Scone Palace International Horse Trials will be the Championship Venue for the BHS Scotland Competition Series in 2026 - the Championship is scheduled to take place on Thursday 27 August 2026.

THIS SIGN UP IS NOT FOR INDIVIDUALS RIDERS BUT COUNTY SHOWS WHO WANT TO HOLD A QUALIFIER

* Please note that schedules are not checked by BHS Scotland for this competition series. All schedule wording is available within the relevant online booking page of the qualifiers. *

Perth Equine Vets/BHS Scotland Working Hunter : The horse must be four years old and over, exceeding 148cm (14.2hh approx). The rider must be a member of the British Horse Society by the time of the championships.  Riders must be eighteen years or over on the day of the championships.

The Course: At least 8 and not more than 12 fences, with changes of direction, must be set in a ring large enough to permit jumping fluently at a fair hunting pace. Fences should be rustic or as natural as possible, not easily dislodged, of solid appearance, well filled and with shrubs as wings. Maximum height 3ft 6ins (1.05m), maximum spread 3ft 9ins (1.12m), except open ditch and water. The course should be set at, or near, maximum unless the judge considers that the ground makes this unsafe. Normally at least one upright and one spread must be at maximum.  If there is a class prior to this class at your show, there should be a change in track made.

Qualification: The first THREE qualify for the final, even if they did not jump clear. If one of the first three has already qualified the qualification can be passed down to fourth place provided the 4th placed rider jumped clear

Judging: Where possible judges should be drawn from the Sports Horse Society of Great Britain judges list. If you are having difficulty you can use a respected, time-served judge from BRC, BHS or PC, but this must be cleared by BHS Scotland  (jac.campbell@bhs.org.uk).  A recognised working hunter judge is normally advised.

THE COURSE

1. At least 8 and not more than 12 fences, with changes of direction, must be set in a ring large enough to permit jumping fluently at a fair hunting pace.

2. Fences should be rustic or as natural as possible, not easily dislodged, of solid appearance, well filled and with shrubs as wings.

3. The course must be available for inspection by the judge well in advance of the time set for the class. Competitors must not be allowed to walk the course until the judge has given permission.

4. Maximum height 3ft 6ins (1.05m), maximum spread 3ft 9ins (1.12m), except open ditch and water. The course should be set at, or near, maximum unless the judge considers that the ground makes this unsafe. Normally at least one upright and one spread must be at maximum.

5. A combination should normally be included, either as a straight double or as an enclosed box with a change of direction. Straight double distances, measured from the last element of the first fence to the first element of the second, should be 25ft (7.60m) or 35ft (10.60m) for uprights, slightly less for spreads. A box should be measured along the track taken by the horse, and suitable distances are 48ft (14.60m) and 60ft (18.30m).

6. Suitable fences include the following:

JUDGING AND MARKING

7. The jumping phase should be judged first, followed by ride and conformation. Where the jumping and ride are to be judged simultaneously by two separate judges, then the two phases must take place in separate rings.

8. A marking steward must be appointed, and the judge must use the scorecard overleaf, marking as follows.

9. Faults for jumping are awarded as follows:

10. Total jumping faults are deducted from 40 to give total jumping points (this may be a minus score).

11. Points for style and presence whilst jumping are awarded from 0 to 20. A fluent, smooth round, at a fair pace earns high points; poor jumping style, propping into fences, lack of control, etc, should receive low points.

12. 40 points are awarded for ride and conformation. If there are two judges, judge A awards 20 for ride; judge B awards 20 for conformation.

13. It is the responsibility of the judge to ensure that the score card is correctly totalled, and in cases of doubt, to interpret these rules in the spirit of the competition.

14. All horses with clear rounds and any other horses the judges may require, should go forward to the ride and conformation phase (strip and ride each horse). Horses with minus scores will not be required for the second phase of the class.

15. Where two judges are officiating, one judge marks the riding and the other the conformation. It should be possible for the marker to mark for both judges.

QUALIFIERS

16. The first THREE qualify for the final, even if they did not jump clear. If one of the first three has already qualified, the qualification can be passed down to fourth place provided they jumped clear.

This competition series is run under Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain (SHB GB), the governing body of all hunter and sports horses classes.  It is the responsibility of organisers and competitors to be familiar with these rules; they can be found at http://www.sporthorsegb.co.uk. 

Please be aware of rules :

5 i - All ridden hunters in classes where the Judge rides, the exhibits must be shod all round. No pads or surgical shoes are allowed.

5 k - No hind boots or bandages of any description are allowed in the collecting ring, warm up or in the actual class in Working Hunter and Ridden Sport Horse classes.

5 l - The Society discourages the showing of over fat horses and Judges will take this into consideration when making their awards.

Please remember that it must be the same horse/rider combination that completes the full competition. If a rider has multiple horses and goes clear on them all, they must pick one horse to take into the showing section. A change of rider is not allowed.

All Championship entries are checked to ensure the same horse/rider combination.

The qualified riders MUST be a member of the British Horse Society by the time of the final.

Founded nearly six years ago, Perth Equine Vets is an independent, dedicated team of equine professionals. Led by equine vets and directors Camilla Church and Anna Hammond, their experienced team also includes vets Gayle Wotherspoon and Katie Offer, supported by a knowledgeable office team of five—all with hands-on equine experience, either professionally or as horse owners.

They are proud to offer a compassionate, personalised service—whether you’re caring for a top-level eventer or a beloved Shetland pony, they believe every horse matters equally.

As a first-opinion ambulatory practice, their vets are on the road five days a week, providing a wide range of services from vaccinations and dentals to lameness work-ups and gastroscopy. Their fully portable equipment—including X-ray, scanners, electrical dental tools, and endoscopy—allows them to deliver high-quality care at your horse’s home. Their vets are very well qualified, with two internal medicine specialists and a certificate holder amongst the team.

They also provide their own out-of-hours emergency cover, ensuring you’re always seen by one of their own trusted vets. For routine care, their monthly health plan helps make budgeting for annual expenses easier.

At Perth Equine Vets, they understand that every horse and owner is unique. They take the time to explain treatment options clearly, helping you make the best decisions for your horse’s individual needs.

They hope you find their team approachable, compassionate, and committed to the highest standard of care—with the integrity and respect you and your horse deserve.