t mean anyone is suddenly unable to compete due to a connection.

I’m excited to try out some new products in the run up to and at HOYS, if I like them I’ll be sure to post them on my social media pages. I am planning to do a packing list and a HOYS essentials post/blog so stay tuned for those.

I will leave you for now to continue with the preparations, I still feel a real buzz leading up to HOYS, we all love going to a show in the NEC car park really! I hope the coat gods are kind to you all. 


Diary of a show groom - The HOYS qualifiers are done and dusted for another season

As I sit writing this with a week to go until gates open at Hickstead for one of my favourite shows of the season, the Royal International Horse Show, it is currently pouring with rain, which feels rather like the theme of the summer so far. Let’s hope we get lucky at Hickstead and the sun shines on us for the week, it feels like we deserve it after the soakings we’ve had this season.

Every year I swear RI comes round quicker and quicker, it feels like yesterday that we were at the BSPS winter champs excited about the season ahead and now we’re over half way through! This season has been slightly different to how I’d pictured it but I’ve had a brilliant time so farall the same.

I’ve well and truly become part of the team again at Team Smith, the yard at Tirley Court feels like a second home and it’s been lovely working with Nicky and Jess again - especially as it was with the pair that I got a taste for show grooming. It’s hard to believe it’s been 14 years since I started riding for Nicky! We braved the weather and ground at Devon County for my first show back with Team Smith and it was certainly worthwhile collecting two of the first HOYS tickets on offer. We then headed to BSPS area 13b the following day where we were bathed in sunshine all day, my golden child Robbie did his first RIHS qualifier which he duly won and stood champion show pony beautifully ridden by Tilly. 

It’s safe to say I’ve had plenty of plaiting work on recently and I’m pretty much fully booked for RI with 26 on my list! A big thanks to 2020 Equine for stocking me up with thread and Ezee tails for restocking my supply of Fake It, both products I can’t be without.

 I’ll be fitting all of the plaiting in around helping Nicky and helping my lovely clients Katy and Izzy with Izzy’s beautiful new 128cm show pony Annie. I’m super excited to watch Izzy and Annie in the ring together, it’s been a big step up for Izzy coming from a first ridden Dartmoor onto a big moving, scopey show pony but everything has slotted into place over the last week and it was lovely to see Izzy so confident on Annie at their first show together over the weekend. 

It feels mad that we’re already at the tail end of the HOYS qualifiers, they come so thick and fast in June that by the time we’re halfway through July there is only 5 qualifiers left. It would be nice to have the qualifiers a little more evenly spread over the summer, June is absolutely brutal for everyone involved and I’m sure it would boost entries across the board if they weren’t so many qualifiers in such a short period of time.

Although I have a busy week ahead I’m very much looking forward to seeing lots of friends and having some time to socialise. I’m sure I will see lots of you down there, so here’s to a happy, successful and dry (everything crossed!) week!

Just a short one for today but I will end by wishing everyone competing at RI the very best of luck, enjoy being able to compete on such a beautiful showground!


Diary of a show groom - the countdown to RI is on!

So it’s been rather too long since I last wrote a blog and it’s safe to say a lot has happened since then!

I’ll start off with my trip to Australia, I had such a fabulous time at the Show Horse Council Grand Nationals held at the incredible Sydney International Equestrian Centre (SIEC). It was such a treat to see some of the best horses and ponies in Australia competing and it was very interesting to see some of them put through their paces by the visiting UK judges. 

I loved seeing some of the ponies I first met as young ponies and newcomers when I was in Australia last winter go to their first big show and blossom into the rising stars I was hoping they would become. Congratulations to all their owners, riders and connections on some beautiful performances and super results.

I have to say staying at SIEC again really made me realise how drastically we are missing a similar venue here in the UK. The facilities there are absolutely fantastic, from the large amount of permanent stables with taps and hoses in every aisle (no carrying full water buckets from taps 5 rows away!), wash bays in each block of stables and plenty of clean, decent showers & toilets to the multiple lunge pens and beautiful arenas. Obviously we don’t have the same amount of space available in the UK for such a sprawling venue however inspiration could certainly be taken from SIEC and the facilities they offer to competitors.

The absolute highlight of my trip was seeing all my lovely friends and catching up with everyone I met when I was last in Australia as well as meeting some fabulous people for the first time, I even found out that I have Diary of a show groom readers Down Under!
 I had the pleasure of spending some time with the lovely Jamie and Sam from Thames Equestrian, a brand that has become a fast favourite after I treated myself to a few items at Grand Nationals (this definitely isn’t an ad I’m just obsessed with their Henley leggings!). I highly recommend trying their products out.

I also want to say a massive Thank You to Emma, Annabelle and Daniel for welcoming me so warmly and being so generous again, I had the absolute best time with you as always. 

Sadly I had to end my trip early due to a family member falling ill whilst I was away (fortunately they are doing okay now) however I still thoroughly enjoyed my time in Australia again, it’s a place that holds a special place in my heart.

After returning from Australia I headed up to Yorkshire to start with Team Elenor, I had a super few weeks in Yorkshire but sadly made the decision to head home to help look after my family member.

So now I’m back home in Gloucestershire again and back freelancing! 

I can safely say I am busier now than I have ever been, I am so grateful that all my regular clients were happy to have me back and I’ve even managed to take on a couple of new clients. I think being away from it for a few weeks made me realise how much I actually enjoy being freelance and I really missed my clients.

I have some very exciting ponies to work with for super clients that I feel very privileged to be a part of their journey. One thing I am really enjoying is helping one of my new clients make their first steps into the show ring, they have a beautiful pony and are really keen to learn and improve which makes my job so much easier and even more rewarding. In 10 days the pony has already made huge steps forwards, there’s still a way to go but I’m excited to see them continue improving throughout the season.

It’s hard to believe we are already coming to the end of the RIHS qualifiers and have had the first HOYS qualifiers. I am already getting booked up for RIHS, it’s going to be a busy one that’s for sure but I am looking forward to it, I wonder how many I can plait this year!

As I finish writing this I’m preparing for a busy end of the week and a trip to Hambleton show on Sunday to ride a rather lovely pony for a very generous client, I’m a very lucky girl!

I will sign off by saying well done to everyone that has qualified for RIHS (& HOYS!) already and a big good luck to all those off to the last RIHS qualifiers over the next 10 days, fingers crossed for you all (and me)! 



Diary of a show groom - I'm back!

With the season hurtling towards us it’s time for me to finally announce some of the plans for 2024 that I have hinted at over the last few weeks. This all came about rather quickly after a discussion a few drinks in at the Showing World Awards and has progressed into something really exciting.

I’ll not keep you in suspense now all my home clients know and I have done my first few days, which some of you may have seen on my Instagram stories, I am delighted to announce that I am going to be joining Team Elenor full time for the 2024 season!

After three seasons working shows for Team Elenor, Sara and Craig have convinced me to make the big move from Gloucestershire to Yorkshire to join the team in the exciting role of Assistant Producer. I am absolutely thrilled to have this incredible opportunity to join a yard that I feel is one of the very best in the UK with a phenomenal string of ponies for this season.

I am very much looking forward to getting stuck into my new role as assistant producer, we are looking at it as the show equivalent to the assistant trainer role in a racing yard. It’s not a role I have seen before in the showing world but it is one I would like to see more of. I think it would be really beneficial for anyone that would like to start producing but hasn’t had that experience in the running of a big yard and the ins and outs of all the behind the scenes work, not just doing the horses but the paper work, dealing with clients and everything else that is involved in producing for the show ring. I hope this prompts more producers to start offering something like this in the future.

I have absolutely loved being freelance over the last 6 years and I will miss doing shows with Team Linney and seeing all my home clients regularly but this felt like too good an opportunity to miss, especially for a team I respect and enjoy being a part of so much. I am incredibly fortunate that my amazing Mum is kindly stepping in to look after everything at home for me to allow me to take this opportunity, I don’t know what I’d do without her!

What does this new job mean for my blog and social media? Well you’ll be pleased to know that I will be continuing with my blog as normal with, hopefully, some exciting additions to it through the year. Sara and I have big plans for both the team Instagram and Facebook pages and my own this year, we are planning lots of educational and fun content to give you lots of tips, tricks and an insight into how things work at Team Elenor. We have lots planned but we would love your suggestions and requests for what you would like to see from us this year.

Last week I did my first few days on the yard and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if the weather tried its best to put me off Yorkshire (fortunately, unlike my dog, I have realised that I won’t melt in the rain). It was great to get started with some of the ponies ready for this season, some very promising young ponies and some returning favourites, it certainly made up for the weather. I will be balancing my time between home and Yorkshire for the next few weeks until I head to Australia for three weeks in March then I hit the ground running when I get back heading straight to the BSPS Winter Champs.

 I am so excited to be going back to Australia, not for as long this time unfortunately but I’m looking forward seeing all the wonderful people I met out there last year and doing Grand Nationals and Sydney Royal.

So now that you all know I can’t wait to bring you along on the journey with me!


An exciting announcement

Sitting writing this on New Years’ Day it’s safe to say it feels like an age since I last wrote a blog post, I’ll be honest the last few months of 2023 have been full on and chaotic to say the least.

 I have been flat out with clipping and riding since HOYS, it’s been lovely to see so many regular clients as well as plenty of new ones including three horses for the London International Horse Show. On top of my day to day work I have also been juggling a fairly hefty renovation project turning the old store room for the family antique business into an Airbnb. It’s been stressful to say the least especially after having to change builders halfway through the project, fortunately the new builder is absolutely fantastic and has made life significantly less stressful. 

With all of this going on the creative juices haven’t really been flowing and I’ve had a bit of writers block since HOYS but now things are a bit more settled I have my mojo back and I’m ready to create some more instalments of the Diary of a show groom!
	
I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas, ate and drank too much, spent time with family and friends and got lots of lovely presents. It was lovely to be at home for Christmas this year after spending it on the beach in Australia last year, though I certainly missed the 30 degree weather and sunshine! I knew I wouldn’t be able to top my New Years’ Eve of last year so it was a quiet one this time, an Aussie wedding in wall to wall sunshine with some totally fabulous people, cocktail van and a crème brulee cart is pretty hard to beat.

The 2023 show season was a slightly different one for me, it felt a little strange to start the season without a ride, because of this I ended up doing a lot of shows for Team Elenor which I thoroughly enjoyed. I have to say my time in Australia and the 2023 UK show season reinvigorated my passion and enthusiasm for the sport, I remembered why I enjoy my job so much and how lucky I am to be able to call this my work. 

I was fortunate to pick up a few lovely rides during the season, they were all a pleasure to show and I’m very grateful to their owners for asking me to ride them. 

There was controversy as always within in the showing world in 2023, I think this is something we have to accept as you can’t keep everyone happy all the time, that being said I believe things need to change in order to revive showing and prevent the sport we all love from being lost in the future.

The 2023 format for the HOYS intermediate show riding types was hit and miss in my opinion, I think it was very disheartening for those that won their class but just missed out on the ticket, especially those that had several near misses, however I think it created an exceptionally strong class at the final. Whilst the new format for 2024 (one mixed height class with the winner or highest placed unqualified animal taking the ticket) has had a mixed reception I believe it will be an improvement on the 2023 format, at least there won’t be any class winners walking away feeling disappointed that they still don’t have that golden ticket.

I think the new BSPS performance and BSHA rising star classes at the London International Horse Show have been a great addition, it’s been super for the amateur riders to have a big final to aim for and the performance pony classes have given those with ponies that possibly just miss the mark conformation wise but are well schooled and go correctly a chance to shine at a big show too. Great to see the societies supporting the county and agricultural shows that don’t have RIHS or HOYS qualifiers. It will be interesting to see how these classes progress next year.

I have to say I am very ready to head to a show now, it feels like an age since I pulled out of HOYS on the Monday morning and I’m itching to get back to it now. I had a fantastic few days at HOYS with Team Elenor, it was a very busy show (when isn’t HOYS busy) but we were super organised, everything went to plan and we had a successful show, four seconds on Super Saturday isn’t bad going.
 
2024 will hopefully be a year of adventure again, I don’t want to say too much yet as things aren’t set in concrete just yet but I have some plans for this year that I’m really excited about. All will be revealed very soon but I don’t want to jinx anything.

For now I will wish you all a Happy New Year and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2024, here’s hoping it’s a good one!



Diary of a show groom - The HOYS qualifiers are done and dusted for another season

21 September 2024

Recent News

Diary of a show groom - the countdown to RI is on!

Diary of a show groom - I'm back!

An exciting announcement

Diary of a show groom - The New Year has arrived and with it to the countdown to the show season

Diary of a show groom - The HOYS qualifiers are done and dusted for another season

21 September 2024

Recent News

Diary of a show groom - the countdown to RI is on!

Diary of a show groom - I'm back!

An exciting announcement

Diary of a show groom - The New Year has arrived and with it to the countdown to the show season

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