Showing
Whether you’re looking for the latest showing news, exclusive interviews with top showing producers or opinions from influential names, Horse & Hound’s showing hub is the place to be. Also check out our premium showing articles for H&H subscribers, which include a step-by-step guide to preparing your horse or pony for the season after their winter break, advice from top professionals on how to prepare for individual classes and how to tackle common problems, and a breakdown of all this year’s HOYS qualifiers.
Bethan Simons, showing editor | Email Bethan | H&H Showing facebook
Showing top stories
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Buying & selling advice -
ShowingA competitor’s guide to the 2026 HOYS showing qualifiers – several more closing dates and Lincolnshire Show judges added
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OpinionStuart Hollings: ‘Shows will definitely need your support even more this term’
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EventingDo you ride a retrained racehorse? Check out the competition series and championships exclusive to you
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ShowingTransparency or a ‘state of limbo’? HOYS returns to 2024 judging format
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ShowingH&H’s guide to working hunter pony classes: what to know before you give them a go
“Turnout should be smart and workmanlike...”
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Showing‘We want you to enjoy the journey’: new showing society is for everyone, from grassroots to the top
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ShowingMeet the eight outstanding individuals presented with awards at the 2026 BSPS conference
Showing tips
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5 tried and tested tips to clean muddy feather – and keep them sparkling
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6 simple steps to supple and sparkling tack
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6 frequently asked showing questions – and the answers you need to help you stand out
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I’ve got first-hand experience of competing at London International and these are my top tips for first-timers
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‘First and foremost and above all else, these ponies must safely carry a small child’: meet the RIHS plaited mini judge
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Time to shine: how to nail your individual show to dazzle the judges
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‘I don’t belong here!’ Riding alongside our idols can lead to impostor syndrome cramping our competitive ability – here’s how to put those feelings to bed
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How to jump a big, bushy bullfinch to impress the judges
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First impressions count in the show ring: why the go-round can make or break your class – and how to ace it
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Rewarding or hair-raising? 6 expert tips for preparing mares and foals to be a breeder’s shop window in the show ring
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Effortless elegance (or so it seems): refine your side-saddle skills to glide to the top of the ladies’ show horse line-up
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Stand and deliver to stay top of the line-up – why stillness in the show ring matters more than you think
Opinion from top producers
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Stuart Hollings: ‘Shows will definitely need your support even more this term’
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I’ve picked my showing highlights of the year, plus a low I’d like to leave behind in 2025
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‘Do we have too many judges without valid experience?’ asks Stuart Hollings
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‘The most exciting title for some time’: Nigel Hollings on the HOYS show pony showdown and impressive breeding
Tack and clothing
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9 smart double bridles you can order today
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Best showing numnahs for looking the part in the ring
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Interested in showing an American Miniature Horse, but don't know where to start? We’re here to help...
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Look and feel the part in one of these stylish tweed jackets
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10 little-known rules of showing etiquette you need to swot up on before the season
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Coat shine sprays worth adding to your grooming kit before show day
What is showing?
Showing is an opportunity for horses and ponies to compete side by side with others of the same type — from hunters and working hunters to show ponies and native breeds, plus cobs, hacks, seniors and many more.
The winter showing circuit comes to an end in March, with riders battling for prestigious titles at winter championships, such as the Ponies UK Winter Classic and the BSPS Winter Championships.
Once the summer scene gets underway, qualifiers for the Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead in July are hotly contested. Royal Windsor in May is also in most riders’ diaries, whether as a competitor or spectator.
Then all eyes turn to society summer championships and qualifiers for October’s Horse of the Year Show, where a supreme horse and pony is crowned, and top-class workers, hunters, hacks, cobs — plus many more — come under the spotlight. For natives and senior in-hand and ridden equines, their moment to shine comes at London International in December.