I left showing behind when my daughter outgrew it and I have never looked back. Classic weird judgement at one competition in the Young Handler class.
My daughter entered her new 4 year old pony as she had never been anywhere before. We were delighted with her and she was incredibly obedient, well mannered and foot perfect in the class.
Another child took her pony who behaved like the wild beast of Bodmin moor.
Result other child won because 'her pony was more difficult to handle??'
Such as life....still pleased, daughter and pony got a lot of confidence on that day.
Oh god, now not wanting to launch back into the showing game!!!
once took my Coloured cob mare into the coloured cob class at a large local show...there were 4 in the class - a chestnut arab with a couple of white flecks (like toytowns) a palomino with a ewe neck, a grey welshie, and Daizy (tri coloured cob, full mane and tail).... we came 4th! hurumph! The reason - the arab belonged to judges YO, the pally to her daughter, and the kiddy with the grey looked like she would cry if she didnt get a rosette......
Im hoping I have better luck with M&M!!
Dont worry OP, it is prob to do with the judge liking the slighter built type...people are very wierd creatures!!! x
I have judged at local shows in the past.
When I have found out what class I am judging I google it to find out standards. Then before hand I put together a list of what I am looking for.
I work sort of on a points theme and the most points wins.
Probably not the way the pro's or county level do it, but its my way and so far-touch wood-I've never had any complaints.
As for the manners. I personally rate manners of both horse and rider highly regardless of class.
So allthegear ...Just out of curiosty ...you have 2 horses ....Both in for the hunter class ...Case 1 ...Hunter type but messing about ....Case 2 coloured cob type ...good manners .
I would probably place the hunter higher as thats the nature of the class.
You wouldn't place an Arab higher than a Fell in an M&M class just as you wouldn't pull the Fell in over the Arab in the Arab classes.
I'm concerned that you judge and yet don't know, without researching, the criterea for basic showing classes. Correct me if I am wrong here but would you have to do some research to judge a hunter class for instance?
I certainly wouldn't and am horrified that you directed us to a US Hunter Site, which is completely and utterly irrelevant in every possible way to what you would look for in a UK hungter class.
Maybe judges who don't understand the basics of what is expected in each class is one of the reasons behind so many people's dissatisfaction with showing....
Sienna I judge at local shows. I never professed to know anything about Hunter classes. I also added a bit to say that it was an american site and that I would spend more time than the 30 seconds it took to google that one. It was an example and I clearly stated that I would spend more time looking up what was actually required.
The point that I was trying to make probably not all that clearly was that a cob in a hunter class will get placed down the line behind those that fit the criteria for the class.
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So allthegear ...Just out of curiosty ...you have 2 horses ....Both in for the hunter class ...Case 1 ...Hunter type but messing about ....Case 2 coloured cob type ...good manners .
Which do you place higher ?
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Not to be rude but as i keep saying the horse that got third did not look like a hunter, people said that that may have been the reason but seriously the horses in the class that got 1st and second looked like hunters but this girls pony did not.
You get this in showing - quite often I'd be left with my mouth open! The worst time I remember was a M&M WHP class, my horse had done a lovely clear round and a lovely show - we were placed 2nd to a dreadful scruffy creature who had TWO fences down and barely did 5 strides of trot and canter!! Some days you really do wonder if the judge was even in your ring at the time!
The best thing Ive heard from a judge (a different one to the above but AT THE SAME SHOW!!) was when I entered the ring on my 15.2hh pure bred reg. welsh D to be asked "are you in the correct class, this is for natives so we're expecting ponies only" - I politely pointed out that my horse is 100% native and that not all natives are necessarily pony size. I was placed LAST in the entire class BELOW utterly dreadful ponies who were plaited and / or clearly part breds!