I have to agree that reining venues are a real problem. Likewise encouring new people into reining is a major issue.

Establishing British Reiners as serious contenders is always going to be hard when there is such a minority of riders involved in this sport.

Several good riders have put on demo's to present reining to the general equine poulation in a very positive light. We need to be more self promoting and we need to encourage more riders to take up this sport.

The main arguement stems around the following:

Was the team selected fairly? Is the selection the real issue? Can a resolve be found?

I would love to be able to encourage a meeting and thats why I started this thread. Realistically it probably wont happen.

Can anyone win?

Right, wrong or indifferent. The team selected for WEG is now history. What happens next is what is really important.

I too agree about the problem of good reining venues. It has long been obvious that as existing venues upgrade to the new non slip surfaces the future of Reining in the UK is a slippery one!(pun)

It may be that like the cow classes it will be a discipline that will eventually be impossible to perform seriously here in the UK, (I hope not, but...). It is after all just one of the disciplines in Western Riding, although some Reining fans feel it is the only one! Reiners may have to live up to this eventual decline if we allow it. Why do so many reiners now have to go abroad to compete? Because that is where it is supported and unless we can get serious and provide the conditions, which some people are trying to do, its 'goodbye' Reining!

As Reining class entries reduce (because of poor/unsuitable arena conditions), revenue dwindles, and show organisers will feel the pressure is on to provide for those classes where shows can make a profit, (Rail & Trail). This will have an increasing effect on the takeup of the Reining discipline here in the UK.
Having organised and financed 2 major AQHA shows in the past, I have some insight, and if it don't pay you don't have shows, and if it means cutting or reducing some classes, reining will be the casualty...!

Unless!!!
OK! we all like to see a Reining horse slide, it's the climax of most runs, but perhaps if we could live without the horse performing as it would if the conditions were better and make some allowances, then we can continue to enjoy the remaining 98% of the Reining class and Reining will remain a UK supported discipline to the benefit of all.

It does not have to be all or nothing! It's our attitude to it that could mean the difference.

Post edited by: Brew, at: 2006/11/29 22:00

Right, wrong or indifferent. The team selected for WEG is now history. What happens next is what is really important.

Your absolutely right, what happens next is important, but to improve and do better in the future we must not be indifferent, we must learn what happened in the past and why, and when we understand, if needed, correct what may have been wrong.

Hey it seems we are fast becoming a backwater when it comes to western riding ,things seem to be very exciting over in europe with big well run shows that have lots of well suported classes,including cutting and reined cow horse ,why dont we ??? how hard would it be for the AQHA UK orWES to form a limited company to buy a decent arena (?500K ish)and fund it by selling members shares in it?? could be somewhere in the midlands so accesable to most of us, make money by hiring it out in between shows for clinics and to other clubs.. lets get it together, cattle clases and some great shows next year anyone???

Sadly we do tend to only take our reining horses to venues that have good surfaces.

There are an increase of sliding surfaces

John Dumpfords at Pewsey, Bodiam, David Depfords and Wye Oak. None of these are ideal, however they are better than nothing.

You are right about the cost of putting on a show snd we have in the past relied on bolting reining classes to other shows.

The other big problem is that most of us dont have good training facilities, hence why we use the venues for fencing our horses and often school horses at shows.