Most ludicrous comment by show judge

Not so much ludicrous as really unkind. This happened 47 years ago but it still rankles! I entered the condition and turnout class at our annual PC show. I was 10, and my parents were not horsey, so I had NO adult help. I spent hours bathing my dapple grey welshie, cleaning my tack etc, and I plaited him. I was not good at plaiting and he had a thick mane, but I sewed them all in properly. I have photos of me as I left to go to the show, and I look smart, clean - not bad for a 10 year old's efforts. In the class the winners were given their rosettes and then the judge came down the line to tell everyone why they had not come higher. I was at the end of the line, so last one in the ring. This ghastly women tore me to shreds! My pony was too fat, my tack was old, pony had not been trimmmed and my plaits were the worst she had ever seen. I left the ring in tears. How not to encourage a child, and how unneccessary. I was devastated, and did not enter another turnout comp for many many years. I am getting cross again thinking about it!
 
I'm sure all of the above comments do happen and are true but please don't tar all of us unaffiliated judges with the same brush! I try to judge what is presented before me on the day, surely if you are going to a 'show' to 'show' off your pony then some effort is required to turn out your pony and present it the best that you can? I've had some lovely ponies that have justifiably won their classes against other animals that are quite frankly, tatty and badly shown. I know that everybody has to start somewhere and that they aim to achieve better and I do try to offer helpful hints where I can but sometimes I could cry when they are all as bad as each other. I do ride and show my own at affiliated level but have also been subject to the judge that says "Oh, but it has a lovely tail" but if I have classes to judge that I am unsure of then I try to read up on what is necessary for that class. So far (fingers crossed) I don't think I have upset anyone..............? Tin hat time?
 
Shadow-01 said:
Ok Capriole after seeing that, I stand corrected! :D

I can't ever see my friend hogging her boy though! In hindsight it's not a bad look! :cool:
Click to expand...

I quite like a hog on the right neck :) But this is taken from the ID annual National Breed Show schedule, she might not even have to :)

18 Open Ridden Cob including Maxi Cobs registered in the IDHS(GB) main studbook
or on the IDSH registers. (Exhibits need not be hogged)
 
I took my Anglo Arab gelding to a local show a few years ago and got placed 6th out of 10 which I was ok with for his first outing. When I politely asked the judge how she decided the placings, she told me 'Well I don't like chestnuts.'
Guess what colour my boy is...
 
fallenangel123 said:
My friend gave up showing her gorgeous grey full bred ID when one judge at a fairly big show told her Spanish horses have no place in a hunter class! WTF!!!
Click to expand...

Hmmm I was told at a fairly big show that my horse wasn't an ID - this was in a class for pure bred ID mares :rolleyes:

When I pointed out that I had to put her passport details on the entry form, and I had her passport with me, the judge said "Well she is not a very good example and would not pass a breed inspection."

This mare had in fact been approved as a 3 year old and had achieved the highest marks of the day from the expert ID judges on the panel :D They actually commented on her quality and said how nice it was to see an ID mare of her stamp :D

On another occasion I was moved from 1st to 2nd because my horse wasn't wearing a double bridle. It was a 4yo novice hunter class, and no she wasn't wearing a double because she wasn't ready for it and she doesn't have the mouth confo for it! Strangely she went on to win the Open the same day - in her snaffle ....

That's showing ;)
 
I took my highland youngster to a little local show and the M&M judge asked me what breed he was! Then asked me if he was a good example!!! Lol! Of course I sad he was! The horse that won was a fell and the owner came up to me afterwards and told me the judge said he was a lovely new forest! You have to laugh. We sent the organisers a spotters guide to native ponies to give to the judge. :)
 
I can't help but feel there should be a form for the judges to fill in for each horse - marks out of 10 for confo, example of breed, behaviour, turnout etc etc, similar to a dressage test sheet. Would at least help people see why they got placed where they did and perhaps make the judge think more?
 
3BayGeldings said:
I can't help but feel there should be a form for the judges to fill in for each horse - marks out of 10 for confo, example of breed, behaviour, turnout etc etc, similar to a dressage test sheet. Would at least help people see why they got placed where they did and perhaps make the judge think more?
Click to expand...

That sounds like a good idea.
 
Ive enjyed reading all the posts.
I took a welch cob showing in hand at a local show, the judge felt every horses legs in turn, i was then placed last, she then came to me to say, that he would have been placed first if he didnt have a splint.
 
3BayGeldings said:
I can't help but feel there should be a form for the judges to fill in for each horse - marks out of 10 for confo, example of breed, behaviour, turnout etc etc, similar to a dressage test sheet. Would at least help people see why they got placed where they did and perhaps make the judge think more?
Click to expand...

This is what I ask of judges who I invite (bribe!!) in to judge my young riders yard show.
It makes it easier to justify the placings and avoids many tears as the kids know what to work on and how to improve. Conformation can't be fixed but behaviour, riding and turnout can make a huge impact!
 
To be honest that is one reason I don't 'do' showing - poor losers! Honestly, the amount of people who kick off because their beloved pony/horse didn't get in the line up is ridiculous. Suppose that's why I've stukck to show jumping in the main - much more black and white!

Saying that - took my 3 yo to a large localish show (it's not county but has a lot of qualifiers for young event horse and various others ). I put him in sports horse but am there for the experience more than anything. We didn't come anywhere out of a big class and I guess I was confused as I thought mine and only a couple of others looked remotely 'sport like'. The rest were rather overweight and short-legged!! Lol.

Mind you, mine's a coloured (the only one in the class) so I guess I'm immediately marked down - they have to be bay/brown!! :)

Still, we had a good day out, he's behaving really well and that's all that matters to me.
 
I was doing a Chiltern and Thames qualifier for Ridden Veterans. My boy went beautifully, and I was pretty sure we would get placed and qualified.

However, the judge said she just couldn't make up her mind who should win, so she would be fair and place them in order of age!! As my boy was 19, he was placed 6th and not qualified. I was stunned - how could a well-known judge justify that decision. The horse that won was 24 and hopping lame!

I have never had so many people come up to me after a class and say "you should have won that class".

I lodged a complaint but nothing came of it. I guess that's showing for you, you never know what will happen!!!
 
x-di-x said:
She handed out the rosettes, handed out 4th place then walked back to centre, totally ignoring me. the rider in first place said something and she walked over to me and threw my 5th place rosette at me. I was totally confused, i didn't understand what I had done wrong. So me being me, asked for feedback (rather loudly) she replied "I don't like Brown and white horses, they should all be put down" and walked off.
Click to expand...


:eek:
 
" Well dear....I couldn't place you up the line (last out of 8) as your animal just doesn't have the right movement for a welsh cob"

Thing is I was showing a bay NF that looked NOTHING like a welsh and had done VERY well at the NF breed show!!
 
Fools Motto said:
QQ -
What happens if the horse is experienced and the rider a novice? - Is that still called 'pot hunting?

Local shows are a bit hit and miss. I, among many here it seems, have had a fair few 'misses'. The most memorable being a working hunter class... I wasn't in it to win it, but a placing would have been nice. Nice CR, good show, got pulled in second originally (yippee!) then got dropped down to the last place (about 14th I think!) I was behind all sorts of combinations (varying from 13.2 arab types and cob hienz57's to 16hh TB's) who had done a mixed bag of jumping results and showing... The winner was picked, and even she told the judge she was surprised to be placed 1st as she didn't have any control over her horse who ''tanked off'' in canter, despite the 3 ring gag he had. Judge just laughed!

Anyway, I asked politely what I could improve on for next time, she claimed 'nothing, my horse was too slight of bone'... TBH, I took it with a pinch of salt. Locals for ya!! lol
Click to expand...

Ah, don't you just LOVE WH classes - half the horses in them couldn't ever do a day's hunting in their lives they're that fat! Lol. My sister used to do WHP classes on her 13.2hh back in the day (only VERY low level). She usedto do pretty well TBH as pony was impeccably behaved and actually was a true hunt type pony. However, she once got in a championship and it was down to her and a Lady Whats-her-face who happened to be on a huge rude bay horse whoo did nothing but rear vertcially most of the time and couldn't stand still for 2 seconds whilst my sister's pony stood beautifully in front of the judge. Oddly the horses were also judged on their behaviour. Can you guess which horse won? That's it Lady so-and-so! Well, I guess she did own theland the show was on...........!!!

See, stick to showjumping, that's my theory!! :)
 
It has to be when I was told to leave the ring in a Working Hunter after jumping a clear round for "health and safety reasons". It was 3 feet 6, my horse jumped beautifully and found it relatively easy, true he is forward going but in the showing phase he stayed within the gaits, didn't buck, spook, or tank off, and has won several working hunters. But when it came to the judge to ride him, thats what I was told!

As a lawyer, I'm still trying to work out who was at work for the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to be called into play!

Clearly the judge was scared to ride a large forward going horse. He's 17.1 and a middleweight. At another show in Scotland, the ride judge sidled up nervously and said "That a very large horse". Um, yes, thats generally the size of hunters!

No hunting anywhere near here and it shows!
 
I used to do WH on my little pony which was ok and then did a coloured class on a coloured mare. Judge said she wasn't schooled enough and in poor condition. Said horse scored 78% under a listed dressage judge the day before and was in fit condition, competing at ODEs. Put me off showing horses. Won't comment on the size and lack of manners of horses who were placed well in that class!
 
not a horse judge but the judge at Crufts told me my dog holds his tail too high so I should squirt him with water each time he does it!
That is the quickest way to make your dog ring shy, make it expect a horrid squirt of water when you ask it to move in the ring. Stupid stupid woman!! :mad:
 
Was doing WHP at a local show many years ago on my 15.1hh, owner of the show ground came up to us and said I should be in the WH class as she looked like she was 15.2 (their classification for working hunter was below 15.2 = pony, 15.2+ = horse).

Now I would love to have the ability to tell the exact height of a mounted horse & without a measuring stick but even after the number of viewings that I did finding my new boy not sure I could so confidently declare a 1" difference ! :rolleyes:
 
The only showing I ever did was at club fun shows organised by the horse club I was part of. Two years running I took the same horse, a lovely tempered Paint/Appaloosa cross. These were little shows with every breed and cross in the area, and not meant to be breed based at all. The first year I took her, we did very well and even beat my best friend in one class for first place. The next year, I spent hours getting us ready, and we were well turned out and she was a star in the ring. We ended up in the last two in every single class, and eventually I had to ask the judge, which was different from the previous year, what we were doing wrong so we could fix it. She said she didn't like crossbreeds. Everyone kept telling me we were doing great, but because my mare wasn't a purebred, the judge wouldn't place her above the horses that were. Ah well, I was proud of her! I unofficially declared her best of non-breed. ;)
 
I can play! Took the grey one to a local show for the experience, he needs to settle when working with other horses, and going round the circle is a more controlled environment than a warm up situation.

First class is Smartest on Parade for over 21. There is only myself and another lady who does look like an experienced show rider, had all the go-gear, but it looked like she had decided that morning to come to the show. Horse was unplaited, unwashed, untrimmed, but decked out in the double. I had the grey horse spotless, plaited, trimmed, make-up, hoof-black and falsie. I did have correct enough gear to do local/Ag level, not Royal though.

Judge looks at us in a line up (not on the circle like SOP is meant to be judged... like on parade?!) and says "well, you have both given me a dilemma, you (pointing to the other lady) have the correct gear for turnout. And you (to me) are plaited. I don't know who to choose."

I stuck up for myself, and politely pointed out that my horse is a young TB, hence still being in a snaffle because he is still a novice. I refrained from pointing out that this is a SOP class, anything goes tack-wise, not a Turnout where you need a plain flat bridle, stitched saddle, cane etc. In which case neither of us had anywhere near correct turnout gear.

Anywho, she finally picked me, which I was obviously pleased about, but was a little.. flattened that all my hard work had not really been appreciated.

She then went on to place a lame (albeit STUNNING) TB mare first in the led hack. The judge even spoke to them that it was very lame. They took home the champion too, and I think it was a bad move because the judge essentially rewarded them for knwoingly bringing out a lame horse.

But it is local level showing, it is meant to be a fun day. I ended up having a great day, horse worked impeccably and it served it's purpose wonderfully.
 
Tried showing once at a yard show. The horse i was showing was stunning, it was the only horse fit (only one being ridden more than once a month) clean (6 hours the day before 2 hours on the day,with the kids on the yard scrubbing her) and i lost because the horse i was riding had a reputation of being dangerous (it was before i re-schooled it) now ridden by children and was also entered into other showing classes one being handled by a 10 year old. The fact i lost does not bother me, prefer jumping but the fact i lost to a horse who bucked, reared, farted, coughed, covered in mud and a very snotty nose (diagnosed with strangles 4 hours after class) that was annoying. Ps i know its supposed to be fun but telling the children who scrubbed so hard cleaning her i lost was terrible. The fact the judge claimed to of judged a county level was the icing on the cake. Should say i thought the other placings were right just should not of been last.

Reading that back i sound very bitter. I'm not honest just bitter over yard quarantine that followed it took the fun right out of the show.
 
TallulahBright said:
When I showed my coloured TBxID at a local show as a 2 yr old I was asked by a judge if I was bringing her in for the Part Arab class??? Er, no!!
Click to expand...

In all fairness, so many 'modern type' TBs have really araby faces... There's a few locally who'd put as being PBA when I know they're pure TB because they have the dished face and similar body proportions.
 
Oh the world of showing is fun :D

I've limited experience when it comes to riding in shows but have groomed for a lot more and I'm also a very keen watcher of shows also, at all levels.

I've yet to have any moments of pure insanity on behalf of the judge, really though.
When showing a MW hunter I was placed below a horse the wound with both legs and picked up the wrong canter lead, having said that the horse I had wasn't quite a MW as he was a little lacking in bone when put in proportion to his height (he's tall!) and was also not in 'showring condition' though was fit and healthy. Same horse that I rode then took the workers championship while the other that had one MW just didn't have the performance for the job.

But I can't complain, at the end of the day the judge is the one who has given up their time and shared their knowledge. If it's low level, then you're there for the day out rather than the ribbons and as long as the judge is consistent in their judging, then aside from them acting the complete dunce, all should run smoothly.

One of the most mental I've seen was a Hunter championship. All the horses looked pretty much the exact same (all bay, no/little marking, all with definite TB influence) which I suppose was fair enough - the judge had his type, but for some reason the HW in the class was lighter of bone than the LW, no joke! The HW entry also did a hack class the same day :rolleyes:
 
Judges do give up their time for little compensation in return - granted. BUT when folk like myself spend hours of preparation and upto £50 in entry fees (kids classes aswell) then even at local level I would expect that a judge knows one breed from another. If im at the end of the line at least then I know it was for a reason. On one occasion the judge even said "eeny meeny miney mo !?!"

Worst I had was many years ago being told by a judge that if it was a class for 'The owner who looked most like her horse - I would have won as we have the same coloured hair ?' and commented on my NF - sad to say she was actually a welsh sec D filly. Then after pulling 3 sec A's in said to the steward "Oooh I do love my section A's"

I do try and support my local show and some you win some you don't. Just learn to shrug your shoulders in a french manner.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top