Absolutley horrified by people's behaviours at shows

[TinselTurkey]

Today me and my friend went to the local riding club's winter show. I had never been to one of their shows before and I was really looking forward to it, I was hoping for a pleasant, enjoyable day out..

When we arrived we where directed to a parking space and we thought that it was a sign that the event must be well organised and run. We went and made our entries and as we had a while to go before our class we decided to watch the classes before ours.

We were absolutley horrified at some people's behaviour. One of the judges (by accident) pronounced a horse's show name wrong and the rider stormed up to the judges box and started screaming and shouting at the poor judge!

I hate to sound rude but the place was full of rude inconsiderate teenagers (I'm a teenager myself and I would NEVER EVER dream of acting in the way some where behaving) who spent most of the time texting on their mobiles in the middle of the warm up arena in front of a practice jump and right before they went in the arena before their turn to jump, bitching about others and having tantrums when their ponies would'nt jump (the poor things had already been in 3 jumping classes and still had two more to go!)

After we watched a few we went back to the trailer and tacked up, we then went back up to walk the course which was a bit difficult at times as the teenagers where trying to get facebook pictures of themsleves jumping over the jumps. We managed to warm up ok but most people did not know what a red ribbon meant and when I asked them not to get too close they glared at me. Me and my friend where fortunate enough to get placed, she won the class (well done to her ) and I came 4th. I have always been taught to be polite and considerate towards others so I thanked the judges handing out the rosettes and I congratulated the person who had came 5th and they just told me to get lost. I just thought '' thats not very nice'' and left it at that.

Overall me and my friend had a succesful day out. The actual show was very well run and the judges and organisers where very nice but it was just a shame that some people where not very polite or considerate towards others.

Does anyone else have people like this at their local shows or has me and my friend just been unlucky today?

 

[5horses2dogsandacat]

That sounds terrible! I've never been to a show like that! The worst I've seen is a couple of tantrums and rude judges!

Out of interest where abouts are you based? It does seem like certain areas have certain reputations.. Xx

 

[TinselTurkey]

I'll pm you my area


I have been to other shows in my local area and further afield into different counties but I have never seen behavior like this!

 

[noodle_]

thats awful!!!

what area you in?

sounds very much like our local show on jumping day lol!!

 

[YorksG]

There are usually one or two rude people, but not usually as many as that!
Sadly it is the rude ones who stand out and who people take notice of. On the opposite side of the coin I rode out with a very pleasant and polite young lady of 13 today, to our local Horsemans carol service, with another local rider. It was the first time I had met this young lady and her manners were impecable (unlike my horses at the service sadly ) She also later sent a text of thanks to the other lady and me, which was unexpected and un-necessary, but very very welcome.

 

[5horses2dogsandacat]

Sorry tinsel on phone and couldn't reply to pm but your pretty much my next door neighbour if you head north up the a1 slightly!
People are so rude but like others have said its the rude ones that stand out more often than not. Xxx

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I'm afraid what you encountered is all too often happening. I believe it reflects the way society is at the moment.

 

[jaquelin]

Some of that behaviour should have been stopped by the stewards, although I think they get flummoxed when they are confronted with such out of order stuff as you describe.
I go to Merrist Wood to compete in dressage and boy do the stewards let you have it if you are not absolutely correct in the warm up ring, but that is how it should be done.

 

[QueenOfCadence]

I'm on of those people eaters at shows (I'll admit it shamefully) - My nerves make me slightly agitated which in turn makes me rather irritable, but I'd never dream of taking it out on the judges, fellow competitors or my horse! I usually have a designated friend who I shout at when the need arrives (for real, I'm not even kidding). I agree with you on how horrible it is to see Teenagers not respecting authority (yup, unintentional rhyme), I'm a teenager myself and when I was in my earlier teen years and I dared to even look at someone older than me disrespectfully I'd get an earful for it .

My new pet peeve is Teenagers constantly on their Blackberry's EVERYwhere they go

 

[Ginger Bear]

I took one of the young kids on our yard to a fun show a few weeks back & this teenage girl, probably ablout 14 had a full flip out at her dad as he told her that she couldn't jump if she didn't put on her back protector.. (every other kid was wearing 1) her dad told her to get off the horse and he was taking her home then her mum steps in and even tho the girl was screaming & calling them everything under the sun, she took her side & let her carry on in the show!!! She spent the rest of the day screaming and everyone was staring!! So embarrassing!!

 

[blood_magik]

imagine shouting at the judge because they pronounced the horses name wrong
why not write the pronunciation on your entry form?

I did hear a cracking mis-pronounced name at a show once.
the ponies name was shurook - the judge announced her as shrok

 

[NeilM]

I like attending local shows as a spectator, and I'm afraid I have seen a lot of poor behaviour down here too, and definitely not just from teenagers.

It may be getting worse, I don't know, but it just seems to be an accepted (but not acceptable) part of the club / local showing scene.

 

[Brandy]

How awful, but sadly a reflection of society in general these days I think. Although i can remember seeing rather spoilt girls at shows when I was a child - in fact my best friend was one of them!!

I was constantly amazed at how much her dad let her get away with. I used to tag along to shows as I didn;t have my own pony (sob) and she had three!! Her dad used to take her to shows with two of them, and she expected him to get the ponies ready while she walked the course, chatted to mates etc, and she would come trotting out of the ring, jump off one and onto the next and if it wasn;t ready, well what a tantrum!! I found it quite embaressing actually.

Well doen to you OP for your 4th and for being so polite!

 

[Marydoll]

I took one of the young kids on our yard to a fun show a few weeks back & this teenage girl, probably ablout 14 had a full flip out at her dad as he told her that she couldn't jump if she didn't put on her back protector.. (every other kid was wearing 1) her dad told her to get off the horse and he was taking her home then her mum steps in and even tho the girl was screaming & calling them everything under the sun, she took her side & let her carry on in the show!!! She spent the rest of the day screaming and everyone was staring!! So embarrassing!!

Sorry , if that was mine she'd have been arse and necked out of that show quicker than she thought possible, inconsiderate brat.
I dont understand parents who dont set boundries and stick by them, mine would never have carried on like that, because they know it wouldnt have been tolerated, manners cost nothing and go a helluva long way in life

 

[Dubsie]

imagine shouting at the judge because they pronounced the horses name wrong
why not write the pronunciation on your entry form?

Doesn't always work.
My daughter's name, which is spelt exactly as you say it, is often mis-read by reversing two letters to give another much less common name. Her entries are always written in very clear capitals. I did ask the stewards at one show to tell the judge for the next class the correct spelling, as the secretary had mis-typed the detail from entry form. On telling her how to spell it correctly she still wrote the same incorrect spelling down TWICE.

 

[skint1]

Crikey if my daughter kicked off every time someone mispronounced her horse's formal name they'd never get over a single fence. He's been BeeGee Rock, Jimbo Rock, JuJu Rock and all sorts, I blame our handwriting!

Mind, she is 20 now so I would legitimately beat her if she did behave like that and not have to worry about social services taking her off me

 

[Flicker]

Dreadful behaviour. I cannot imagine any of the competitors at our local shows behaving anywhere near as badly as that because they would be booted out by the stewards. A few competitors I have come across in my time have seemed very aloof, but I usually put that down to nerves. But certainly none of the behaviour you describe.

 

[monkeybum13]

Some people name their horses such funny names no wonder the commentators sometimes get it wrong. And there is NO need for people to shout at the judge/commentator if they got it wrong, people have got my name wrong lots of times before and it just makes me giggle.

The behaviour of some people at show is dreadful

Worst bit of beahviour was at a local, fun unaffiliated show jumping competition a few weeks ago when another HHO'er was jumping her round and the friends of someone else competing stood next to me whispering "have the fence down" everytime she went over a jump, I did have a few words with them!

 

[Orangehorse]

That sounds completely awful. I know that nerves can get to some people which results in bad temper towards nearest and dearest, but I would have been complaining to stewards, etc. as it is hardly good for the image of the sport.

 

[ShowJumperBeckii]

Frankie i never knew you where on HH
Well done on your 4th
Dont understand why people/kids have too be so rude at shows, go to have fun and if you get a frilly well thats bonus, just don't see why they is the need to be rude?

 

[MagicMelon]

Have to say that I've never experienced anything like that and I've done RC, PC, BE & BSJA shows regularly. You get the odd stroppy kid but not outright rudeness to the judge and messing around in the practice taking photos etc. I would have complained, but then it sounds like 80% of the people there were not nice! Perhaps its just unfortunate that the particular riding club has attracted this sort. Try a different club show next time?

 

[AJ & Kiz]

it makes me so mad when people go off like that! my names Alexandra and i often get called Alexander which is the boys version but I never say anything because to be honest I dont really care, theres a lot worse things in life to worry about, my mares show name is Charisma and at half of the shows ive been to they cant even spell it never mind say it but id never kick off. Iv'e seen some really brat like behaviour at shows...i saw one girl throw her reins down crying and let go of her pony and she said "sell him hes s+it anyway" ...people like that dont deserve horses ..makes me really sad

x

 

[Holly Hocks]

It's a reflection of today's society. A society which tells everyone they can have what they want, when they want, and stuff everyone else in the process.
Kids are constantly told how wonderful they are and how they are going to be a famous SJ or whatever and these kids believe it. Nothing wrong with aspiring to be as good as someone, but you would think that by the time they are in their teens they might have realised that it isn't going to happen!

 

[Dunlin]

Things like this was why I concentrated more on Dressage shows as for some reason it didn't attract brattish behaviour.

My surname looks difficult but once you break it into 3 sections it's really not that hard, however at shows my surname was never called as announcers and judges just couldn't be bothered to attempt to pronounce it. That used to bug me a bit, happens all the time though, doctors, dentists etc.

The worst behaviour I ever came across was a young girl in the practice ring with her horse and trainer (which I think may have been her mother). There was only 1 practice jump and no-one else could get a look in as this girls trainer screamed at anyone that went near her "protege".

That girl entered almost every jumping competition on the day and then competed in all the Gymkhana games too. The horse was shattered come chase me charlie and eventually ground to a halt/refusal at 3ft odd and all manner of things went flying; whip, hat, gloves, bad language and she finished it off by kicking the poles off the wings and leaving the ring minus her horse that just stood there having a few well deserved mouthfuls of grass. What disgusted me the most was she still got a rosette on her way out for "effort".

That is the most bizarre and selfish display of behaviour I have ever seen by both a rider and trainer.

I shouldn't point the finger at young people only because I have also seen displays of rude and selfish behaviour displayed by adults too, on one particular occasion a woman in her 40's started chatting to me whilst we were waiting for our turn in a Riding Club horse competition. She tried her best to run me and my horse down so much and told me to save myself the embarrassment and just leave the competition. We came 4th and she didn't get placed. I have absolutely no idea what her problem was!

Well done OP for remaining cool and getting placed along with your friend.

 

[Holly Hocks]

The worst behaviour I saw was about three years at my local riding club when one of the people who teaches the local pony club couldn't get her nice grey horse round the jumps - it refused at every one. Then one of her peers - a man- went into the ring shouting "Batter it - go on - leather it" The poor horse was absolutely beaten with a schooling whip over and over again. If I had had a video camera with me I would have videoed it and reported her - and made sure all her pony club pupils watched it. The judges didn't stop it, which annoyed me even more and it's one of the reasons I won't join this riding club again. I would rather just go to dressage comps where I haven't witnessed this anywhere near to the same degree.

 

[fjordhorsefan]

That sounds horrific!! This thread sums up the reasons that I am not going out showing next year.

 

[TinselTurkey]

Frankie i never knew you where on HH
Well done on your 4th
Dont understand why people/kids have too be so rude at shows, go to have fun and if you get a frilly well thats bonus, just don't see why they is the need to be rude?

Haha I kept meaning to tell you, sorry

 

[TinselTurkey]

How awful, but sadly a reflection of society in general these days I think. Although i can remember seeing rather spoilt girls at shows when I was a child - in fact my best friend was one of them!!

I was constantly amazed at how much her dad let her get away with. I used to tag along to shows as I didn;t have my own pony (sob) and she had three!! Her dad used to take her to shows with two of them, and she expected him to get the ponies ready while she walked the course, chatted to mates etc, and she would come trotting out of the ring, jump off one and onto the next and if it wasn;t ready, well what a tantrum!! I found it quite embaressing actually.

Well doen to you OP for your 4th and for being so polite!

When we go to show's the only part my mum or friend with me does is hold him when I walk the course and tie the red ribbon in his tail ( I am absolutley rubbish at tieing ribbons in tails!) apart from those two things, I do everything else, I feel mean if I make someone else do it.

Thankyou very much

 

[TinselTurkey]

Thankyou for the replies everyone. I have been to the same show centre when there was not a riding club show and it was fine, I think it might just have been the people who where attending that particular show.

 

[QueenOfCadence]

Thankyou for the replies everyone. I have been to the same show centre when there was not a riding club show and it was fine, I think it might just have been the people who where attending that particular show.

^^Good to hear!!! The big black WB that I'm competing for his owner's name is Otjozonjati Carbonit - most judges don't even try it! They just say "blah-zo-blah Carbit" (or some other variation) and I've just gotten accustomed to it . Same with my Coblet x TB, His show names is Jongintaba Golden Arrow - the "Jongintaba" part is the difficult part because the "J" is pronounced like a "Y"

Anyway, it's common practice for sporthorses to have weird names - thus they get mispronounced