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Showing in Denmark

It is maybe not easy to foreigners to understand the Danish system of showing our Dartmoor Ponies and I therefore try to explain, how it works.

The Danish Dartmoor Pony Society

We do not have the same tradition for shows in Denmark as in England. In Denmark we only have one central Dartmoor Show once a year which is a national show. It is the only show where the stallions and mares are due to be officially shown for judges and graded in the four sections: I Class, II Class A, II. Class B and rejected. The results will be registrated in the Danish Dartmoor Pony Society and the ponies can meet again to try to obtain a better class later in their life if their owners wants to. The Dartmoor Ponies are shown in all tree paces and therefore they are shown indoor in order to let them run free. At the official judgement the 10 point scale is used. The pony is then "splitted up" in head, neck and shoulders, font, limbs, etc aplus the three paces and given points up to ten for east part and pace.

Dartmoor foals can not be registered in the Dartmoor studbook if their dam hasn't been judged and the sire is licensed or fully accepted!

At the National Dartmoor Show there are several official titles. Stallion of the Year, Mare of the Year and lately also Foal of the Year. The stallion can only obtain the title at his final selection which mean that he can not obtain the title before the age of 4 at the earliest. This pony has to be ranked in the I class. If not any - no title this particular year. The mare can be shown from the age of 3 but are very often shown older when fully developed. In addition to theese 3 titles The Best Best Yearling and best 2yrs is found if any and if their owner wants to participate. However they are very sedom shown that young.

The Agricultural Shows

In addition to that we have three major, annual, agricultural shows. The results from these shows can now be registrated but is not printed in the pasport. One show in each of the three Danish main regions is held. A very big show is held on the island of Zealand in Roskilde about half an hour by car from Copenhagen. About 500 horses and ponies are shown here and about 80.000 visitors from Denmark and an increasing number from our two neighbour countries Sweden and Germany. Roskilde Agricultural Show is only for exhibitors from the island of Zealand.

At about half the size, we have two minor. One in Odense "Det Fynske Dyrskue"in Odense. Only for exhibitors from the island of Funen. In size, about the one Okehampton, but over two days.

In Jutland is held the other minor agricultural show, at the same size as in Odense. It is situated i Herning. After it closed down a few years ago as a show for young stock it reopened as Landsskuet i Herning. In order to get more exhibitors it is now open for all parts of Denmark and now they call themselves “The National Show”. Unfortunately we have a large and expensive bridge to cross to go there which means that only very few horses and ponies choose to show there from Zealand. As far as I remember no Dartmoors, exept from Jutland and Funen, has been shown at the "National Show" in Herning. There are simply more prestige to show in Roskilde probably because of its size.

An official Dartmoor judge cannot be expected to judge at the agricultural shows, unless there is a certain number of Dartmoor Ponies is shown. (4-5)

More than 30 smaller, local agricultural shows are still held in a few cities, mainly in Jutland.

A very oldfashioned, traditional system is used for judging at the agricultural shows. 1st Price is given to 24, 23 and 22 points. 2nd price to 21, 20 and 19 points. Less is practicaly not in use anymore. They are then lined upt in a ring with the best in front, then number two etc. An extra "Premium Price" can be given by the judges to ponies of extra ordinary quality

A special price "Ærespræmie" is given for each five shown pony with 23 points or more in Roskilde. In Herning and Odense it has - for some reason -become a litle easier, to get this honounrable price than in Roskilde.

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