The show producer on his minty addiction, getting fired up before a show and an eccentric championship performance that stuck with him forever.
Patience is key. I think a lot of good horses are rushed, and doing too much too soon can spoil them. Nowadays there is a massive lack of animals being bred, so we need to make the good ones last.
I don’t like to over show my horses; I pick and choose shows and produce my horses with a certain day in mind. If a horse isn’t ready I won’t put it in the ring.
We really took our time with Pearly King (Elvis). We initially took him to smaller shows for education, and even after his novice season he wasn’t quite ready to deal with the atmosphere at the bigger shows. It can take five years to make a horse but only five minutes to ruin one. It takes a long time to put everything back together again, so be patient and it will pay off.
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Freelance equestrian journalist
Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the showing scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show and Olympia and has first-hand knowledge of the current issues in the showing world as well as the horses, ponies and riders who compete in the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 as showing editor, cementing its place as the leading equestrian publication for both showing reports and current showing news in the UK. She moved on in October 2024 to pursue other opportunities, but continues to write for us on a freelance basis.
