THE British honours system seems to go on a pace despite the fact that it doesn’t quite seem to fit into today’s egalitarian world.

However, that’s history for you and far be it for me to raise a discussion on its relevance or appropriateness especially when I’m one of many drawn to the ‘List’ when it is published twice a year. 

It would be disingenuous of me not to admit that part of my curiosity is in its way perverse as I delight in knowing which prominent business men and women, sports personalities and entertainers are the beneficiaries, then bemoaning the fact that they are already extremely well rewarded financially for their efforts without adding an ‘honour’ to their assets.

Then there is that strange phenomenon of wanting to know if there is anyone on the list whom I actually know personally for there seldom is. Given that the list normally extends to a bit more than 1000 names, this is hardly surprising, which is all the more reason why I am amazed that any names leap out the page at me let alone personal friends. Of course they deserve their ‘honour’, but my friends, who would have believed it.

Of the 1109 names in the 2017 Queen’s Birthday Honours List, equestrian interests were sparse to say the least, thus making it all the more remarkable that two Scottish women have been recognised.

The first is 28-year-old Joanne Eccles, from Clackmannan, Britain’s most successful female vaulter with five gold medals and another six at silver and bronze at World and European level to her name. Appointed MBE for her services to equestrian vaulting, Joanne, although now retired from competitive vaulting, dedicates much of her time to the training of youngsters. She joins the ranks of other famous sports personalities including Scotland’s Scott Brash MBE and Ian Stark OBE who received their awards for the services to equestrianism.

At the other end of the age spectrum, Evelyn Aitken, from Kilwinning, is one of the 74% of the recipients who have undertaken outstanding work in their communities either in a voluntary or paid capacity. Evelyn was appointed MBE for services to equestrianism and the RDA in north Ayrshire having run her Fergushill Riding Stables for 52 years and was a founder member of the Winton RDA group.

Her family-run equestrian centre is linked to the Pony Club so children without ponies can still take their Pony Club tests; in addition, her charitable efforts have raised some £50,000 in recent years. At 75 she has no plans to retire and continues with mucking out duties in the stables each morning. Many of us know her round the shows as she has been a highly successful exhibitor of children’s ponies over a 50-year period and now can be seen adjudicating at shows as an official BSPS judge.

It was for her services to Livingston Development Corporation that another well-known former competitor and show exhibitor, Isobel Brydie, from West Calder, was awarded her MBE in 1997. A former board member of the Corporation and West Lothian Healthcare Trust, Isobel was asked to take on the role of Lord-Lieutenant in 2002 in recognition of her distinguished service to public life in West Lothian.

Now some 15 years on and coming to the end of her term of office, in recognition her extensive service as The Queen’s representative, she has been given a prestigious new Royal appointment, Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO), one of four such appointments in the 2017 New Year’s Honours List. When not representing The Queen on official duties, Isobel is regularly to be found serving teas and coffees and her home-made scones and cakes to helpers at the NPS Scotland shows and events.

Having met Joanne and knowing Evelyn and Isobel really well, it strikes me that, honours apart, they are representatives of the contributors in society and since not all volunteers can be ‘honoured’ perhaps their achievement might inspire others to become involved. Looking around the shows and equestrian events this season, there is certainly plenty opportunity as fewer new faces seem to be appearing and one wonders how much longer the ‘old’ ones can continue. 

Not only is there a need for a physical effort but expertise is also required and worryingly this regrettably seems thin on the ground. There are some fundamental issues which only practical horse experience can provide with potentially worrying consequences ready to unfold. 

To make matters worse, there appears to be a general lack of common sense on both the part of the general public and the modern horse owner with serious accidents just waiting to occur.

The practice of tying up of unattended horses or ponies to the sides of lorries or trailers still doesn’t seem to go away despite formal requests from organisers on the grounds of health and safety. Then there is the social chatting and hanging about that seems to prevail at entrances to rings or in equine walk-ways and worse still, riders using mobile phones. 

Why is it that every competitor seems to require an army of helpers and why do so many people with low push chairs want to go under ropes and join the equines totally oblivious to the extreme danger in which they are placing their precious little children? The trouble is, there aren’t enough volunteers around to help show police all these irresponsible actions and it is a matter of time before the headlines report an accident rather the champions. 

One headline which has made the news desks recently has been the action taken for the second year running by the Great Yorkshire Show against over-weight riders on the grounds of equine welfare. Irrespective of the lack of scientific evidence to support the acceptable weight-carrying capacity of equines, the Show’s Council has brought in a rule which states that: “The Great Yorkshire Show’s equine regulations state that the rider and tack weight should not exceed 20% of the animal’s bodyweight.”

Agree with this rule or otherwise, its stands and measures were taken again this year to ensure compliance. Apparently 12 riders were asked to dismount by the officials and four of them volunteered to be weighed along with their ponies. Interestingly all four breached the rule by a considerable margin.

As the only organisation that seems brave enough to tackle this issue head on, it is a great pity that most of the others, which purport to support animal welfare, continue to turn a blind eye for reasons best known to their councils. Needless to say, the threat of legal action by exhibitors is being banded around but as the deterrent however, as the Great Yorkshire organisers point out, if people want to compete at their show, they have to abide by the rules and the 20% weight rule is one of them. 

Thankfully, it didn’t apply to the Scottish exhibitors, who were very successful at this year’s show with class winners and HOYS qualification going to Dales, Highland and Connemara exhibits under saddle, as well as the Cuddy In Hand Qualifier going to the Borders-based Eastlands Connemara Stud.