Dressage marking. I am confused about my marks at the weekend...

charlie76

charlie76

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I have just had a look at my sheet from the weekend (BD novice test) and I am confused about the marking.
For example for my entry the comment was 'Straight entry and smooth turn' yet I got a 6

I also had 'Good 10 m circle and Good 20 m circle twice ' but got a 7 for 1 and 6 for the other- in the marks Good = 8??

I had 'Good Medium' in my medium canter and got a 6 for 1 and a 7 for another- again should this be an 8?

For my final halt I had 5 and 'Nearly Square'.
This is is halt:
http://www.sbmphotographic.co.uk/photo4407970.html

How much squarer could it be and do you think a 5 was justified??

I am not being picking- just trying to understand the marking.
 
Can't help except the fact, I got a bloody terrible mark at the weekend, which Ok, that's dressage Expect it was marked like this pretty much all the way through 6 for a 10m circle and then a ditto for the next movement with a 5
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the halt 5 sounds ridiculous but then I can't really comment as it's the centre line, transition to halt, etc. But I disagree with the judge
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And fabulous pics btw
 
Would that be for Novice 34 by any chance? We had a "good medium canter" comment for both reins and a 6 and a 7 and were generally very disapointed with the overall marks that we got, it was a very low scoring class which I don't necessarily reflected the quality in it......
 
I would have thought a 7 at least for that halt but I am no judge from experience they put good but it does not relate to the marking score set, I have done many tests and wondered what the judge means so now I just look in relation to where I came in the class with that judge to see if I did well - hope that makes sence
 
Does seem unreasonable, but then not being a judge or had any judging experience I wouldnt really know.
I dont understand when they write good and only get 7 or below lol

As for the halt, was there two judges? one at B/E and A or just one, I guess it depends on what the judge sees from their view, if there wasnt a side on judge I guess its diffiucult to tell.
He doesnt look wide behind or anything but dunno how he came into the transition either.... either way, your boy is lovely
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Dressage judges!!
That halt looked good - unless you were wonky - but it lookes square?!
I got fed up with being marked down without an explanation why - just had the movement with a '5' and no reason why it was a 5 not a 6 or 7! I haven't done a test in about 3 years now - it put me off! (not to mention the naughty 17hh warmblood who did everything he could to be naughty - he beat me, when I just 'did' the test! Crazy!!)
 
I dont see how you got 'nearly square' for your halt, not very fair i dont think, the halt itself is worth a 7 IMO, however it depends what the transition in to the halt was like as to whether you shouldve got higher.
 
That is either poor marking or poor comments.

The comments and scores should reflect each other and be in line with the score guidance at the top of the sheet.

Was the scoring consistent? If not, or you feel stongly about this, you would have grounds to submit a complaint. It's perhaps forgivable at lower level, unaffiliated comps, where judges can be lower lists or unlisted, but if you pay BD entry fees, you should expect competent judges.
 
you need to take into account the whole movement. For example your medium trot itself may well have been good and worth an 8 but your transitions either side of the trot may have been slightly unbalanced/rushed/abrupt (delete as appropriate) which is why you didn't get a higher mark.

Normally though a judge would comment accordingly to explain why you didn't get the 8.

Unfortunately though it may be a case of a judge either choosing a non appropriate descriptive word (eg should have used sufficient instead of good!), or not being 'brave' enough to use the full scale of marks appropriately (i had one test last year for a ODE where everyone in the class (20 combinations) which ranged from the v good to the awful were all within 4% because the judge gave literally everything 6s!!!!!)

Again with the circles and halt the comment only applies to part of the movement, one circle may well have been a mark better due to a better rhythm throughout the movement or similar. The halt in turn looks to be slightly close behind (so not 'quite' square although I am being picky), and if you weren't straight up the centre, or cut your corner, or lost balance etc this can always affect the mark.

This is why if possible (and feeling brave) I like to have a chat with a judge after a test (at end of class of course
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). They are normally more than willing to discuss it if you are pleasent and curteous and it will still be fresh in their minds (depending how big the class was
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). End of the day only so much that can be written on a test sheet especially in the individual movement comments as they are literally multitasking throughout the entire test!
 
ahhhhh the dressage judges and their marking!!!! i honestly think you have to accept what is there, you cant change it!! you have vid of your test you know it was good!!! You know your horse and how it goes the judge sees you for 4.5 ish mins, try not to take it to heart too much, altho i do see your confusion and see where your coming from we need more consistancy in the marking system i think and mayb more consistancy in the training of judges too!!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Dressage judges!!
That halt looked good - unless you were wonky - but it lookes square?!
I got fed up with being marked down without an explanation why - just had the movement with a '5' and no reason why it was a 5 not a 6 or 7! I haven't done a test in about 3 years now - it put me off! (not to mention the naughty 17hh warmblood who did everything he could to be naughty - he beat me, when I just 'did' the test! Crazy!!)

[/ QUOTE ]

Was this affiliated? Only anything below a 6 and the judge should comment.

Sorry it's put you off
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It was affliated and yes Novice 34. The %'s were very low. There were 20 plus in the class and only 2 of us got over 60%.
The horses were good quality as well IMO !
I got 7-' very straight' for the centre line before the halt He didn't hollow or wobble.
I had no comments next the collectives other than 'Some good movements, should do well in the future'
Only 1 move through the whole test said ' a little tight in the neck'
Not one other negative comment.

I also had a couple of 6's with no comments next to it.
 
I had a dressage test last year that I thought went ok, wasnt the best in the world but evil judge gave us about 30%. Horse after me reared in almost everymovement and got far higher marks. work that one out - and I didnt go wrong!
 
Weird correlation of comments and marks!

I always thought a 7 and above is good and does not require a comment, but for 6 and below something has gone wrong and the judge should say what it is.

Halt looks pretty perfect to me too.
 
I think sometimes judges make snap decisions- sister qualified for the PC Champs and scored 50 (eventing). Her medium tort consisted of 3 bucks and a canter and got a 5, but her 15m trot circles were lovely, correctly shaped and in a soft, consistent outline also got a 5!

I'd just grit my teeth and hope I didn't get her again...
 
[ QUOTE ]
It was affliated and yes Novice 34. The %'s were very low. There were 20 plus in the class and only 2 of us got over 60%.
The horses were good quality as well IMO !
I got 7-' very straight' for the centre line before the halt He didn't hollow or wobble.
I had no comments next the collectives other than 'Some good movements, should do well in the future'
Only 1 move through the whole test said ' a little tight in the neck'
Not one other negative comment.

I also had a couple of 6's with no comments next to it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds as though you were unlucky and got a mean marking judge tbh!

I am very surprised that the judge made no comment to let you know why you only got a 5
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Still if I were you I would just put it behind me - onwards and upwards
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I was a trainee judge and was always told the if I said Good in a comment then the mark should be 8 or above unless I followed through with a comment that justified a loss of mark and so awarded a 7 or less

It does seem poor marking but if the low scoring was across the board then I wouldn't worry to much.

You are however within your rights to question the marks given and you could contact the BD
 
It could also have been the writer? It is possible they've missed a comment or removed extra description words in an effort to keep up with the judging, particularly if you have quite a large long striding horse that covers the arena quickly so the marks/comments come thick and fast (not sure on size of your pony but looks pretty big to me).
 
Charlie 76 and ane_lou above - were you all at Bury Farm? I got some VV strange marks in one of my tests there and my instructor (also a listed judge) was actually saying to me that she thought I should write to BD - only saw my sheet v briefly (upside down) as they wouldn't realease it til judge finished but unless read worng I got a 4 for submission in my collectives.....he has NEVER had below a 6 even at Novice and this was a prelim....instructor was aghast and also seems weird that could get such a low collective and yet score 62% and come 4th overall in the class....
I wonder if we were all judged by the same judge?
My instructor is adamant that BD needs feedback and that I/maybe we? should write.....
 
Damn just went to look and they've taken times down and judges not shown on results....and I don't have my sheet yet.
WHich arena were you guys in for N34? The end one (1 I think?) or the inner one (2?) Think same judge stayed in same arena?
 
Ok .... here are a couple of pics of my test at same venue same day...would you say this would warrant a 4 for submission in his collectives ( and 5 for paces.....not had below a 6 for submission for years....and usually 7 for paces tbh)
http://www.sbmphotographic.co.uk/photo4407666.html#photo
http://www.sbmphotographic.co.uk/photo4407667.html#photo
http://www.sbmphotographic.co.uk/photo4407668.html#photo

I know he is a little 'gobby' and opens his mouth a bit sometimes, but at the end of the day this is prelim.....
 
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