Incompetent judge

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herbert

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Took our cob to the local riding club show today, we try to support them if we are not at a big show. Judge was riding all her classes, noticed that she was a poor rider to put it politely. She got on my cob, held her double reins upside down and gobbed him severley in the mouth. She then repeated this about 3 times. Was so mad. This horse has been praised by all the top judges for giving them an excellent ride. Would have loved to have gone across and gobbed her but instead removed horse from ring in complete disgust. Anyone know what is the correct thing to do in these circumsatances? I know I could have officially complained but I did not want to cause upset for the riding club.
 
poor horse, what a nightmare. i'd have told her, tbh, exactly what i thought... but then, i can see why you didn't want to upset anyone. maybe an anonymous letter, politely worded, to the club secretary, if you want to try to get your message across without ending up with upset and hassle?
i don't take horses that have competed at a high level to local shows, unless they've really lost confidence or something. you're a bit "damned if you do, damned if you don't" win... and it seems to stir up a lot of jealousy and nastiness. just my twopenneth worth.
 
Thanks for that. I can be like a bull in a china shop at times and was determined to keep my mouth shut today. Don't worry I will never show under her again and I will spread the word why. It just annoys me that someone who cannot ride is invited to ride classes. I would have thought that in this age of health and safety she would have been a liability. Mine was not the only horse she upset. Two reared when she got hold of them, one took off when she wellied it and several refused to move! The vibes on the ring side were unreal.
 
This is the sort of occasion when you just want to print the name here, for everyone to see (but don't do it!!!)
 
I love anagrams - such fun to do!!!
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I would have told her to her face that there was no way she was getting on one of my horses and I would have complained there and then to the show secretary!
 
I would certainly complain and not show under her again I cannot believe she did that, and not just to your own! I also can hold a grudge for England so I would also put it out there that you refuse to show when she is judging and tell other people your reason why.
 
While I agree that the judge should have been competent, I do find it odd that people enter their RC classes "when they are not at a big show". It does rather smack of pot hunting to me. At our Rc show there is a class for veteran riders, a bit of fun and little more, however there is a woman who competes at county level who enters that class every year, I find it distateful, but maybe that is just my opinion.
 
I completely agree with you however I do think RC events are a brilliant way of introducing new horses to the buzz of show conditions or for a bit of confidence rebuilding (but always hor's concur (spelling is atrocious!), but for something that is consistently entered, possibly winning or placed too, at county level shows, they have no place at small shows like that; by all means send in a complimentary entry or donation to support it, but not to compete.
There are some people that RC is all they aspire too or able to afford to do, or even just want to do as a bit of fun; it seems a shame when pot hunters appear and for me it leaves a nasty taste in the mouth. Sorry if that offends anyone. In some ways, it would help if local and RC shows had qualification rules a little like dog shows, (if you've won or been placed at Championship (their version of county shows!) you're not eligible for novice classes; if you've won/placed a certain quota, you're only eligible for open classes, except for age group classes of course. With KC, they'll have kept records, but with horses, it would be quite difficult to administer and would depend on the honesty of exhibitors although if anyone mistakenly entered the wrong class, I'm sure someone would put the secretary right!
 
Local shows are a nightmare - we watched a ridden championship yesterday where a l/r pony was placed reserve.... having neary chucked the child off twice in the go-round and being held in a vice like grip by Mother.... there is no justice sometimes!
 
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There are some people that RC is all they aspire too or able to afford to do, or even just want to do as a bit of fun; it seems a shame when pot hunters appear and for me it leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.

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Totally agree. When I got my first proper horse on loan we did the local summer show circuit - not being able to afford to affiliate [this was showjumping rather than showing]. Every show there were a handful of people who were competing at a high affiliated level who'd enter the classes just to win - way below the level they were competing at normally. Some of them even did the 2ft6, 2ft9 and the open, and even I didn't do that as my horse was more than capable - we usually just did a warm up and the open. Mind you, we beat a few of those pot hunters on several occasions
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. So I do think its bad taste for people to bring their top horses to a local show just to clean up - why take it away from people who can't afford anything else?
 
While I do sympathise, and to be fair if I had seen that the judge was such a poor rider I might have thought twice about even putting my horse in the ring, lost entry fees or not, there are other considerations.

Local shows and RC events are run on the goodwill of volunteers, primarily to raise money for their own coffers or often for a local nominated charity. Judges are unpaid and have stood in a field all day, usually to be thanked with a bottle of indifferent wine and possibly travel expenses, so you are rarely going to get the very best. They will have been booked for the most prestigious events months in advance. Sometimes, of course, there are pleasant surprises and I have shown under knowledgeable judges at local shows over the years.

None of the above excuses poor riding of course - but try to remember where you are. Local shows are more about having fun, and maybe preparing for serious competition. In themselves they really are not a competition worth getting stressed about (unless a qualifier)
 
Thanks to The Watcher on behalf of all hard working riding club committee members out there who give up their time to run events and constantly struggle to get judges. Totally agree with everything in your post!
 
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