Rude judges...

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Went to watch at a show today as a few friends there competing and I have to say I have never seen such dreadful judging! There was nothing wrong with any horses, in fact the turnout was of a very high standard indeed, but one particular judge didn't bother to watch many of the horses in their ring as they were too interested in checking their phone, watching the other ring and make unfunny and loud rude comments about competitors and their horses....hmmm interesting...reminds me of why I don't do showing!!:mad::)
 
how horrible! :( whats the point of being a judge if you've got an attitude like that :(

I've just been out to a showing show, the judges were very nice, and their assistants were lovely as well :)
 
That is one of the reasons I'm not very interested in showing.. To spend all that time preparing & have it go unappreciated would really get on my wick.
 
We went to a showing show yesterday just cos girls were fed up and wanted try showing!! Never again, huge classes, huge waits, two and four leg divas!!! Bitchy women on side line... One judge was really nice, in the coloured class, gave constructive advice, but the one in the equitation class was obviously biased towards little ponies and never even gave big ones a look in, and I heard her say she prefers little ones to hulking hunter types... It should have been judged on riding not breed! That's why we stick to show jumping, it's results are purely on ability..
 
I used to judge way back when...I ran everything like a dressage show. I loved when the show secretary would be telling me who the yard riders were, who their instructor was etc....I'd give my best, "And this matters why?" look and would head off to the rings. I'd find the most unhappy and scowling father imprisoned at the show to watch his daughter and hold her pony and I'd ask him, "Want to be a ring steward...I'll get you home in time to watch the game?" I hate late shows. My requirements were simple...when I say, "shut the gate", he was the warder and no one shall pass (sort've like the Black Knight in Monty Python).

I'd give the notice to the announcer, "The ring will be closed in 2 minutes" and would sit back and wait for the expected whingeing..."but my instructor is in the next ring!" "Well, how nice, you'll have to tell them how you did." I'd tell my steward, "Close the gait" and the class would start. Latecomers didn't get to hold up the entire proceedings, everyone else was on time and were just as "speshul" as those who were late.

I also placed the best riders/horses and not the barn's dillitantes or connected riders (mummy went to school with the secretary/barn owner). I had several girls actually cry because they'd never been placed before and they earned 1st and 2nd. How sad. My gate stewards/fathers really seemed to enjoy shutting out the divas and had nicely evil smiles as these delicate flowers of riding were having a spitting fit.

My classes ended right on time, everyone got back home at a decent hour and I was usually not asked back by some secretaries who didn't like my placings. I did have a lot of fathers shaking my hand and offering their services any time.

Shows can be fun but how many judges now respect the good riders and their parents? Few, and even fewer are honest in their dealings with the "non-speshul" riders.
 
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While rudeness should never occur and has no place in the show ring (or the collecting ring, or on the outside of the ropes around the ring!) may I offer a suggestion to those people who feel strongly about the issue :- Do the training to become a list judge, volunteer to steward at local shows first and then try and move on to judging. You will then be better placed to judge the judges and there will be more judges to go round :)
 
Ah, I was at a regional breed show this weekend, and the judges were lovely and friendly, the stewards were lovely, the riders were smiley and happy, and I didn't hear more than one person bitching, and she was told by the people she tried bitching to that she was wrong and to shush.

Happy days, I love showing :D

If I was being judged by the rude judges in the OP, better believe I'd say something to the organisers.
 
maisie06 said:
but one particular judge didn't bother to watch many of the horses in their ring
Click to expand...

I've experienced that once - at a working hunter show, the male judge was a total idiot. In my first class, he had us all out walking round ready to be called in for placings - he pulled me in first so Im thinking brilliant Ive won! No... he lined 6 of us up and then gave 1st to 6th and so on! So being pulled in 1st, I then was given 6th... right... So in the second class, he was clearly bored to death as he didnt even bother to watch my individual show (had his back to me the whole time!!) and pulled me in first again, I of course though that I was therefore 6th again but no he then gives me the 1st rossette! Talk about rude and downright ridiculous judging!!
 
Why anyone would pay good money to get the opinion of a total stranger about what they have chosen to own beats me, let alone get upset when that opinion doesn't agree with their own. But some enjoy it.

Me? I'm just the poor bloody owner. I get to act as chauffeur and stay on trailer watch in case a suicidal pony attempts to commit hari-kiri with it's own lead rope. I never get to see my ponies in the ring but I do get to sign the cheques and polish the silver. Prize money? What prize money?

Life is so unfair.
 
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