Picture
: Xerxes, a three-quarter Andalusian skewbald colt, born at the Shield |
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The History of the Shield Shows
In 1983, I was helping to organise a show at a local livery stables where I kept my horse. It had to be cancelled because of an outbreak of ringworm. The rosettes still had to be paid for, so I organised a show elsewhere on land in Ludlow Road, Lower Feltham, by kind permission of the London Borough of Hounslow. I used the name "Shield Show" because I wanted something which alliterated and sounded catchy. It was almost "Shamrock Show", but with no obvious Irish connection, and because I gave shields as trophies, the Shield Shows were born. It was successful, and the rest is history, as they say. One show the first year became three the next and four or five each year after that. The dog shows followed soon after and Barbara Woodhouse (now sadly deceased) - the tv dog and horse trainer - was a visitor to one of the first. Although she had suffered a stroke, she was happy to come along and support the event. Nearly 20 years ago, I obtained the lease of land - soon to be renamed the Shield Stables - at Charlton Village near Shepperton, Middlesex, and with a permanent show ground, the events improved and expanded, with mini cross country classes now a possibility. The shows have always been aimed at novice owners and competitors - and at novice judges too. Our judges may not always be experienced judges, but they are handpicked for their all round knowledge and their willingness to help and encourage youngsters. Horse riding is a high risk sport, even at lower levels, or maybe especially at lower levels when expertise is sometimes lacking, even so, our safety record is impressive. But not wishing to chance the well being of competitors, qualified first aiders attend every event. Over the years, many thousands of pounds have been raised for different charities but mainly those which benefit local organisations or animals. Around £1,000 is raised annually for border collie welfare charities alone. The best thing about running shows is seeing the same faces coming back year after year - a sure sign that I am doing something right! And it is great when people come up to me at the end of a long day and say how much they have enjoyed themselves. The worse thing? LITTER, LITTER and more LITTER!!!! I have to go around picking up all sorts of rubbish, before my horses can be turned back out onto their grazing. It isn't fair. It isn't right. And it isn't the sort of thing anyone would do if they visited friends at a stables where there was no show ongoing. If you can help by being careful about your own litter and asking offenders to pick up any they drop, I would be eternally grateful!
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The Shield
Shows