Dressage - only 1st place rosettes given

[onemoretime]

I don’t get the meanness of not giving out rosettes. It’s not like they cost a lot and 30 pounds for a test! Just wow.

On the judge comments, that kills me too. I do a lot of pencilling/writing at dressage. I also very lucky to have an education plus a career where leading and developing people has to be a core skill.

Many judges whilst well intentioned by being judges for our sport do not have any experience in developing people. Many are quite insecure individuals as well which can manifest in some pretty judgemental and nasty comments. Others I can almost prepopulate the sheets as they only have 2-3 transactional phrases they repeat throughout.

Some however are truly amazing individuals who understand that most of us work full time, raise families, have caring duties and squeeze in horses when we can for pleasure and comment knowing we are doing the best we can with the time and resources we have.

I reckon you got a dud judge on the day - and then no rosette! Well that would make me grumpy as well.

I completely agree with your reply. Sadly I think the remarks from judges have a lot to do with the decline in entries at dressage. My horse competes in dressage and often she is one of two in the class (Adv Med). If there is 4 in the class then that is a big class. I know that the higher you go the less people enter as there are less working at that level but some years ago the entries were much higher. Also money I guess has something to do with it but all venues should give out rosettes as its not the fault of those who have entered the class that others haven't entered!

 

[onemoretime]

In France, the first third of entries are placed and most of the time there is a rosette and prize for those placings. Getting a rosette and a hoofpick makes my day and the first time I won an actual cup I was giddy with delight

That's lovely that you get a small prize as well as a rosette. Perhaps BD need to take this on board, it doesn't have to be a big expensive prize just a small token means so much to the one horse owner.

 

[onemoretime]

The 5th place rosette I got in riding club dressage is one of my most treasured possessions - my pony was only 5 and it took a lot of courage from both of us to get in the ring at all!
I got a few nice comments on the sheet too. What a good day that was!
The following month things didn't go quite as well but it wasn't awful and I was still feeling quite positive about the test. When I went to pick up my sheet there were two teenage girls reading it and laughing their heads off. I'd come 10th out of 10 - OK - but the judge had written in the last box 'Nice pony, shame about the rider.' And every other comment was rubbish.
I believe in constructive criticism but I can't stand it when people are just plain rude. I was totally humiliated.

That is a disgusting thing to write on anyones sheet. You should have gone to the organiser about that and showed it to her!

 

[onemoretime]

If a listed judge is not capable of adjusting her expectations when judging riding club rather than affiliated dressage, both her listing and her judgement are worthless

Agree!

 

[SEL]

One of my local venues always makes a real effort to do rosettes 1-6 and even when I was the sole entry in the class - and he was a horror - insisted I take my rosette. She said the pony didn't deserve it but I did for perseverance!!

I do know they won't have one judge back though because the scoring was so harsh. I was OK with it, but I'm old and thick skinned....

 

[Nancykitt]

That is a disgusting thing to right on anyones sheet. You should have gone to the organiser about that and showed it to her!

I do think that the organisers were a llittle embarrassed but they seemed a bit star-struck that they'd managed to get a listed judge.
One of the organisers said 'Well, she has a reputation for 'saying it like it is'!' I don't like this sort of attitude - in some cases, it gives people a license to be rude & unpleasant.
I know that other people on the day complained that the sheets were pretty useless as the comments were so brief - and 'ATB' isn't particularly useful if it's said again and again and again.

I remember someone bringing their very green young horse to do its first test (Intro) and the horse really struggled with pretty much everything - the car horn, the other horses, etc etc.
The rider did a great job of persevering and although the test didn't score highly the judge was really tactful.
One of the organisers, however, decided to shout at the rider and tell her that she should not bother turning up until her horse had learnt some manners.
She never came again.
I do think that dressage - even at the lowest levels, needs a bit of a re-think if there's a genuine desire to encourage people to get involved and enjoy competing.



One of the local yards use to do 'fun showjumping' midweek and there was a choice of rosette or Polo mints!

 

[JFTDWS]

Gosh, that 'clutter' represents blood sweat and tears to me. I love 'clutter' and each and every rosette/clutter means the world to me.

Fair enough. I’d rather keep the sheet, or have a photo (even a phone photo I’ve taken myself before getting on) to remember the event and represent the work behind it.

The work is reflected in the good horse, the sheet and the score more than the ribbon (or the placing, which is as much about the other competitors as it is your achievement).

 

[Muddywellies]

Fair enough. I’d rather keep the sheet, or have a photo (even a phone photo I’ve taken myself before getting on) to remember the event and represent the work behind it.

The work is reflected in the good horse, the sheet and the score more than the ribbon (or the placing, which is as much about the other competitors as it is your achievement).

The sheet was fit for the bin. I wouldn't want a reminder of the slating the judge gave me. After using a day's annual leave, paying over £30 to enter and travelling 1 1/2 hrs to get there, a rosette would have really cheered me up.

 

[JFTDWS]

In that case, I don’t think I’d want to keep any reminder of the day if it was that bad, to be honest!

 

[millitiger]

I don't keep rosettes anymore and I give them back to the venues.
I only keep special ones now.

However I do see why people like to have them and it seems a shame not to get one- most BD I go to give rosettes to 2nd or 3rd in each section so could be 9 rosettes per class.

The sheet sounds a bit demoralising though, sometimes you do just have to bin them!
I had a pretty naff sheet the other week that just had the word "contact" in almost every comment box- a bit perplexed as my horse has a really steady contact and closed mouth.
So I shrugged and binned in and went out again under a different judge 2 weeks later and had a lovely time.

Don't let it get you down, find another venue to enter and get back out there

 

[Muddywellies]

Tbh this wasn't meant to be a judge bashing post. It was just a lighthearted (bit miffed too tho) post about venues being mean with rosettes and how some of us love a frilly.

 

[Tarragon]

Tbh this wasn't meant to be a judge bashing post. It was just a lighthearted (bit miffed too tho) post about venues being mean with rosettes and how some of us love a frilly.

I was miffed on your behalf too
I found a gymkhana rosette I got from the early 1970's in a drawer yesterday, and it is tiny! No bigger than the palm of my hand. On the back carefully inscribed the name of the pony and the race - brought back lovely memories.

 

[blitznbobs]

The problem with entries is the fact you can’t win unless you are training a big warmblood or you are competing 3 levels below that you are trained to on a ‘normal horse’ … also the training to get your horse so overbent while using its front end and not its back - that it wins is seen by many as stupid, amoral and defeating the true spirit of dressage… so while the entries continue to decline I don’t see this improving…

I was dressage to the core - have a line of kwpns and now I’m crossing them out to lusos (controversial I know ) and starting again in working equitation..

 

[Pinkvboots]

I had a friend that was a dressage judge and remember she often would go and find competitor's to encourage and help them which I think is so lovely, don't seem to see it now though alot of them seem to get off being horrible to people it's sad

 

[eggs]

I have to confess I do like to get a rosette but when I get home they just get put in a box and not looked at again so now I tend not to pick them up unless it is for something special.

 

[Mari]

As a true amateur, and not a very good one at that, I was so dismayed recently to find a venue only gave out 1st place rosettes. Half the class were professional (gold) riders on horses owned by others. When a competition costs a day off work and £30 to enter, I love a little something for my effort. Instead I got an incredibly rude sheet with not a single positive comment (not one) and went home with my tail between my legs. No wonder us amateurs are feeling so disheartened with BD atm.

Edited to add, yes I am aware of BD's rosette and prize money allocation. It's just nice when venues ignore that and give out rosettes to, say 6th place. I'll never be in the money, but a rosette is nice.

Usually the judge gives comments against the individual movements that are not only what the judge sees but also to help you learn what you need to do to get higher marks - eg losing straightness / more supple / contact uneven. - sadly there isn’t time to say more (or write if you are the writer). The comment at the bottom is where you will find a positive & constructive comment. Yes it is disheartening to have so many professionals in your class but this is what happens in affiliated competitions.
Sadly some professionals are also entering unaffiliated competitions. This year a friend was excited to start dressage competitions with her Clydesdale X only to find a rider that competes internationally in one class & a rider that recently won a national title in another. No they were not competing HC.

 

[Ceifer]

I don't know about down south but in my local area BD entries are dwindling with such low numbers a lot of venues have stopped running them. Unaffiliated sj and dr entries are just as bad, so I am not surprised at how disheartened the OP feels about BD, it isn't doing any them favours to encourage riders to affiliate and support their competitions. I gave up BD as I was sick of all the pot hunters.

I am getting to that stage of not wanting to bother.
The last two times I’ve been out the warm ups have been carnage. First the mother of a well known young dressage rider was competing and getting in the way in the warm up. Berating her daughter who was trying to warm her up via an earpiece.
The second time admittedly I misread the schedule and had hoped for a quiet show only to find out that they were running 2 arenas and one warmup so I was warming up a hot horse with all the advance riders. One recently disgraced rider rode at me despite it being my right of way. These people are there to do a job, they compete owners horses and have lots at stake.
Whinge over.

 

[Muddywellies]

Usually the judge gives comments against the individual movements that are not only what the judge sees but also to help you learn what you need to do to get higher marks - eg losing straightness / more supple / contact uneven. - sadly there isn’t time to say more (or write if you are the writer). The comment at the bottom is where you will find a positive & constructive comment. Yes it is disheartening to have so many professionals in your class but this is what happens in affiliated competitions.
Sadly some professionals are also entering unaffiliated competitions. This year a friend was excited to start dressage competitions with her Clydesdale X only to find a rider that competes internationally in one class & a rider that recently won a national title in another. No they were not competing HC.

Yes I know. We've been competing BD and going nicely up through the levels for a few years now. The main grumble I had was just the stingy allocation of rosettes, and how a pretty ribbon would have taken the sting out of the not very positive tone throughout my sheet. Disheartening sheets never seem quite so bad when there is a pretty rosette attached. Proving that the saying 'you can't polish a t&rd' is actually incorrect !

 

[Cobxfan55]

I’m another who likes a rosette after a comp. I will never be a competitive rider and just like a day out with my horse so enjoy having a little thing to remind me of it. (I didn’t get to go to pony club so I am channeling my inner child now )

Sorry you didn’t get any positive feed back. That is pants

I never did pony club either but I totally get were you are coming from the inner child about the rosette collection I have18 how about you ? I have one best turned out rosette

 

[Cobxfan55]

I was miffed on your behalf too
I found a gymkhana rosette I got from the early 1970's in a drawer yesterday, and it is tiny! No bigger than the palm of my hand. On the back carefully inscribed the name of the pony and the race - brought back lovely memories.

Aww that sounds awesome what was the pony called

 

[Lucky Snowball]

A venue near me gives rosettes to 6 but you can swap your rosette for a coffee.
I don’t mind what the judge writes. You always take the best horse home. As long as the result seems fair. I’m shocked that people laughed at comments, the sheet should be folded so just the name and mark can be seen.

 

[Peglo]

I never did pony club either but I totally get were you are coming from the inner child about the rosette collection I have18 how about you ? I have one best turned out rosette

I think mine is sitting at 10ish but that was mostly from one season as haven’t managed to get out much recently. That’s a mix of showing, dressage and jumping. Not a single red frilly but it was Tali’s first year doing any of the above disciplines and she was awesome. (I was showing in my plastic wintec saddle so never going to win anything in that )

Our dressage judge does a beginners course the day before the comps and she gives lessons too. She is so helpful and passionate about dressage and works with the horse and rider in front of her. She wants people to enjoy it and improve.

 

[Chiffy]

Muddywellies, really shocked at your post, reading it at first, I was going to advise going to affiliated BD rather than unaffiliated, but then I saw it WAS affiliated.
As a family we are long term eventers who this year ventured into pure dressage for the first time. We have delighted with BD, far more encouraging to the amateur than BE. The levels of Bronze, Silver and Gold riders are great, If you were in a class with all three doing the same test, the prizes are divided into the groups. A gold may win overall, but you could win as a bronze if you were the highest placed of them. We have found both rosettes and prize money generous.
I believe there is even a Club Class that you can join.
I am surprised too at only derogatory remarks, even if a rider has had a nightmare ride, the judge usually manages ‘well ridden’ or ‘well tried’ . I do believe when marking, the judge can just put a mark and no comment if it’s above 5 but the lower marks must have a comment saying why the mark is low. The summing up comments usually give you something positive to work on.
Hope you are not put off and can try a different venue.

 

[Baywonder]

I cannot get over that judge's comments. They clearly have no understanding of constructive criticism

All of the rosettes I won with my old boy are safely boxed up and are amongst my most treasured possessions. To me they hold so many lovely memories and are utterly priceless.

 

[SEL]

My mum found a box of childhood rosettes in their attic a while back. I was going to throw them out but I'd neatly written on the back the pony and the event and it brought back too many memories. None of those ponies are here any more so it just seemed wrong to bin them.

All of mine for the little cobs are kept in a box my FIL made me. I think it's nice to keep them and maybe look back on those too in many decades.

 

[Muddywellies]

My mum found a box of childhood rosettes in their attic a while back. I was going to throw them out but I'd neatly written on the back the pony and the event and it brought back too many memories. None of those ponies are here any more so it just seemed wrong to bin them.

All of mine for the little cobs are kept in a box my FIL made me. I think it's nice to keep them and maybe look back on those too in many decades.

THIS!! I think BD and venues sometimes overlook the fact that many of the members are 12 yr old girls trapped in a 50 something year old body. We're not all trying to get sheets for regionals.

 

[Tarragon]

The pony was Micky. I put the biro in for scale!

 

[humblepie]

The pony was Micky. I put the biro in for scale!
View attachment 148227View attachment 148228

Gosh yes I have a collection like that with the names and class and pony name on the back - rosettes on the whole are somewhat larger these days! Some even mention how much prize money was won - probably 50p which I duly gave to my father for petrol.

 

[Marigold4]

I had a friend that was a dressage judge and remember she often would go and find competitor's to encourage and help them which I think is so lovely, don't seem to see it now though alot of them seem to get off being horrible to people it's sad

I had a judge come and find me after a dressage test this summer. Horse (as usual) had spooked several times, but she was so complimentary and encouraging, telling me what a lovely partnership we make and how much potential he had. She told me he was worth persevering with. It made my day/summer!

 

[HBB]

I am getting to that stage of not wanting to bother.
The last two times I’ve been out the warm ups have been carnage. First the mother of a well known young dressage rider was competing and getting in the way in the warm up. Berating her daughter who was trying to warm her up via an earpiece.
The second time admittedly I misread the schedule and had hoped for a quiet show only to find out that they were running 2 arenas and one warmup so I was warming up a hot horse with all the advance riders. One recently disgraced rider rode at me despite it being my right of way. These people are there to do a job, they compete owners horses and have lots at stake.
Whinge over.

I did exceptionally well with all my ponies, always over 70% at Elementary and won a fair bit of money too but it annoyed me so much when riders known to me that evented to a decent level would try their hand at affiliated BD and enter at Prelim Bronze or Prelim Silver. Same with the unaffiliated riders that were scoring high %'s on mixed BD/unaff days at Elementary or above coming in at Prelim Bronze or Silver because they had no points so were eligible! The warm up was a complete joke with half pass, changes and pirouettes, it really surprised me what a farce it all was and that the eligibility was so easily manipulated.