The rise of the show coloured
ONCE arguably the underdog of the show ring, a quality coloured – horse or pony, hairy or not – is a force to be reckoned with. Today, if you strive to win with your own patchy partner, you need to be on the money in both performance and turnout, and also ensure that the animal you’re sitting on ticks all the necessary type and conformation boxes.
It was back in 1988 when a group of 11 friends got together around a kitchen table and founded the British Skewbald and Piebald Association (BSPA) – one of the two main showing societies dedicated to coloureds – as a reaction to the growing number of enthusiasts.
“We felt there was a need for an umbrella to promote the interests of the coloured horse,” explains BSPA chair Lynda Lodge, who has been with the association since day one.
