Letter Recieved by ARC Committee

2nd May 2006

Dear Ayr Riding Club Committee,

Re: Novice classes for novice horses?

Several Ayr RC members with novice horses, riders or combinations have wondered on the above query. Surely when stating that a class is "novice" that would incur some sort of exclusion to the criteria on being able to enter that class, and this must not just be for one discipline but all disciplines, i.e. a horse with BE points is surely not a "novice" even if it has not won a "working hunter showing class"?

For example recently at a Riding Club event the "novice" class was inundated with entries, and most of the horses that recieved prizes in the "open" class.

Surely to encourage horse and rider combinations to enter these events then the "novice" classes should be worded to exclude "open" horses from entering them. If the case is that due to the cost of hiring venues then as many entries in each class as possible is needed, then it could be suggested that the riders who have "open" horses and want to have a "warm up round" over the "novice" track, then warm up classes could be allowed at slightly reduced fees as in "HC" entries. With the classes being as they stand it is becoming increasingly difficult for a novice horse to do well in a novice class when it is competing against more experienced animals and riders.

The above suggestions are aimed at all of the Riding Club events to try to create fairer competitions.

We look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely Mary Fulton, Emma Dickie, Eleanor Dickie, Claire Wickman, Judy Wickman, Jennifer Garland, Marion Garland, Pat Kennedy

Reply 10th June 2006

Dear Members & Friends ,

Thank you for your recent correspondence with regard to 'novice classes for novice horses'. Your letter was extensively debated at our recent Committee meeting and I will try to condense the outcome.

British Riding Club rules only police the achievements of the horse.
Therefore a more accomplished rider arriving at a Riding Club Working Hunter event with a novice horse, that is a horse with no placing in working hunter could enter on the day. It is now excluded from Novice with that rider. The problem areses when that horse changes ownership - to a novice rider - do they conscientiously admit to having a more experienced horse, and to what class do they genuinely belong.

In an effort to try and create a more even playing field, the Committee have decided at future Working Hunter Classes the Open class will run first followed by a 'restricted novice' and an 'unrestricted novice'. This will remove the use of tracks as 'warm up' classes.

As a Club we are very lucky to have the strong support we get from our members and if we are seen to be aiming to be fairer, I am sure our revenue will not suffer. I do hope this goes someway in ensuring we are committed to improving the quality of our competitions and are prepared to listen to our members.

Yours faithfully,
Cathy Rawson
Ayr Riding Club
Chairperson