Dressage - only 1st place rosettes given

I entered a Trailblazers elementary qualifier on my well trained welsh C, did a neat accurate test. Sheet not very nice & the judge (listed) told me “I think you are very brave to even attempt this level on something like that” I wrote a stinker to the head of BD in a rage staring that surely dressage was for everyone, not just bay warmbloods, he wrote back & apologised & said she would be called for retraining. I gave up shortly after
 
Grassy said:
I entered a Trailblazers elementary qualifier on my well trained welsh C, did a neat accurate test. Sheet not very nice & the judge (listed) told me “I think you are very brave to even attempt this level on something like that” I wrote a stinker to the head of BD in a rage staring that surely dressage was for everyone, not just bay warmbloods, he wrote back & apologised & said she would be called for retraining. I gave up shortly after
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Good for you calling the judge out. How rude of them to say that.
 
Grassy said:
I entered a Trailblazers elementary qualifier on my well trained welsh C, did a neat accurate test. Sheet not very nice & the judge (listed) told me “I think you are very brave to even attempt this level on something like that” I wrote a stinker to the head of BD in a rage staring that surely dressage was for everyone, not just bay warmbloods, he wrote back & apologised & said she would be called for retraining. I gave up shortly after
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I had a judge (at BD) make similar comments about my highland on a couple of occasions. I absolutely feel your pain - and it’s one of several reasons I no longer compete in dressage.
 
Guys, please stop complaining about judges on this post. It wasn't a direct criticism about the judge, it was a #firstworldproblem whinge about not getting a frilly. We've all been on the receiving end of sh1tty comments from judges, but I bet we've all had far more encouraging sheets than not. I could write a book on demoralising comments on sheets and they are indeed, a kick in the b*ll*ck5. Just maybe start your own post on that. Let's keep this rosette whinge about just that perhaps. I've loved reading about attic finds and pony club memories
 
One more add on the frillies - when too many are given out……….


When my children were in pony club and I was on committee, if a child had something go poorly in their comp but they behaved in a sensitive manner toward their pony, or showed exceptional resilience we gave them a lovely purple rosette with “excellent riding” written on it. These were given out with an explanation of what they had done well in the face of adversity. All good, it was a committee agreed position until mother from hell arrived.

Her complaint was her child had placed in the comp but got a standard rosette, not the purple one which she felt was nicer. I kid you not. It was an agenda item on our meeting and took about 20mins of discussion to solve.
 
At the local agricultural show one year they wanted to make sure that all the kids in the novelty classes got a rosette.

One little girl was given a rosette that said 'Happy Birthday Reagan'. No-one knew who Reagan was or how that rosette had ended up in the box!

Main thing was that no-one - including the little girl - really cared. She was just so happy to have a lovely orange frilly ribbon.
 
TheresaW said:
I got my first horse, Dolly, when I was 30. I was only ever a happy hacker, but used to go to odd local showing shows, or fun dressage.

My first ever rosette said “Special” on it. I was so proud of it, even though she’d been so naughty, and we came last. I still have that rosette over 20 years later. 🤣
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There were quite a few "special" rosettes in the box my mum found in her attic! Memories came flooding back of a small white Welsh dragon dumping me numerous times at a gymkhana. I think the rosettes were sympathy ones 🤣🤣
 
I still have a box of rosettes from my pony club days in the 1980s, mostly “special” ones. I didn’t have my own pony, and always took a pony from the riding school/trekking centre. I never did well in comparison to my friends who had their own. I’ve written on the back what they were for, things like “clear round” and “handy pony”. I treasure them all and must have been so proud at the time.

I also treasure the handful of rosettes I won for riding school dressage competitions as an adult, including my one and only first. I’ve never been particularly competitive at any sport I’ve ever taken part in, and was delighted with it.

When I finally get my horse, I hope to do some low level RC dressage, and I’ll be delighted if I get a rosette of an any sort, even a sympathy “special” one. I reckon they’re the best of all.
 
Grassy said:
I entered a Trailblazers elementary qualifier on my well trained welsh C, did a neat accurate test. Sheet not very nice & the judge (listed) told me “I think you are very brave to even attempt this level on something like that” I wrote a stinker to the head of BD in a rage staring that surely dressage was for everyone, not just bay warmbloods, he wrote back & apologised & said she would be called for retraining. I gave up shortly after
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WoW!! Good for you writing to Head of BD that is appalling. Sorry you felt so bad that you gave up. I think some of these judges get carried away with their own self importance!
 
TheresaW said:
I got my first horse, Dolly, when I was 30. I was only ever a happy hacker, but used to go to odd local showing shows, or fun dressage.

My first ever rosette said “Special” on it. I was so proud of it, even though she’d been so naughty, and we came last. I still have that rosette over 20 years later. 🤣
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I got my first (and so far only) horse when I was 40.

Our first rosette was third in the in-hand cob at my local show - out of three!

I still love it, because it's my memory of the very first time I got to take my own horse out to a show.
 
I stopped BD after I got a particularkly nasty sheet for my first time out after an injury. Line after line of nasty comment. My horse was overexcited, I tried to ride sympathetically and reassure him. The comments were borderline cruel and I vividly remember the final halt comment "Square but rude to scratch horse before saluting judge" and awarded me a 4 ... I mean sure, fine, whatever, but the horse tense enough that a square robust halt deserved a little recognition. He didn't ask to be there. All collectives were 4 with the wonderful "not ready at this level" shoved in, despite it being the only level I was permitted to compete in (was onyl elementary). I also won the class (of 6). I didn't see the other sheets as it was during Covid so only got sheet in post later, but I wish I had seen them as I watched some sweet combinations. None of us were special. It midweek, midCovid and, for me, post injury local BD ... These days, they are lucky to get 2-3 riders per class at that venue, even in prelim and often no one enters above novice. Wonder why ....
 
Lucky Snowball said:
I still have all my rosettes, written on. So many memories.
Talking about reduced numbers of entries, I have joined horse monkey and see a green box with a number beside each class. Is this the number who have entered so far? Thanks in advance.
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I don’t know re horse monkey. There is one of the other sites that shows number of entries live as it were.
 
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I love these pictures of my late Tb/Sec D proudly wearing his yellow rosette after getting 3rd place in his prelim section as an individual at the Riding Club National Champs in the early 90s. This is at the Three Counties Showground.

He knew that he had raised his game when it counted on very slippery ground which he hated. I had been more nervous than a nervous thing before the bell rang before the test. Both horse and rider are enjoying the moment.

I’d have been gutted not to get a rosette!

Such a kind, sensitive boy, much missed.

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