Horse & Hound
Trending: Robert Oliver riding Loughkeen Dancing Lord
TRIBUTES have flooded in for the “ultimate showman” Robert Oliver, who has died at the age of 80.
In his seven-decade career, Robert won and was champion in every category of horse class at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) numerous times, and his animals have stood supreme multiple times at both shows.
Born in Herefordshire to non-horsey parents, his uncle, farrier William John Watts, encouraged Robert to ride, and he started showing on ponies for the Eckleys at Cusop Stud.
He spent five years as a farm student, going on to work for Ernest Evans, who had showjumpers and pointers, and Derek Crossman, during which time he was in charge of a range of horses from racehorses to hunters. He had a passion for hunting; starting aged eight and hunting with seven different packs. He field-mastered for the South Herefordshire, and the Ledbury for five seasons, after w
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Horse & Hound
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Riding horse class divisions
According to the British Show Horse Association (BSHA) the riding horse should have quality, substance, good bone, correct conformation, presence and true action.
Riding horses can be:
Small riding horse mare or gelding, four years old or over, exceeding 148cm and not exceeding 158cm.
Large riding horse mare or gelding, four years old or over, exceeding 158cm
The BSHA recommends that shows hold classes for both height sections if possible. If there is only one class held it must cover the full range of heights and the wording should be as follows:
Open riding horses mare or gelding, four years old or over, exceeding 148cm
H&H s guide to show hack classes - Horse & Hound horseandhound.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from horseandhound.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.