Search 4 A Star
SEIB Search for a Star goes back to its roots for Your Horse Virtually Live
Entries for Virtual Search for a Star have now CLOSED
For the full Virtual Search for a Star rules CLICK HERE
SEIB Search for a Star is set to go full-circle at Your Horse virtually Live on the 6th – 8th November. Virtual SEIB Search for a Star will take place online and be judged from photos submitted by amateur competitors. The winners will be decided upon by Search for a Star judges, Katie Jerram-Hunnable, Chris Hunnable, Mr Richard Ramsay and Marjorie Ramsay. National Pony Society panel judges, David Ingle and Paul Cook will judge the Search for a Star Mountain and Moorland entries.
Virtual Search for a Star will include classes for hacks, hunters, riding horses, traditional gypsy cobs – of any colour, cobs, mountain and moorlands, racehorse to riding horses, diamond pony, RDA horse or pony and part-bred traditional. All classes are open to only amateur competitors. Each entry will comprise one side-on, in-hand image of the horse or pony with no tack on. Entries will open on 12th October and will close on 27th October with the winners announced in an exciting online finale on the 6th November. The winner of each of the ten classes will qualify for a special amateur championship final at Your Horse Live 2021.
Katie Jerram-Hunnable said: “It is an honour as always to be asked to judge Search for a Star. Online showing classes are becoming increasingly popular and in these different circumstances this year, it is so important to enjoy the opportunities that are in front of us. Chris’ parents owned one of the original Search for a Star venues, Towerlands EC and it is just wonderful for us to be involved in and passionate about the series nearly 25 years later.”
This is not the first time that Search for a Star has been judged as a photo show. When Search for a Star was launched back in 1996 by SEIB, amateur competitors submitted images of themselves and their horses for appraisal by top showing producer and judge, Robert Oliver.
Of these photo entries, Robert decided which horses and riders would be invited to come forward to take part in several regional Search for a Star competitions. The first Search for a Star competition took place at Towerlands Equestrian Centre in Essex and then the team carried on up to Gleneagles in Scotland before the finals took place at Hickstead. The first ever Search for a Star champion was a striking bay four-year-old, Shelford Rupert who took forward the values and aims of the series from the start by going on to win in open classes.
SEIB’s Marketing Manager, Nicolina MacKenzie said: “We are delighted to be in a position to run virtual Search for a Star with Your Horse Live this year. It is quite special to be returning to the roots of Search for a Star. This new photo show opportunity has given me the chance to look back and reflect on how far Search for a Star has come over the years. It makes me shiver to think of our first Search for a Star competition at Towerlands – I hadn’t even thought to bring numbers along for the competitors!”
Your Horse Live Event Director, Emma Bedford said: “We were all gutted when we had to cancel this year’s Your Horse Live. But we are now excited about the virtual show and the new things we’ve been able to add for our Your Horse Live community, including virtual Search for a Star. We are really looking forward to seeing the entries’ images and even more excited about inviting the winners of each class to next year’s show to compete for a brand new Supreme Champion in our main arena”.
Virtual SEIB Search for a Star is open to amateur riders. Judge, David Ingle and our Search for a Star photographer Sue Robb of SMR Photos, have produced some top tips to consider when taking your entry photo. These can be found at www.seib.co.uk/competitions. We will be posting a series of ‘how to’ videos on the Search for a Star social media channels so every competitor is armed with as much information as possible ahead of taking that all-important entry photo.
Leading equine Insurance brokers, SEIB Insurance Brokers provide cover for horses, horse boxes, yards and much more. The company has a long association with the showing world and is renowned for ‘putting something back’ by supporting equestrian events and activities.
