Whats The Worst Comment A Judge Has Ever Made To You In A Showing Class?

Ok, nothing really bad happened with my experiance but it make me feel, uneasy :S
I entered "best tack and turnout", (it was a client show seeing as i havent got my own horse, yet ;/ ), and the judge asked,
"how did you do your quarter marks?", I replied saying and infront of anyone, a nit comb. Needless to say,however red faced I was, I won as she was quiet impressed with the idea :)
 
Horse had total personality transplant at a recent county show, and would NOT behave. Have no idea why, but he was very wound up before we got to the ring. Class then had the household cavalry and their guns, followed quickly by some parachutes with very flappy flags on, landing in the main ring next to ours. He is usually almost "dope on a rope" and totally bomb proof and unflappable.
Daughter, dangling on end of lead rope gets the justified comment "he needs to learn some manners before you show him again!"
She wanted the ground to swallow her up, poor girl!
 
I went to a local show last month that is normally really well run - this time it seemed the judges hadn't read the schedule!!

I did ridden horse on my pony - schedule said any height (all other classes stipulated heights) and I checked with the organisers and the said it was fine as there was no pony class. We came last despite my pony going beautifully.

We then had a go at in-hand riding pony (Schedule stated - any type of pony) to be again told by the judge that he wasn't the right type and we came last again (out of three so I still got a yellow rossette! :) )

I'm not bothered about being placed - it just seemed like a waste of £20 if the judges don;t read what the classes are actually advertised as.
 
I was mortified (but also kind of pleased) when a judge muttered to a steward:

"Typical example of a professionally produced horse lugging around a novice rider"
(I'd backed & produced her myself)
 
Must say all these comments were well deserved as pony had habit of getting into the ring & galloping:

"Best gallop of the class, just a shame you couldnt stop at the end of it"

"I was always told that New Forests were steady ponies " to which my response was "well try telling him [meaning pony] that"

"he likes to gallop doesnt he"

Dressage sheet comments:

"Well done, the fastest test of the day, dressage is NOT against the clock"

"not NOT a simple change of leg"

"pony has potential but as yet finds the dressage arena a strange & scary place"

"well sat"

"rider not really in control"

I could go on...
 
Lol Sally87 that reminds me of my very first dressage test on a 4yo doing their very first dressage test - up until the actual test she had not put a foot wrong - I thought I was safe, how wrong can you be!

The horse had a total brain transplant and turned into a ball of tenseness, going round like a manic giraffe on speed for the majority of the test.

Judges comments were:

'A nice mare, but until she accepts the bridle and the leg, dressage is going to be difficult!' We got 46% :eek:

I still have the test sheet (saddo that I am I have kept every single test I have ever done:rolleyes:) and whenever I am feeling a little demoralised by the behaviour of the current baby horse - I look at that test sheet and remember that that horse went on to get 80% in her second elementary :)
 
apercrumbie said:
What a horrible judge!!

My bad comment experience was this: It was my first ridden hunter class with my one eyed tb and he was rather excited. I had no problem controlling him but the judge never really got him up together. Needless to say, I was pulled in rather far down the line :p As the judge was leaving he was talking to some rather holier than thou members of his hunt. He was talking about the winner saying that "he knew straight away that he was the winner. Excellently schooled and a lovely ride. But as for THAT one (points in my direction with a dirty look) I never got him under control." Unfortunately my unhorsey father was standing right by him and said: "Well my daughter didn't seem to have any trouble!"

I have never loved my dad so much! Or my horse for that matter. He refused to stop cantering with the judge and kept just going round and round and round the ring :D

The judge's comments weren't necessarily that rude, but he certainly wasn't polite and made me feel really bad so I know how you feel. Thank God I have never seen that judge again ;)
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Maybe it was the same judge - I don't think he fancied riding mine because he was being a little (only a little) forward going! I'm annoyed though because my horse never got judged - it was £28 to enter and I was in that ring for 5 minutes. Fair enough if we had gone through the class and been placed last after being judged, but we didn't! Still for the life of me I can't see what my horse was supposed to have done that warranted a comment about not being in control and having to leave the ring - you see far far worse in show rings and it was the NOVICE Ridden after all! The Lightweight Hunter Champion had pretty much the same problem as my horse and was really taking a hold.
 
Veteran class with my ex county riding horse/show jumper - judge who was a vet said horse had a bog spavin or something on his hock, so only placed him second behind a minature saying these big horses have to do a lot more so they are bound to have some problems....except horse had excellent confirmation no spavin or whatever (made me so paranoid I got all the books out when I got home and rang my vet). Said horse went on to win endless more veteran classes over the following 8 or so years til he died.

Same horse and not a nasty comment but a funny one - judge "he did the most beautiful flying change, just a shame I didn't ask for it".

BLess his little cotton socks (the horse not the judge).
 
Leading pony in "lead rein" (any type) class at local show. Got places 2nd (pleased) judge says "you would have won if you'd plaited her", me "she's a registered NF pony", "oh" says the judge and scuttles off!!

What a great standard of judging!! not!! She's a very typical, not bad example of a NF pony!
 
SirenaXVI said:
.

Judges comments were:

'A nice mare, but until she accepts the bridle and the leg, dressage is going to be difficult!' We got 46% :eek:
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I win, i got 41%!! not helped by jumping out the arena at one point. i still have the test sheet too, keep it for amusement purposes.

the difference is my pony was 9 at the time, hardly a baby! he just looked for ways to make dressage more exciting. needless to say we never made it to elementary although that dressage test is still talked about today!
 
"you would have a lovely horse on your hand, perhaps if he didn't run over my foot and flatten it you would have been placed"
ouch. a very naughty pony napped and went to the side, rather ironically the side of which the judge was standing. oops! ;)
 
Not to me, but a friend in a local show's arab class.

My friends purebred mare was placed third, the judge commented that she didn't really move like an arab should.... The mare had been placed third at HOYS last year!!!!

The same judge also commented to another friend, that his gelding wasn't really fine enough for an arab..... Said gelding was straight egyptian!!!!

Can't say we were over enthusiastic about that judge! She just made herself look stupid!
 
i went to the trailblazers first and second round i own a friesian and decided to take her in the best conditioned and she won it then the judge asked me what other classes i was going in i said inhand hunter she said oh she not an hunter she is a driving horse,i would not bother as the judge at trailblazers would not even look at her.well i felt very dishartened and i pulled her out of the class.ok she a friesian but she can do what any other horse can do i dont want her pulling a cart she mush to good for that
hears a picky of her

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4506003&l=e0a5985f39&id=516975177
 
I had one judge comment that she had put me down the field because my ponys ears were too big .... it was a veteran class
 
dawn4321 said:
i went to the trailblazers first and second round i own a friesian and decided to take her in the best conditioned and she won it then the judge asked me what other classes i was going in i said inhand hunter she said oh she not an hunter she is a driving horse,i would not bother as the judge at trailblazers would not even look at her.well i felt very dishartened and i pulled her out of the class.ok she a friesian but she can do what any other horse can do i dont want her pulling a cart she mush to good for that
hears a picky of her

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4506003&l=e0a5985f39&id=516975177
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Sorry, but fresians are not hunters and in any proper hunter class I'm afraid you wouldn't be looked at. Hunters are a specific type and fresians do not fit that type at all - with a fresian, foreign breed classes are the way to go!
 
"I can't judge your horse - I don't know what it is!"

Considering 13.0hh Mousey is not an "it" but a rare breed native breed, I thought taking him in a M&M class would suit him. I'd even printed the breed standard but she wasn't interested.

I gave up after that :(
 
Eriskayowner said:
"I can't judge your horse - I don't know what it is!"

Considering 13.0hh Mousey is not an "it" but a rare breed native breed, I thought taking him in a M&M class would suit him. I'd even printed the breed standard but she wasn't interested.

I gave up after that :(
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What breed is he?
 
Not by a judge but the worst comment i've had in a show ring was by another competitor who was placed below me. She was arguing with the judge during the final line up that my horse should not have been placed 2nd in the cob type class because she was plaited, nor the right type, but she is a cob, just finer than a native. Personally i thought my horse did not deserve 2nd, but to argue with the judge, learn some show etiquette
 
Had some funny comments/happenings over the years!

"She doesn't move very well for a welsh" - I was showing a new forest!!

Hogged cob in best turned out class,impeccable, clean and tidy looked great - was last - the reason you are here is that you are too lazy to plait the mane and have just shaved it off to save yourself time:eek:

Judge commenting as I was being towed past him by my then welsh C " was that the one I said had no presence??? - the week before the pony was soooo lazy!!

These silly comments used to upset me, but now I take them with a pinch of salt and laugh about them afterwards!! it's just one person's opinion on the day.

I have come to the conclusion that some judges are just senile and batty!!!

On the defense of the local shows though - it is very, very hard to get judges, to persuade people to give up their day for petrol money and a bottle of wine and often rudeness and abususe from some (thankfully a small minority of competitors that should know better) can be very difficult indeed!
Remember a judge can only go by what they see on the day and they haven't got eyes in the back of their head! There are some terrible ones out there and there are some really really good ones that have years of experience and are happy to give help and advice, with these good ones LISTEN to them and you'll soon move up the placings!
 
teagreen said:
Oops, I should have read your username!

Eriskays are not an M+M type I'm afraid. They do have their own section at certain shows, but they are not eligable for M+M classes.
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There is not a single show around us that will take Eriskays.

I have judged local showing classes and I would not have turned Mouse away from a M&M class if I had the breed standard.

I also do not understand how they are not a M&M - they are more so than a welsh pony for example, IMHO.
 
teagreen said:
Oops, I should have read your username!

Eriskays are not an M+M type I'm afraid. They do have their own section at certain shows, but they are not eligable for M+M classes.
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I don't thik thats right, they are M+M, just a rare breed. (they come from scotland for those that don't know). Its a shame there aren't more of them about... Mousey is the only one I know!! Your local show M+M classes should except him, and as for a judge refusing to judge him could be laughable - she should of tried!!
 
Ruthnmeg said:
I don't thik thats right, they are M+M, just a rare breed. (they come from scotland for those that don't know). Its a shame there aren't more of them about... Mousey is the only one I know!! Your local show M+M classes should except him, and as for a judge refusing to judge him could be laughable - she should of tried!!
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Thanks Ruth! That's what I thought! I don't really like showing as it's very much down to the opinion of just one person with no "rules". I just thought more people should have access to Eriskays - they are unusual but great!!!
 
Ruthnmeg said:
I don't thik thats right, they are M+M, just a rare breed. (they come from scotland for those that don't know). Its a shame there aren't more of them about... Mousey is the only one I know!! Your local show M+M classes should except him, and as for a judge refusing to judge him could be laughable - she should of tried!!
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I know they are technically an M+M, but they will not be accepted in any affiliated M+M classes, where the only breeds accepted are Shetlands, Dartmoors, Exmoors, Welsh A, B, C and D, New Forest, Connemara, Fells, Dales and Highlands. I don't know about local shows, but certainly not at affiliated shows (I know this was probably a local show we're talking about, but if an eriskay came before me, I wouldn't know much about it because the only M+M's I'm used to seeing are the ones stated above, therefore I'd probably have the eriskay low down my placings even if it was allowed in the class)
 
teagreen said:
I know they are technically an M+M, but they will not be accepted in any affiliated M+M classes, where the only breeds accepted are Shetlands, Dartmoors, Exmoors, Welsh A, B, C and D, New Forest, Connemara, Fells, Dales and Highlands. I don't know about local shows, but certainly not at affiliated shows (I know this was probably a local show we're talking about, but if an eriskay came before me, I wouldn't know much about it because the only M+M's I'm used to seeing are the ones stated above, therefore I'd probably have the eriskay low down my placings even if it was allowed in the class)
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But if he is a M&M type, he should be judged in an M&M class!!!

Yes, it was a local show, but how is the breed supposed to recover if no-one has heard of them?

How do people hear of them? At shows! I just think it's a shame. I didn't think the judge had to ban us from the ring - to have the experience and a last place would have done Mouse more good than just putting him back on the lorry :(
 
Eriskays were originally classed as a type (or division) of the Highland Pony, so surely must be in M&M?
 
Shame, I quite like Eriskays :) There's someone who brings one to do sort of breed exhibits at a few local shows/fairs etc near us, or used to anyway... can't remember his name now but have a photo somewhere, really nice pony! Owners were really nice too and gave us lots of info on the breed although we don't have one, it's nice to learn!
 
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