“Following the BSJA’s recent statement that Show Jumping is due to recommence shortly and with over 90% of the Horse of the Year Show Showing Qualifiers being held from June onwards, we are confident that the impact of the current FMD crisis will have a minimal effect on this year’s Show and that competitors will have ample opportunity to enter qualifiers for the 2001 Show. This is further helped by several qualifying shows postponing their dates until later in the season with a small number having changed venues altogether. The HOYS show office is working extremely hard to reallocate qualifiers from those shows who have unfortunately had to cancel. These classes are all being re-scheduled to run at shows later in the show season with many existing qualifying shows taking additional classes. Our Show Secretary Jane Williams is in daily contact with all the Equestrian Associations and show organisers to ensure HOYS qualifiers go ahead, and that we achieve a full complement of competitors at the Horse of the Year Show. In addition we have received a large number of enquiries from shows late in the season offering to hold the prestigious HOYS classes. With the Horse of the Year Show running a week later this year (2nd – 7th October) we have extra leeway in running classes later in the season enabling us to accommodate the date changes of some shows including Royal Cornwall (September 13th- 15th). In light of the curtailed season we are looking to accommodate all the enquiries from new trade stands holders looking to exhibit at the Show. We appreciate that this year is going to be very difficult for all of us involved in the equestrian industry and we are extremely grateful for all the hard work and co-operation from everyone involved to ensure that this year’s Horse of the Year Show continues to see its full complement of competitors.

The Horse of the Year Show website, www.hoys.co.uk carries the latest information about all the HOYS Qualifiers including new shows and venues once confirmed.”