Three of the showing champions at the 2002 Horse of the Year Show have been measured out of their respective classes for this season. Small hunter Sporting Sam, lightweight cob Will Scarlet and 153cm show hunter pony Trewolla Denzil have all measured over their necessary heights.
Last summer the Joint Measurement Board (JMB) announced it was going to remeasure all Horse of the Year Show champions in showing and show jumping height restricted classes to prevent any “whispering campaigns” when fellow competitors believe a particular horse or pony is overthe required height.
The new rules have come in for criticism in the showing world after the connections of the three show horses rejected the judgement. The owners were subsequently given the option to have two trial measures and then have their animals remeasured by a panel consisting of two vets and an independent referee at a cost of £500.
JMB secretary Howard Robinson comments: “A major problem is that some owners do not know how to prepare their animals. They need to be let down – if they are in show condition they may not even stand still, let alone give their true height. We publish guidelines in our handbook on preparation for measurement. There is also a video available and the information is now on our website.”
The JMB committee meets on 14 April to decide the procedure for this season, and Howard believes that it may choose not to measure the HOYS champions this year.
“It may be more appropriate to measure the winners from our member societies’ own championship shows. It has taken a long time to get away from remeasuring only on the basis of objections, and we want to keep it as a random, neutral test of height,” he says.
Responding to concerns that animals that have measured out may have been successfully measured a number of times in the past, he adds: “Some horses are late developers and will grow even when they are technically mature.
“But we do monitor the results of measures and if we find that a particular measurer produces inconsistent results, we will take action – we can and do remove them from the panel without giving any public reason.”
For more details of the Joint Measurement Board and measuring procedure, visit: www.thejmbonline.co.uk
Remeasured heights of HOYS champions
- Baileys Over Ice: 158cm
- Black Monday: 153cm
- Blue Amber: 147cm
- Broadstone Dee: 158cm
- CJ’s Kemosabi: 144.5cm
- Gryngallt Playsome: 121.7cm
- Profitable Gamble: 157cm
- Proud Flyer: 128cm
- Sporting Sam: 159.5cm
- Trewolla Denzil: 157.5cm
- Will Scarlet: no height given
Remeasured heights in 2002
- Bobby’s Owen: 146.2cm
- Bureside Golden Sun: 137.2cm
- Carrock Sparkle: 148.5cm
- Highmead Interest Free: 151cm
- Lawley Shady Lady: 140.5cm
- Major Sharpe: 128cm
- Millie Hayes: 152cm
- Pauldarys Foxy Tiger: 149.5cm
- Rakewood Goldsmith: 139cm
- Sandbourne Sweet Violet: 137.5cm
- Tremenyn Dusky Bay: 130.8cm
- Tulira West Wind: 149cm
- Warleigh Buretta: 134.6cm
- Whisperdale Debonair: 134.5cm
Invalid JMB certificates
- Bellindene Bramble Bobby Fionn
- Commanche Ace
- Noble Clairogue
- The Boogie Box
- Cornish Bay
- Courtland Country Life
- Newoaks Designer Label
- Westbridge Rhapsody
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