Fence Judge...what to expect???

Spit That Out

Spit That Out

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I've volunteered to be a fence judge at quite a big XC event which happens to be local to me in July.
My friend asked me if i could do it as they have had a few people drop out and she happens to be good friends with the organisers of the event.
I have only been given the basic info of what to expect which includes taking my car to a fence and sitting there from 9.30 until it ends (last rider is at 6.30?) they will provide breakfast & lunch and depending on my experience will depend on which fence they put me on. There will be a briefing at 8.30 before it starts.
I was just wondering if anyone had any experience or advice of being a fence judge?
I've done XC when I was younger (thinner & braver) and watched it on foot etc so I'm really excited to be involved in the event :)
However my friend who I was thinking of asking to come with me has said its really boring :(

Any advice of things I should take and keep in the car??
 
I enjoy fence judging. Your responsibilities will be to score each horse and rider over the fence. Ensuring that as the horse approaches the fence there are no people on the course, often blowing a whistle to let the next fence judge know that a horse is coming, reporting back over the walkietalkie how the combination has done - this is so the commentator can report back.

If an incident does occur on the course, you may need to hold up a rider, and then you will need a stopwatch so you can report how long they were held up for. If an incident happens at your fence, you will have to report back so you can get medical help and so others know to hold up the course.

Take lots of water, you will be fed well, and take warm clothes, suncream, a chair.

Have fun!
 
I fence judge a bit, am doing Hickstead in July :) Which event are you at?
I enjoy it as well, which i know makes me very sad!

You might get a bit lonely on your own, is there anyone else you could as to come with you? Im sure they will give you a nice simple fence for your first time and im sure you'll feel fine once you have had the briefing.

Have a good time :)
 
I can remember being bored once but we were just beginning to enjoy the feeling (it doesn't happen often to horse-owners) when the next horse hove into view. There had been a lull in the proceedings because of an incident earlier on the course.
You will enjoy it more with a companion.
 
If you've not done it before then the organiser should make sure you have a companion if your friend won't come. It can be quite tricky juggling radio, stopwatch, pencil, timesheets and whistle when there are horses coming past every couple of minutes that you need to be ready to watch. It gets really exciting when they start sending the horses round at 90 second intervals to catch up after a hold.

I enjoy it and am looking forward to tomorrow:D
 
Dress code = pack your car with everything from shorts to ski wear... Especially gloves and waterproofs. Bring sun tan lotion and fly repellant, and maybe some kind of chair to sit in. The organisers will should look after you really well.
 
You do need a companion, as it makes it a much pleasenter experience. Take a flask for hot drinks, in case it's cold, cold drinks for if it is hot and layer your clothes as much as possble. It sounds as if you are only expected to do one fence, three of us together did five and the timed section :eek: no time for boredom there! We were always supplied with flags, red for person in need of first aid, blue for animal first aid and white for course repairs. We only ever used the white :)
 
If you do not have a companion, you will spend all day desperate for the loo.
If the interval between horses is, say 4 mins, the loo is bound to be about 5 mins away so you will spend the entire day desperate unless you do shifts.
Take endless clothes. Take painkillers. Take sunglasses.
S :D
 
I love it, have never taken a friend as I get easily distracted, buy having to fill in the score sheet, making sure I have the right horse and rider, plus relaying info via the walkie talkie, but then I have the attention span of a nat :)

It is great fun
 
make sure you park your car so you can see the whole of the fence, the approach and the get away.
More importantly, (if you can), park your car so you can have a widdle behind it without anyone seeing!:D
Have fun!
 
Thanks everyone...My friend is going but i just hope she doesn't whinge all day!!!

Thanks for the loo tips, i hadn't even thought about that!!!
 
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