18/11/11…’Mistake’ to move the Thame Show date

Dear Editor, I am writing to express my sadness that Thame (and Oxfordshire County) Show will not take place next year after 133 years. I have attended almost every show for the last 33 years and been a competitor in the horse classes for many years.

I think it was a great mistake to move the show which has been billed as ?the greatest one day show in the country? from September to July, when the tradestand exhibitors would have already had their diaries full for many years. I don?t know of any other County show that has been moved from one month to another. I believe the show would have been much better placed as a 2 day show over a weekend in September rather than on a Thursday. You only have to look at some of the other large shows at which I compete such as Henley, Bucks County, Moreton in Marsh and Newbury/Royal County of Berkshire Show to see that something at Thame & Oxfordshire County Show is seriously missing.

I would like to make some comments purely from a horse exhibitor?s perspective. I compete at Thame because it is local and lots of friends and family have the chance to watch my mare (and hopefully have a celebratory beer!) rather than traipse half way round the country.

Currently Thame has little to offer the horse exhibitor. If you do well at Thame Show you do not qualify for greater things (this year I was delighted that my Welsh cob mare Broughton Morwena, won her in-hand class and was reserve Champion, also coming 2nd and claiming the Championship in the Ridden Mountain and Moorland class in only her second show). Most ?County? shows offer various qualifiers for either Horse of the Year, Olympia, British Show Pony Society Champs, Ponies UK Champs, Equifest, CTR or National Pony Society Championships. Were there to be qualifiers for such Championships, the horse entries would increase greatly (as proved in 2008 when Thame offered a last minute HOYS M&M ridden qualifier). Along with this, there would be more people ?through the turnstiles? and thus more purchases in the tradestands. If there were more horse exhibitors, then Thame really needs to sort out its horsebox parking which is miniscule compare to Bucks & Newbury for instance. The size, placing and quality of the rings would also need to be addressed.

For many years now, the Mountain & Moorland (M&M) classes have been held in a far off corner of the showground on undulating ground with potholes ? hardly conducive to attracting more entries. I pointed out at least 2 potholes to a Steward this year and he told me to warn each competitor as they were riding round! You would not want a valuable show horse to put a foot in one of these holes and break a leg. The holes should have been filled with sand or earth. Apparently the Working Hunter and coloured showing ring was the same. Also, the M&M ring is useless for spectators with the horse box park on one side, bar/burger van on another, another ring on the 3rd side and the collecting ring on the 4th side. I heard many complaints about this.

I think that with more qualifiers over a 2 day weekend, the horse classes could be increased to include hacks, show ponies, leading rein.

I have previously written to the Horse Committee at Thame Show suggesting that not many people want to watch show hunters in the main ring all morning (I am a horse/showing fanatic but would not wish to so do). I also pointed out that the Grand Parade in the main ring in the afternoon, should not just include sheep, cattle, hunters, donkeys and harness horses, but should also include the prizewinners from the horse show classes such as the Mountain & Moorlands, coloured horses, working hunters, cobs etc etc.

I know I am sounding rather critical here, but Thame Show is quite staid and old fashioned and needs an injection of fresh ideas ? certainly from a horse exhibitors point of view. I hope that my criticism is constructive in view of the fact that I love this show and will be very disappointed not to show/attend in 2012. I think that in not holding the show at all next year, it will lose it?s faithful followers. Please reinstate it as a two day show in September with some new ideas/restructuring.

Best wishes.
Lesley Evans, Willow Road, Thame