County show fiasco

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bill53

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Been showing horses for the last 20years with some success, show champions etc.
On sunday 3rd I entered my vetran in hand at Dorset county show, spent the usual half hour or so before the class getting him settled to his suroundings.We entered the ring and he was very well behaved and looked VERY well for an 18year old. I was placed 5th and asked the judge why we had been marked down, I was told that I had scored full marks for turnout but my horse was "to well behaved to have been marked higher" I would have thought an 18year old should be well behaved. Is this a new thing that I have missed that horses should be badly behaved when being shown?
 
Oh well there's hope for my old Pink Punk in the show circuit then! :D....never heard such crap ! Well Done your lad for being so good and shame on the judge for setting such a bad example!
 
Quite the opposite at RL last weekend the horse I was showing, who was 25, I was told would have won if she hadnt jogged her way round like a 2yo. He put preferance over manners to condition and conformation which at her age I can see why she should have known better but it was very very exciting! well she thought so any way ;).
 
I was there and watched your class. 'Interesting' comment from the judge as the winner of the class cantered in his individual show and the arab that came up to second from last did hardly any trot and imo wasn't mannerly. I have seen horses lose placings because of this in the past.

I was also surprised at the standard of turn out in the championship before your class :eek: but I thought you and your horse looked lovely. (You did have the coloured?)
 
I assume she meant he was not showing enough "sparkle" - in-hand judges do generally like a bit of zing in a horse's step. They also don't like being asked "why" so perhaps was trying to put you off the scent.
 
mcnaughty said:
I assume she meant he was not showing enough "sparkle" - in-hand judges do generally like a bit of zing in a horse's step. They also don't like being asked "why" so perhaps was trying to put you off the scent.
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It has always been the competitors right to politely ask the judge why he/she made the decision they did. If you don't ask how are you to learn
 
The last time I did an in hand class we were asked to trot towards the line up, my pony decided to nap and haul me into the middle of them, scattering the other competitors in all directions. I was mortified and hung my head in shame. To my amazement we got pulled in first because he showed his movement so well!!
 
Nightmare ;) someone I know spent the whole morning judging local riding club classes and can't even measure whether a rug fits correctly :eek:
 
I'd be cross about that.

We are new to showing,but did a couple of lead rein classes this year.I was really surprised that the pony placed first had a rider that fell off,and the one placed 2nd had actually bucked during its trot around.
 
Great I feel a bit more positive for my pre-veteran debut on Saturday, my horse has never been to a big, busy agricultural show before, he has the attention span of a gnat and can get very excited at the worst time :D :D : D
 
I was once placed below someone who cantered on the wrong leg and someone else who napped due to similar reasons as the OP. My lad did not put a foot wrong and I was so pleased with him as he could be a naughty little beastie! Had it been dressage rather than veterans we would have done really well.
 
How stupid, but don't dwell on it, not worth it.

This thread reminds me of a long past Saturday afternoon when I decided to take my veteran to the local village show.

A wonderful and well known hunter in his day, snow white in old age and instantly recognisable. Aged 25, pure ID and 16.2hh, with me since a 3 yr old, taught numerous people to ride. Took OH from never ridden to first day out hunting in 12 months. Broken to side saddle in 3 days and then appeared as Lady Godiva's horse at a charity event raising much money, stepped in to help at a RDA session. I worshipped the ground that horse walked on and still miss him every day.

The old boy used to get very upset at the lorry leaving without him, so I thought a veteran class down the road would be a good idea. After many hours of polishing him and the double bridle I hunted him in, off we went.

He unloaded, and I can only assume he thought he was going hunting and lost the plot when he realised there were no hounds. He reared, snorted, bucked and towed me around the in hand veteran class. Sweat pouring off me, bright red with embarrassment, I could here people saying that's xxxxx, he used to be so lovely.

I was terrified I would let go of him, I had to tell others not to get close as he was threatening to kick, he never kicked so much as a fly in 27 years of owning him ! We got a 3rd and the judge said it was wonderful to see xxxxxx in such high spirits and good terms with himself.

I got back to the lorry and had to lie on the grass whilst my friends took the horse for a graze. The beagles paraded shortly after our class and that put the top hat on the day because the horse saw and heard them and promptly refused to load to go home.

RIP my wonderful Irish boy, you were a one off.
 
AdorableAlice said:
How stupid, but don't dwell on it, not worth it.

This thread reminds me of a long past Saturday afternoon when I decided to take my veteran to the local village show.

A wonderful and well known hunter in his day, snow white in old age and instantly recognisable. Aged 25, pure ID and 16.2hh, with me since a 3 yr old, taught numerous people to ride. Took OH from never ridden to first day out hunting in 12 months. Broken to side saddle in 3 days and then appeared as Lady Godiva's horse at a charity event raising much money, stepped in to help at a RDA session. I worshipped the ground that horse walked on and still miss him every day.

The old boy used to get very upset at the lorry leaving without him, so I thought a veteran class down the road would be a good idea. After many hours of polishing him and the double bridle I hunted him in, off we went.

He unloaded, and I can only assume he thought he was going hunting and lost the plot when he realised there were no hounds. He reared, snorted, bucked and towed me around the in hand veteran class. Sweat pouring off me, bright red with embarrassment, I could here people saying that's xxxxx, he used to be so lovely.

I was terrified I would let go of him, I had to tell others not to get close as he was threatening to kick, he never kicked so much as a fly in 27 years of owning him ! We got a 3rd and the judge said it was wonderful to see xxxxxx in such high spirits and good terms with himself.

I got back to the lorry and had to lie on the grass whilst my friends took the horse for a graze. The beagles paraded shortly after our class and that put the top hat on the day because the horse saw and heard them and promptly refused to load to go home.

RIP my wonderful Irish boy, you were a one off.
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Fabulous story! Makes me laugh as he clearly had a lot of character but sad as he is no longer with you. X
 
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