Going to your first BS competition can be daunting. Many people think that they are not good enough to jump at BS Competitions or that they need to be at a certain standard, however they are welcoming and encouraging with classes for all levels and abilities.
There are many advantages of jumping at BS competitions. By becoming a BS member you are already covered by their insurance and have the advantage of knowing that the courses are designed and built by qualified British Show Jumping course builders.
Also as a British Show Jumping Centre the venue’s facilities are of a high standard and generally with first aiders on duty. Hopefully if you follow my top tips below, it may make it easier for your first competition.
Do your homework and training at home
Always try and prepare as best you can at home by riding regular jumping exercises such as: pole work, grids or small courses. This will ensure that both horse and rider are working more together in a partnership, maintaining a good balanced canter rhythm and be able to ride turns and corners which will maximise your performance when in a competition environment.
Always use the help of a fully qualified Coach that you feel works best for you to help improve your show jump training. This maybe a coach that comes to your yard to help you or that you attend a training clinic at a venue with a course of jumps.
Hire the venue before your first BS Show
If at all possible hire the venue that you want to compete at before the show so that you and your horse are familiar with the venue itself and the set of jumps as we all have a scary filler that we don’t like!
This should then put your mind at ease a little when you come back for the show day as you have already jumped all the scary fillers!
Get your entries in on time
Ensure your entries are in by the closing date and that you have entered the correct class and section. Some classes can be one class with two sections, such as a British Novice combined with a 90cm open. If you enter the wrong section you may incur a fine.
Allow plenty of time
Make sure you arrive at your first competition in good time. All BS competitions now have allocated times so you know in advance when you will be jumping and can plan your journey. There is nothing worse than arriving late as it puts you under additional pressure, you could miss course walks and end up tacking and warming up in a rush.
This can have a direct impact your performance in the ring as you may feel you are not fully prepared. Make sure you allow plenty of time to be able to walk the course and watch other competitors to ensure you know where you are going and you can see how the course is riding.
Take a supportive person with you
It is always a good idea to take someone with you to be able to not only support you mentally but also to be there to help tack up and hold a horse when needed. This can be a great asset and save time especially if you are feeling nervous on the day
Read up on BS Competition Rules and be prepared
Make sure that you read the rules that are relevant to you and the class that you are competing in, to ensure for instance that you have the correct whip allowed, as there is nothing worse to make you feel more nervous than having it taken off you just before entering the ring as it is not competition legal.
Above all enjoy yourself
Whatever the outcome of the competition the main thing is to ensure that you have enjoyed yourself and had fun. At the end of the day this is what we do this sport for and hopefully the tips above will help achieve your goal of attending your first BS Show.
Sometimes things can go wrong and it’s all a learning curve, we must take the positives away with us to help develop as riders and work to progress for future shows.
And finally… I hope that these tips help you like they have helped me over many years of competing and will hopefully lead you to a successful show experience.
Good luck, enjoy and always #believeinyourself
Hannah
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