BE fence judge training days

Tiddlypom

Tiddlypom

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I am a occasional volunteer at local BE events. Usually I scribe for the dressage, but I do a bit of FJing too. I went to a really good BE FJ training day last Saturday. It was taken by a TD and a regional development officer. There were about 30 attendees, varying from newbies to experienced old hands.

It was interesting and we all learned a lot. There was a lot of interaction and questions, plus 'what penalties would you give, if any' video clips from previous competitions. I also learned that FJs are encouraged to bring their own portable timing point marker (aka a tall plastic electric fence post), why didn't I think of that before?!

Looks like there are only a couple more training days left this spring, but if you're interested, I can recommend doing one.

http://www.britisheventing.com/trai...itle=Fence+Judge+and+Other+Volunteer+Training
 
Funnily enough I was looking at these this morning.

Sounds as though they're worth attending. Hadn't thought of bringing a timing marker at all... although I would be really nervous of a horse running into a lone fence post, but I guess it can be positioned outside the string where possible?
 
There was at least one wobbleberry present in my group :). Good luck, I'm too wimpy to actually compete.

Another thing that I hadn't even thought of, if it starts to rain during the day, do not put up an umbrella until the end of the class, otherwise later competitors could complain their horses were unfairly distracted. I didn't think to ask whether if you start judging with a brolly, you should keep it up even if it stops raining, but I suppose so?!! Retreating to the car is frowned on.
 
At BE level they're usually pretty tolerant of FJs retreating to cars if it's absolutely peeing it down. We always make sure we've positioned the car accordingly, just in case. At FEI level you're gonna have to prepare to get wet :D
 
The Bouncing Bog Trotter said:
I've volunteered for an event down here in the south and they must have organised their own training as it isn't mentioned on the BE page. As a Wobbleberry I thought volunteering may help with the anxiety!!!!!!
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Me too - I've read the volunteers guide from BE and the event I'm judging trains you on the day. Wondering if I need to do more homework though as I've never competed so would feel awful if I got the rules wrong etc! Will see if there;s one of those courses near me.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Another thing that I hadn't even thought of, if it starts to rain during the day, do not put up an umbrella until the end of the class, otherwise later competitors could complain their horses were unfairly distracted. I didn't think to ask whether if you start judging with a brolly, you should keep it up even if it stops raining, but I suppose so?!! Retreating to the car is frowned on.
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In the dressage, at least, I've experienced fellow competitors requesting that the tog's brolly stays up even when the rain has dried up (this was at CCI*) ... Unless a FJ was really close to the jump I'd find it harder to pull the distraction argument on the xc course though ;)
 
Bernster said:
Me too - I've read the volunteers guide from BE and the event I'm judging trains you on the day. Wondering if I need to do more homework though as I've never competed so would feel awful if I got the rules wrong etc! Will see if there;s one of those courses near me.
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Typically event organisers will give novice FJs easy and straightforward fences for their first go, they are really only complicated if there are black flag alternatives or if it's a combination fence where you have do decide if people have presented/stopped/crossed their tracks etc.
 
milliepops said:
Typically event organisers will give novice FJs easy and straightforward fences for their first go, they are really only complicated if there are black flag alternatives or if it's a combination fence where you have do decide if people have presented/stopped/crossed their tracks etc.
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Cheers MP. There aren't any FJ courses near me so I will shall have to rely on the training on the day, and my own good sense. Ahem. I've read the BE rule book a bit and will give that another read in case it's got relevant FJ stuff in it. I'm a swot but I do like to be prepared :-)

It's a loooooong day - 8am to 6pm and it's over an hour away from me. Extra layers and packed lunch for me! I've got RAF Halton plane jumping the next day so won't have time to get the lorry or the nag ready the day before. Busy weekend.
 
Bernster said:
Cheers MP. There aren't any FJ courses near me so I will shall have to rely on the training on the day, and my own good sense. Ahem. I've read the BE rule book a bit and will give that another read in case it's got relevant FJ stuff in it. I'm a swot but I do like to be prepared :-)

It's a loooooong day - 8am to 6pm and it's over an hour away from me. Extra layers and packed lunch for me! I've got RAF Halton plane jumping the next day so won't have time to get the lorry or the nag ready the day before. Busy weekend.
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They'll supply you with lunch I'm sure, I've always been fed and watered :)

Read the section relating to xc penalties in the rule book and there will also be some diagrams explaining permitted routes through combinations in an annex :) You will have a radio anyway so if in any doubt you'll be able to ask for help. Long day, yes, but I always enjoy it :) Last few times at my local event the FJs have got into a competition about who could do the best description of a horse clearing their fence. It's fun to see what happens under the surface of an event.
 
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Oh these sound great! Unfortunately none near me but will look out for next year.

I've FJ'd a few times now and really enjoy it, i think im FJ'ing or Stewarding at Tweseldown next weekend, cant wait :D
 
Lexi_ said:
At BE level they're usually pretty tolerant of FJs retreating to cars if it's absolutely peeing it down. We always make sure we've positioned the car accordingly, just in case. At FEI level you're gonna have to prepare to get wet :D
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I did an FEI last year and don't remember anything in the briefing saying you couldn't sit in your car??
 
forumuser123 said:
You'll be lucky to get away by 6pm. I usually get away around 7pm though, due to falls and late running show jumping, it was nearer 8.30pm at one event last summer
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Even more packed lunch then! They do supply food and drink but who wants to take the risk?! I won't organise anything else that evening then, although makes me realise I probably need to sort my lorry out before then as it's an early start for me the next day.

I hope it will all prove worth it, in experience and guaranteed entry to my chosen BE80 haha (I'm not doing this out of the goodness of my own heart!). Although the lovely people at this event have said they'll try not to ballot wobbleberries anyway, so it's probably more than I need to do really.
 
lar said:
I did an FEI last year and don't remember anything in the briefing saying you couldn't sit in your car??
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Hmmm, might just be the ones I've done! There are some where you can't even take a car to the fence in the first place, or the stringing/sponsors banners mean that you couldn't position a car to be in the right place and have to be out in the open in order to do it properly!

Mind you, the FEI briefings tend to be about 90% shorter than the BE ones as they usually don't have brand new FJs at them, so perhaps they assume everyone knows that particular event's way of doing of things? It doesn't seem to be a hard and fast rule as such.

ETA - Bernster, have a fab time! It's a great day out and even if you're on a super straightforward fence, it's fascinating to watch everyone's different approach and style. Just pack all the food and all the clothes :D
 
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For solo FJers and the pressing matter of 'comfort breaks' during a long day. On the day, you should be able to find time at changeover time (when the course is being reflagged for a different class) to nip to the nearest portaloo. Apparently there is a requirement at BE that there are at least 4 loos on the XC.

In between times, it is fine to radio in and request cover for your fence if you need the loo. In practice, I will only FJ with a buddy as I have painful memories of being stranded out in the sticks waiting ages for the overstretched 'relief' to get to me.

Maybe go easy on the coffee if you're solo...

Also, according to the TD, no solo FJer should be expected to man a 'stopping' fence, although in practice some are. It is in order to request a second FJ if you find yourself in this position on the day.
 
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