In-Hand Judging Query

[trottingon]

(also in Competition Riders)

I show my Section A in hand. I have always been told that for my individual show I should walk away straight, turn to my left circle to the right and trot back on the same path I initially walked, however notice that many others including some producers walk away, then just 1/2 circle right and trot back a few feet to the side of their initial walk path (hope this makes sense?)ie: they do a U shape, so the judge is forced to move across to their right side to view the pony straight on in both walk and trot.

When I was showing on Sunday, I walked away as usual, did my usual turn and started to trot back along the same line I had walked out on when I noticed the judge wasn't stood directly in front of me, in fact the judge stood off a fair distance to the side for my whole trot (as if he had expected me to do a U turn show) and so could not possibly have seen how straight (or wonky!) my pony was moving. This really un-nerved me as I wasn't sure if the judge would move into my line of sight (which he never did) or whether I should veer across and trot towards him?

I carried on trotting straight, was I correct? Comments please.....

 

[odd1]

i walk away do a 1/2 circle to the right and see where the judge is and trot straight towards them
but having judged a bit myself it is so annoying when you tell them to trot right back to you and they dont!