Prizes

Rosette colours tend to be as follows:

First - Red

Second - Blue

Third - Yellow 

Green - Fourth       

(unless it is run by the Pony Club, where first and second and third and fourth swap)

Then it gets a bit more complicated… fifth and sixth alternate between pink, purple and orange depending on what showground you’re at. There isn’t a rule and sometimes they are none of those colours.

Championship classes: traditionally champion will have a red, white and blue rosette and reserve gets blue and white. 

Sashes are often given in colours matching the champion’s rosette. This didn’t used to be very common at lower levels but you see them more and more. 

Quite often now the championship sashes and rosette don’t follow this rule due to sponsorships, as the sponsor can pick their own colour – often to match their company’s livery.

At the lower levels, perpetual cups or shields (i.e. re-given each year, with the winner’s name engraved) are less common. At the higher levels, like HOYS or county shows, these are still the norm. 

One off trophies that the winner gets to keep are fairly uncommon these days, likely to keep the costs down for participants. However when I was a child in the 90s it was very common to get a trophy. Either perpetual or one off. 

Fifth and sixth place are much more common than they were when I was younger, often placings were only up to fourth. If children aren’t placed they are normally given a special/highly commended rosette, especially at lower levels.