‘They’ve got to cover the ground and travel’: meet the Royal Windsor show hunter pony performance judge

Producer Matthew Ainsworth will be putting show hunter pony competitors through their paces next month as he assesses the performance aspect as show hunter pony judge at Royal Windsor Horse Show. But who is he, and what will he be looking for? If you’re heading to the King’s back garden with a hunter pony in tow, be sure to take notes…!

“I’m Lancashire born and bred,” says Matthew, though he is now based in Gloucestershire. He explains that he moved south to work for renowned showman Robert Oliver aged just 16 years old, and stayed in the area when he set up his own yard six years later.

Hunters and cobs are Matthew’s speciality, with several crackers of both types passing through his hands, including twice Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) winner, heavyweight hunter Dublin Streetfighter.

Although, Matthew admits that while he enjoys showing, he loves the young horses.

“That’s where I get my kicks,” he explains. “Finding young ones and seeing them come on.”

Matthew sits on several panels, and has had the pleasure of judging at the highest level, including Horse of the Year Show.

Show hunter pony judge at Royal Windsor: “They’ve got to gallop”

So what will Matthew be looking for at Windsor?

“The first thing I ask myself when I look at a hunter pony is, ‘if I blew it up, would it make a middle-weight hunter’?” explains Matthew. “Although I’m not on conformation, type and way of going for that type is important.

“The pony should be pleasing on the eye, have short cannons, be low to the ground and workmanlike with plenty of bone.”

Once on the go, Matthew again stresses that they should be true to the hunter pony type.

“The main thing for me, is riders must remember that they are riding a show hunter pony, not a show pony. I’ll want to see the pony cover the ground and travel; I don’t like to see them on the spot and going nowhere.”

He specifically mentions the walk and gallop.

“I was always taught that the walk is the first thing a judge sees, and it’s the last thing they remember, as you begin and end both the go round and show at walk.

“And they have got to gallop,” he adds. “They should lower their heads and travel over the ground, not look as if they’re climbing a ladder.”

Anything else?

“Manners,” he says. “At the end of the day, a hunter pony is still a child’s pony, and I always take into account the go round, too. They have to be well behaved on the go round, and if they’re not, I’ll take that into account when awarding a show mark.”

You heard it here first, so have fun practicing that gallop!

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