Have you ever complained whilst competing?

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not_with_it

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I was just wondering if anyone has ever complained at a competition, and if so what for?

I was at an unaff comp just watching at the weekend and a woman complained because the horse in the next arena was misbehaving and it upset her horse. Now I didnt see what happened so cant go into detail but to me its just 'one of those things.'
The rider of the 'naughty horse' was young and in tears and the organizer made her go apologise.

I do moan about things but ive never felt the need to complain, I just shrug it off.
 
things like that no i wouldn't complain as that is just horses for you and well hers should have been listening to her aids not being distracted by other horses anyway
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I have asked SJ courses/fences to be adjusted if I considered them unsafe, eg jump cups with pins the wrong way, lights in way of jump or fence number infront of jump!
 
I complained once at an unaff showjumping (at a centre that does BSJA being judge by the BSJA person) when in the jump off one girl (who won) missed out a jump completely, but the gate steward wasnt watching and said jump was underneath the judges box so judge didnt see.
Nothing was done about it but i thought it was appalling.
 
people who moan about pathetic things like that do my head in
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For god sake, what would she do if her horse was somewhere like the nationals with people getting up and down, planes flying over head, banners flapping
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You just have to get on with it. Personally i think its good for them anyways, im always putting Archie in situations at home for him to think about say for example if horses are galloping around in the field by the school il make sure hes seen them and he understands he has to concentrate on me and carry on working etc.
 
I was very tempted at a competition last night...

It was an unaffil dressage and I took a friend. It was her first ever competition and she was incredibly nervous. Her horse was doing ok until the canter when he just leapt into the air and I have no idea how she stayed on! She walked out of the arena (not knowing you have to salute to retire) and the judge came storming out of her car shouting at her for not letting her know what she was doing. Ok, I understand this at affiliated, but it was clear that this was a relatively novice combination and that she had experienced a scary moment, so surely a quiet word as opposed to bellowing across the arena in front of everyone would have been preferable. I felt like reporting her to someone, but unaffiliated you don't have that option.

Then, a woman went in on her horse and 'reminded' the horse she had the whip... I was disgusted if I am honest that nothing was done!
 
yes once after watching someone do a dressage test in a pelham and anouther time when i did the inhand and ridden veteran and some how one horse aged 8 years in the time it took to go from one ring to anouther. Organisers asked to see the horses passport and upheld my complaint on that one.
 
Have complained about other's behaviour towards their horses and rapping etc. Nothing has ever happened about it. Will have poles and cups rejiggled etc, but have never had the need to complain about a result.
 
Ah also my mum complained once at a BSJA event when a trainer with about 5 riders just completely took over the warm up and jumps and none of us could warm up - the event were very good they went out there and sorted it out.
 
No I don't think so.. I'm not really a complainer! Find it all a bit embarrassing!!
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I think people should if they want to though and there is good reason, otherwise people just carry on doing things wrong!
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I complained once, when I was in a class, and only me and another girl jumped clear, and there were a few on four faults. They announced that us and the four faulters would all jump off for first!

So my instructor complained that this was obviously unfair, and they changed it so I jumped off with the first girl for first and second place, and the rest jumped off for 3-6th places.
 
I've never had the need to complain at a show, but as a BSJA judge, I've heard plenty.

They complain if it's raining, if it's sunny, the position of the water tray, the collecting ring, the warm up surface, the secretary, the course builder, the judges, the organisers, the cafeteria, etc....I could go on and on.
 
Only once really, jumping in one of my first ever BSJA classes and I went in, had a pole down in the first part of the double and a stop at the second. They rang the bell to tell me to stop, put the jump back up and stupidly I didn't realise I was supposed to wait for another bell before starting again - so cantered a circle and jumped it - at which point they rang the bell and waived me over to explain, which was cool and it was my fault totally! However, what no one had realised was that the steward sending people in had been too busy yapping to her friend to watch what was going on, and when the first bell rang for me, thought I had been eliminated, sent my friend who was jumping next in. She then heard the next bell ring (my actual elimination) as she went in, panicked a bit, cantered a small circle and jumped the first fence. The judge then eliminated her for jumping the fence before the bell!! But she, understandably had heard a bell ring,whilst she was in the ring, so started.
I complained that it wasn't her fault and therefore she shouldn't have been eliminated and should be allowed to jump the course again, but they basically said that it was her fault for not watching what was going on, even though she had been warming her horse up and then had been sent in by the ring steward! I wasn't convinced but never mind, what can you do I guess?!
 
yes once, after getting a clear round in a jump off in a fast time going into the lead. The daughter of the person doing the timing went in a few horses later and had a refusal, yet somehow took over the lead on a very slow looking pony!
 
I have a couple of times. Once as venue that runs both affiliated and unaffiliated events. That particular day was unaffiliated dressage and the judge was just plain rude. Didnt complain about the marking but pointed out to the show organiser that rude judges are not good for their business, they confirmed that they too were appalled at the judges comments on the sheets and would not be using that judge again.

Another time I asked for a distance to be checked in RC ODE. Everyone walking the course was scratching their heads and walking backwards and forwards as the distance was not walking correctly. Nothing was actually done though and sure enough it rode dodgy.
 
I've never made a formal complaint but I was once complained about. It was at a big show, I had jumped a nice clear in a big class and was preparing for the jump off. As I was lining up to go in, the steward came up to me and said that someone had made a complaint because apparently I had been hitting my horse over the head with the whip! Needless to say I of course would never dream of doing such a thing. The steward informed me that there would be an investigation into her complaint, then walked off and left me there gobsmacked, with three minutes to go before a big jump off. I had two down and was out of the money.

After the competition, I had a letter setting out the accusations, which were clearly bullshit of the highest order. The person claimed that I had walked the horse down the horsewalk to the lorry park after my first round and beaten it round the head. But I had stayed in the collecting ring the whole time as there hadn't been enough time to go back to the lorry. And I had lots of witnesses to say that I had never left the ring. So it was all dropped and I did get an apology. But it was clearly malicious and it did cost me in potential prize money lost. I tried to make the point that it was unreasonable for the steward to have approached me before the jump off, but no one was interested. I was livid, tbh.
 
I complained about a badly organised RC ODE. I walked the XC course as usual, following my coloured numbers, as usual. I jumped what I thought was a good clear round and should have been won it. However a big fat 'E' appeared on the board! I questioned it and they said I had missed out the final fence. No I hadnt I said! Apparently the last fence had a DIFFERENT coloured number on it because "they had run out of your colour of numbers". OMFG! I was absolutely livid! There were 4 classes running that day, obviously with 4 different coloured numbers. HOW in hell they thought it was acceptable to change the final coloured number and without even making it obvious - I have no idea. I was livid because it was such a joke! The woman who I complained to would accept no responsibility for it and basically said I "should have walked the course better". UMMMMMMMMMM... maybe I should have walked it with my magic ball!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Becki...was the judge listed? Can complain if they were

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I don't know whether they were listed, I can find out the name though.

Would I have any grounds on which to complain though, as technically she should have retired by saluting but did not know as it was her first unaffil and she was trying to keep hold of her horse too much to think about it??? The thing is, an attitude like that last night really gives dressage a bad name in my opinion. If that was my first competition and I had been spoken to like that (and she really did bellow as opposed to just coming over to speak) I don't think I would be rushing back. I thought they were supposed to be promoting the disclipline
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I had to really bite my tongue, as I was absolutely disgusted that they pulled someone up for that and yet sat and watched a horse be belted by the whip for spooking!
 
yup, my friend competed at UK Riders SJ finals this year, in the teams section, the judge was going to allow a team to go and to their round "again" as they had a bad time the first time round!!!! unreal, I wasnt the only one complaining!!
 
No, i haven't ever complained, but I have felt like it. At a little local show, there was a Prettiest Mare class. 7 entries, rosettes to 6th. There were adults in the class, a few older kids and a much younger kid - I later found she was 8. She has a very pretty little grey with a lovely long mane. The mad judge pulled everyone in except the 8 year old. She left her standing all on her own at the back, no rosette - nothing. The pony did nothing wrong at all.

Ok maybe the judge thought she was the ugliest mare there, but WHAT WAS SHE DOING?? Pull her in joint 6th! Give her a special! Poor wee thing. Kiddie was very good actually and never said anything, made a face or got upset. I was hopping! I didn't even know her. I know it was a titchy local show, but how unnecessary was that!

Bad PMT I reckon - either that or she hates kids.
 
Yes during at a local dressage, another competitor was going to compete in a ported snaffle, I had already spoken to the competitor and they knew the bit was illegal (so they bloody well should, as a dressage judge themselves), but their response was that the steward wouldn't check, so the judge wouldn't know!!!!
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I told them if they didn't change it, I would report them, they didn't, so I did.
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I tend to vote with my feet now. There are anough decent venues in my area, that If I feel unhappy, I tend to bite my toungue, get the most out of the day for the horses, and not bother spending my entry fees there again.
I am much more likely to lodge a complaint on someone elses behalf than on my own ( if that makes sense?)
 
i complained a few years ago - my NF pony was a yearling.. (stunningly put together at that age) i was at a NF breed show in a yearling class.. he trotted up perfectly.. was well behaved for a change, i got placed 2nd - well the one that got placed 1st had been hogged,clipped,was misbehaved and didnt even trot. I asked the judge her reasons and she said that the other one trotted better?! i was gob smacked by that decision. A breed show... with a hogged mane and tail,clipped... was so angry.
 
I sent a complaining email at the weekend to PC HT after being told that lot of people were eliminated at the same jump, myself included as he jump hadnt been marked clearly on the map and the numbers had been put in the wrong place. All i got was 'thank you for you comments but not everyone was eliminated" convenient way to get rid of a few entries! but the worst of it was we all jumped a drop log un necessarily!! I told them if one or 2 had fair enough but there were lots.

Complained once at GX BSJA as the bell rang for me to go in the jump off and as i came to the first jump (double spread with a filler) up popped the course builder in the middle of the jump. Made me and my mare frightened so i stopped her from kiling him. I was given 4 faults for re starting but if i had jumped she would have kicked him in the head??!!
Even worse i had problems for a while after when we jumped any fillers.

Idiot man!!

Would only complain if really unfair as above, cant be bothered with moaners though
 
I have'nt complained but in hindsight [wonderful thing!] I should have. it was the regional final a couple of years ago at Addington on a rather 'hot little horse' i was one of the first to go in the Open Medium and i had watched the arena was having my boots taken off and was about to walk down to the arena as the horse before me was just going down the centerline. The 'Hitler' ring steward would'nt let me go down and held me in the collecting ring for 5 mins when he eventually let me go the judge leant out of her box as i went to trot around the ring and shouted abuse at me for being late and that she had a huge class and i should be ashamed of my self for keeping her waiting! She then immediately rang the bell!
This was not the best way to start this test and i came 8th and missed out on qualifying for the nationals.
I REALLY should have done something but was SO upset and had other horses to do.
I have also had a complained made about me. Similar thing a to earlier PM riding my then quite young and quite rampant stallion at his then home when doing a extended trot across the arena he then decided he was going to 'have' a poor little hairy pony!!!! Needless to say i pulled him up SHARP!!!! Aparently this was 'abuse'. mmmmm. So what am i supposed to do??? Was my question. would the complainant like to try and stop 600+ Kg of rampant horse in 'nice' way.
That kind of thing makes my blood boil.
As for the poor person with the naughty horse the judge should be ashamed. I would explain and actually try and get her to come back in even if it was just to trot around so she felt better about being in the arena.
 
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