Evaluator Credentials at Futurity

[jeanette10]

We have been looking at the Futurity this year as we hope to enter in 2009. So this year has been more of a fact finding exercise.

One thing I wish to ask is what are the credentials of the evaluators, as this is one thing that the Futurity gives no information on??

For example, at the venue we would have been at this year you have Celia Clarke (known for books and associations to breed societies in the UK), Lesley Payton Gilbert (I think I am correct in saying that she is a dressage rider), and some chap called Mark Shaw??? So who is the latter person??

Hence why I have wondered why the Futurity organisers have not put a list of their evaluators along with their credentials, thus giving entrants the opportunity to know the knowledge base these people have.

Would be interested to hear peoples thoughts on this.

 

[H4C]

We are doing the same Anet, although we started looking at the Futurity and travelling to several of thier venues last year.

Many of the Evaluators are very knowledable as they have either been horsemen/women in thier own right at a high standard or like Celia Clarke, have a lot of knowledge (although she does get a lot of peoples backs up). We also met a chap called Richard (who also judged the Br Dressage youngsters at Addington), I think he has his own dressage stallion, knows sport horses and is very pleasant to talk to and informative.
As for Mark Shaw

I have done a lot of asking around and cant see why on earth he is an evaluator, although when I asked at one of the venues I was told he is only a trainee. He IS well known and caused alot of trouble last year in Scotland. He hasnt achieve anything to date and from what I can see hasnt even entered any of his own horses in the BEF

. I dont know the chap personaly (although I have heard a lot about his antics abroad and in the uk) but his reputation does preceed him. I would NOT pay good money to have any of my horses evaluated by him and I am not alone in this and would always look for a venue were he is not taking part. (This is my personal view!) He is something to do with CHAPS.

 

[Spyda]

Yes, interesting point. I haven't personally looked into who's doing the evaluating (just assume that they're appropriately qualified) but, like you say, it's odd if it is not declared somewhere what their "qualifications" are.

 

[pinktiger]

this is my first year doing the evaluations (competitor) i (wrongly) just assumed that the evaluators were of serious equestrian stature??????? how do you find out whos evaluating at certain venues???

 

[_daisy_]

can you PM me the info you have on this evaluator please, just out of curiosity as I too was wondering who he was

 

[_daisy_]

they are on the bottom of the catalogues - just found out who is evaulating at Myerscough

 

[birchave0]

I found this on the Chap's website

Co-opted Directors:



Gradings Mark Shaw 1 The Lodge, Hand Lane, Kiveton, Park, Tel/Fax: 01909 515493, Sheffield, S26 6NB Mobile: 07977 933291

But this doesn't say who he is what he does

I do know that at Myerscough one of the evaluators is Lucinda Simms who is a very well known hunter judge and breeder but don't know anything about the other two, anyone???

 

[volatis]

Mark Shaw owns United Coloured Stud http://www.unitedcolouredstud.com/

 

[Partoow]

All the evaluators have experience, considerable in all cases.
Opinions vary and when you do a job like this then you are going to make some people happy and others not so.
There are 3 peopple on most of the panels to ensure an open perspective and its not just one persons opinion.
each memeber has been asked because of their speciality and it is usually not in just one sphere.
All assesors have undergone training on what criteria the assesments are made.
Like anything subjective it is not infalable but they err on the side of encouragement not to slam or be overly negative but it is important to be critical in a constructive way.
There is no such thing as a perfect horse we are looking to improve the breeding of athletic sports horses and hopefully ensure a long as time as possible in their chosen sphere.
at the Grange the assesors were of huge experience one of them having ridden in the olympics and has gone on to breed top eventers that her daughter now rides internationally.It is not about ho you do or dont llike they often challenge percepsions its easy to be a 'yes' man [ or woman] not so easy to stick your neck on the line and question.
hope that sheds some light