For prospective participants in Dartmoor Pony Society shows, please take the time to familiarise yourself with the rules for showing presented below:
Showing Rules
Please be aware should any of the showing Bye-Laws be broken disciplinary action will be taken.
- Stallions or colts aged three years old or over may not be shown unless in possession of a Dartmoor Pony Society stallion license.
(i) It is mandatory in ridden classes that all stallions must wear a stallion bridle marker, and advisory for in-hand stallions (2 years old and over).
(ii) Handlers of Stallions and Colts in In-Hand Classes must have attained their 14th birthday before 1st January of the current year
(iii) There is no age limit for riders in Mountain & Moorland Ridden and Working Hunter Pony Classes with the exception of stallions and Colts in that those riders must have attained their 12th birthday before 1st January of the current year.
- No mare with foal at foot or due to foal in the current year may be shown in Ridden classes. No mare may be shown with a foal under the age of three weeks. Mares must be accompanied by their foals in the ring.
- Judges on the Society’s A Panel may only judge the in-hand classes at one Star Show and may only judge ridden classes at two Star Shows in any one season, except for Working Hunter Pony Classes, on which there is no limit. Star Shows are designated by the Council. B Panel judges can judge any Working Hunter Pony classes and Mini Ridden Classes at Star Shows.
- Judges may only accept one Judging appointment in Devon during any one season, to judge Dartmoor only classes
except in exceptional circumstances.
- Judges are appointed to the Dartmoor Pony Society panels at the discretion of Council.
- Persons wishing to become probationer judges are required to have been a member of the DPS for at least the three immediately preceding consecutive years before applying.
- It is normal for a Judge to be on the B Panel for a minimum of three years, before being asked at the discretion of Council to move up to the A Panel.
- Judges must have judged Dartmoors for three years including one Star Show before assessing probationers.
- Judges who reach the age of 80 years old are required to have their own Personal Accident Insurance and are asked to send proof of cover to the DPS office.
- Probationer Judges are allowed to be in the ring for Championships.
- If the owner of the Champion at a Star Show is not a member the rosette should be returned to the Society and not presented to the Reserve, or further down the line. Points do not count towards the Society’s Competitions.
- The Dartmoor Pony Society Rosettes may only be awarded to fully and supplementary registered ponies owned by members producing their current membership card in the ring.
- Ponies in Mixed Mountain and Moorland or Dartmoor classes must be shown unplaited. No dye or make-up may be used and no false tails or forelocks. Hooves may be oiled.
- Rules for trimming – Long hairs under the jaw and those protruding from the ears may be trimmed. Whiskers must not be trimmed. The tail may be trimmed at the bottom if excessively long. Ridden/Driven ponies may be clipped in the interest of welfare, but not their legs. False quarter marks are not allowed.
- No member may knowingly show a pony in a class where the Judge has owned, bred, sold, or leased that pony or where the pony has been owned, bred, sold, or leased by the Judges’ immediate* family, partner, employer or employee.
- No member may knowingly show a pony in a class where the Judge has broken, trained or produced that pony or where the pony has been broken, trained or produced by the Judges’ immediate* family, partner, employer or employee since 1st January of the preceding year.
- An exhibitor may not show under a judge for whom he/she has produced, broken or trained an equine since 1st January of the preceding year.
- A Judge may not knowingly judge a pony in a class which, to his/her knowledge has been owned, bred, sold loaned or leased by him/her or his/her immediate* family, partner, employer or employee.
- A Judge may not knowingly judge a pony in a class which, to his/her knowledge has been produced, broken or trained by him/her or his/her immediate* family, partner, employer or employee since 1st January of the preceding year
- Handlers of ponies in In-hand classes aged 14 years and under must wear correctly secured current British Standard skull caps/riding hats.
* NOTE: Immediate family means Husband/Wife/Partner, Parents/ Partner’s Parents, Grandparents, Brothers/Sisters, Sons/Daughters, Uncles/Aunts, Nephews/Nieces, Step Grandparents, Step Parents, Step Brothers/Sisters, Brother/Sister in Law, Legal Guardians