Jumping at a Horse Show Contest coloring page

About this coloring page

At any horse show contest, the jumping is thrilling, but one moment everyone waits for is the awards ceremony. Top finishers don’t just get trophies. They get ribbons and rosettes, which are clipped onto the horse’s bridle for everyone to see.

Ribbon colors show the placing, but the system depends on where you are. In the United States, blue means first place and red means second, followed by yellow for third, white for fourth, and then pink and green. In Britain it is the other way around at the top, with red for the winner and blue for second. Champion and reserve champion ribbons are often extra-large rosettes in tricolor designs.

After the presentation, the winners usually canter a victory lap around the ring, ribbons fluttering by their horses’ ears while the crowd cheers. For many young riders, that very first ribbon ends up pinned to a bedroom wall for years.

Shows are divided into classes by fence height and by the experience of horse and rider. That way everyone, from little kids on ponies to top professionals, gets to compete against others at a similar level.

• horse show
• ribbons
• show jumping
• horses
• sports