Unaffiliated rings

Something I've noticed this year, and it may have been going on for longer, is that many large shows are now featuring unaffiliated rings. Which I think is wonderful.

What I noticed this morning was the NCPA Maelor Show, which I remember attending as a child. It was definitely all affiliated showing back then. Now, they have two unaffiliated rings, and I believe that makes a huge difference in getting more people into showing.

The Maelor Show is held at the Greddington estate, which is a beautiful venue and has the feeling of a traditional horse show. Having the unaffiliated rings makes it feel even more like a local community event which is wonderful.

Over the weekend, I looked at the Blakesley Agricultural Show schedule. They have amazing qualifiers and great classes this year, RIHS, LIHS. Additionally, they have a Gymkhana and unaffiliated rings that allow all local riders to get involved. Really pleased to see it.

About ten years ago, this was something we definitely didn't see, at least not to my knowledge. It's really great to witness this change. Showing is all about encouraging people to get in the ring, and I fully support that. This is an excellent way to get more people involved in showing. I really hope the trend continues.