Sunshine showjumping tour show plans in hand for August event as entries and stables are booked
- kirstenmbinnie
- May 2
- 3 min read
PLANS for the unaffiiated four-day showjumping Sunshine Tour at Netherton Equestrian, are well in hand says organiser David Lawson.
The 2026 unaffiliated showjumping Sunshine Tour takes place again at Netherton Equestrian, Perth, from 6th to 9th August and has classes from poles on the ground and cross-poles to courses at 1.10m.
David said: "We are running it a bit like a Nations Cup show. You book a block at a certain height for the four days of the show so its progressive, during the week the course stays the same, you come in and compete each day. We don’t have eliminations as such, we don’t make a big thing about that, we just take down the back pole so they can complete the round.”
British Showjumping course builder Brian Dargo course walks with the competitors, helping them to prepare and giving them information on how to ride certain lines and fences while and juniors and adults also jump together in the same class – this saves time for the organisers and volunteers.
David added: “It just seems to work – and the kids are braver than the adults! If they want to move up a level too, we allow that. We are not here to hold them back, we want to see them progress.
“But where in BS it's elimination for two stops and unaffiliated are eliminated for three stops, we don’t tell the little kids they are eliminated, we help them and everyone gets a chance to get round.
“We’ve got four riding schools that come and bring ponies, some kids don’t have their own ponies and they are bringing riding school ponies."
One riding school, Perthshire Trekking Centre, have booked 27 stables for their ponies.
This year, the riders who don’t have their own ponies can compete for a special prize for the best riding school horse or pony ridden by a riding school rider.
Alongside the four days of sport, David also aims to make the event family-friendly and inclusive – there is food available and entertainment in the evening including a disco, a bucking bronco and The Perthshire Hobby Horse World Championships.
“It helps when you have a great venue owner to work with and Jock and Sarah Wilkie at Netherton is one reason why we chose there for the venue. They do so much to help, the venue is central and they have a huge indoor school, they can warm-up under cover before the classes."
This year, there will be some extra help to progress and learn for the riders as David’s daughter Millie and showjumping coach Mario Wheatley will be on hand to help course walk and warm up riders for just £25 per rider.
Millie was on a GB pony showjumping team as a junior and last year won the Under 25 Young Masters Grand Prix at the Royal Highland Show and jumped her first 1.50m course. She is now studying economics at Edinburgh University.
Mario is a Level 2 coach whose aim is to develop clear communication between the horse and rider and build confidence.
David added: “They will do course walks and warm-ups for two classes – it is good to have knowledgeable and experienced back-up, they can teach them the basics like red on the right and walk when you leave the arena.
“This Sunshine Tour will be a bigger show than any of the BS shows in Scotland just because it will be so busy and it is a good introduction for the riders.
“On the Sunday we run all the classes like a Grand Prix with the first five clears in the fastest time going into the jump-off. If there are, say, eight clears they all go through and then in the jump-off it’s the slowest who start first with the fastest from the first round going last.”
The organising has been so time consuming this year that David has brought in Fiona Ferguson of Forbank Equestrian Centre, Johnstone, and Ashley Anderson, a British Showjumping collecting ring steward, to help this year.
Contact David Lawson Events on 07506193698
Fiona Ferguson on 07572424692
Ashley Anderson 07736336443
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