Following a bumper season in 2022, the SEIB Search for a Star series is well set for the year ahead. Long known as the premier amateur showing series in the UK, Search for a Star will include a brand new amateur heavy horse in-hand series this year. Further to the success of the Search for a Star Open Veteran Championship last year, the winner of this championship in 2023 will receive a £500 cash prize.
New for the 2023 running of the ever-popular SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse series is a new amateur-only competition run by The Showing Register (TSR) on 15th July. This qualifying class for the Racehorse to Riding Horse championship has two tickets for the Horse of the Year Show final to be awarded.
Following discussions with the Pony Club, this class has moved on too, with the first ridden class pony height increased to 138cms to give more children a chance to compete in the series.
Search for a Star first took place back in 1996 and over the years has provided thousands of opportunities for amateur riders to compete at championship shows with many going on to compete with success in open classes.
Each of the SEIB Search for a Star qualifying shows offers opportunities for a full range of show horses to earn a place at the series championships at Horse of the Year Show and Your Horse Live.
The 2023 SEIB Search for a Star and Racehorse to Riding Horse qualifying shows will take place at:
Sunday 23rd April 2023 at Vale View Equestrian Centre, Old Dalby, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire LE14 3LX
Saturday 3rd June 2023 (Search for a Star workshop) and Sunday 4th June 2023 (qualifying competition) at Netherton Equestrian Centre, Netherton Farm, Aberargie, Perthshire, PH2 9NE, Perth, Scotland.
JULY 2023 DATE AND VENUE TBC Northern Ireland (Pony Club only)
Friday 14th July 2023 (Search for a Star workshop) and Saturday 15th July 2023 (qualifying competition) at Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 2LZ – courtesy of The Showing Register (TSR) Championship.
Wednesday 2nd August 2023 at Arena UK, Allington Lane, Grantham, Lincolnshire NG32 2EF – courtesy of Equifest.
Saturday 12th August 2023 at Brendon Stud, Haresdean Farm, Pyecombe, Brighton BN45 7EG.
Saturday 19th August 2023 at The Pony Club Championships at Offchurch Bury, Warwickshire CV33 9AR. (Pony Club only)
Sunday 3rd September 2023 at The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, Burghley House, Burghley Park,
Stamford PE9 3JY. (SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse only)
Search for a Star classes with finals at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) include; hacks, hunters, working pony, working horses, riding horses, traditional gypsy cobs – of any colour, show cobs, and the SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse final. Championship finals at Your Horse Live in Search for a Star include; ridden open veterans, Pony Club horses and ponies, mountain and moorlands and for in-hand horses and ponies; heavy horse, plaited horse, plaited pony, mountain and moorland and veteran.
The SEIB Search for a Star judges and stewards will be on hand to help and mentor all competitors at qualifying shows. In addition to this Search for a Star has two ‘Weekender’ events planned for 2023. These will include a day of training followed by a full qualifying show for both Horse of the Year Show and Your Horse Live, one in Scotland and one in England.
Please see www.seib.co.uk/competitions or the SEIB Search for a Star Facebook page for information and to enter.
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.