Why do people want to judge?

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packwood

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I am begining to think its some kind of power trip so they can be as rude as they like about other people's animals but because their decision is final you just have to take it. Tell me I am wrong before I give up showing altogether!
 
I judge at unaffiliated level. I do it because I enjoy putting something back into a sport I enjoy. I try to be helpful and give advice if asked. I also steward, I am on a breed group committee & a friend & I organise an annual charity show.
So no power trip for me, I just enjoy doing it & have done for a long time now
 
packwood said:
Just one person defending judges???
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How very rude!

Perhaps you should get some experience of stewarding/judging or even organising a show before you criticise those who give up their time to share the benefit of their experience, so that you can have an interesting day out, even if you do not agree with their opinions.
If no-one was willing to 'put something back' into their sport, there would be no shows for you to take your horse to. Please bear in mind that the majority of unaffiliated shows do not even pay expenses but expect their officials to give up a whole day with their own horses for a lunch and, if they're lucky a bottle of wine. If they are unlucky they will also get a load of abuse.
 
packwood said:
Just one person defending judges???
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Why should judges defend themselves? They give up their time and patience to help to uphold standards and continue the activity of showing. They get a tremendous amount of abuse, usually from people who do not know as much as they think they do, whose turnout is frequently sloppy and whose riding is often well below parr.
I took my girl to a show this summer, did npt agree with the judging, but still smiled, thanked the judge and was grateful for the opportunity for my mare to have a good day out.
I shall never be able to thank enough the judge who encouraged my friend to come back into the ring, after she had been eliminated, so that she could end the day on a good note. My friends smile was priceless.
Having met both the very well and the very bad mannered, both judging and strwarding, I often wonder why the latter put themselves forward to be judged. If you believe your horse deserves the red rosette, go and buy one!
 
I judge - dressage, mountain and moorland, turnout, and RoR classes mostly and have done for years. I enjoy putting something back into the sports that I love competing in myself. It most cetainly is NOT A POWER TRIP in any form or fashion, I enjoy seeing horses, correctly worked, ridden and produced and over the years get a really kick out of seeing the in hand youngsters, grow and come back in the ridden classes and eventually with one or two see them through to the veteran classes !

Without us and the hardworking, steward, jump judges, organisers, co ordinators, tack inspectors, writers, runners, litter pickers, etc etc etc - there would be no shows and no competitions or only those with high entry fees, to cover all the staff wages !

Prehaps if you are unhappy about the comments - prehaps a quiet word with the judge afterwards wil help clarify your position in the line up, and then prehaps you could give a day up and help steward so that you get a better idea of what judges are looking for and the hard and sometimes difficult task that they have to face in some classes.

I give up nearly 30 weekends a year to judge and all I receive is sometimes a bottle of wine , a sandwich and a couple of cups of tea. If I really lucky a get a thank-you from a rider !

Before you 'judge' judges, go and spend a day in our shoes first then rewrite your thoughts with a little inside knowledge.
 
Well said Abina!
I've done a bit of judging, just at local level and I do it for nothing and never claim any expenses. I want to put something back into the sport that I love and have been involved in for more years than I care to remember.

Power Trip......errrrr, I don't think so.....
 
I think it could only be a power trip if their own animal was involved. If they're completely impartial, then there should be no feelings either way for any animal, just what you've done to make the animal presentable :)
 
I only judge a couple of times a year due to other commitments and do it mainly to help out a riding club.

Remember that if people (even amateurs like me) didn't give up their time for FREE there wouldn't be any of the local, low level RC shows as the entry fees wouldn't cover the cost of employing panel judges along with all the other costs involved in staging a show.

Now, I will freely admit that I groan when I'm assigned a ring that doesn't include a single class that I have ever competed in personally but really, tough on both me and you! I may not specialise in hunters/riding horse/whatever but I'm competent enough to judge at that level even if I would be much more comfortable and confident judging M&Ms...and I don't charge over £100 to the club to do it.

I don't get a power kick out of judging, luckily I meet some nice people and see some lovely horses. On the other hand I've also had some really rude things said to me when people didn't like their placing. Now I don't tolerate that from anybody else in my life so why would I tolerate it at as a judge? If a competitor starts to get stroppy with me in the ring, they will be invited to leave the ring and forfeit any placing...I will happily explain my reasoning to anyone who asks but tantrums/bad sportsmanship aren't tolerated.You may not like my decisions but that's showing for you. And if people are rude to you surely it's the person who is rude not the title?

All the people who complain about judges and how local shows are run, have you ever volunteered to steward/set up/clean up/joined a RC committee? Do you know how much hard work and planning goes into every event they run? Finding a venue, arranging insurance, first aid cover, facilities, then running around like headless chickens trying to get volunteers to cover taking entries, the gate, steward and all for the glory that is every 2nd person having a whinge...I feel like saying 'lets see how you'd do then!'

* dismounting from soapbox and leaving* :D
 
packwood said:
I am begining to think its some kind of power trip so they can be as rude as they like about other people's animals but because their decision is final you just have to take it. Tell me I am wrong before I give up showing altogether!
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I wonder was this written at the end of a disheartening day and may be regretted later?

Rudeness is always a bad thing IMO. A judge can surely give their opinion (which is what they're there to do!) without being rude. It may not be what you want to hear, but that's the nature of competing. But actually rude? I would hope not.

Maybe a judge HAS actually been rude to the OP, in which case it's understandable he/she's upset. But it's not really fair to blame that on all judges!
 
packwood said:
I am begining to think its some kind of power trip so they can be as rude as they like about other people's animals but because their decision is final you just have to take it. Tell me I am wrong before I give up showing altogether!
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Either you accept that there are ar5sholes in showing, as there are in every walk of life or you give showing a miss. Constructive criticism should always be welcomed, when you realise that the judge is an idiot, take it on the chin and look forward to the next show!
 
I have judged at local level in the classes - it is as others have said a way of putting something back into the system. I have also been secretary of a large local show in the past.

I like to think that I have enough idea of how a horse should go, a reasonable knowledge of conformation and that I am a fair person. I know enough about type to judge a variety of classes but would not judge mountain or moorland or Arab classes as have no idea of type in those classes.

It is difficult if there is someone you know in the ring - particularly if it is the best horse as you know you will be accused of favouritism. Fortunately I haven't been in that position as my local horsey friends don't show!

I haven't judged for a few years but was asked to recently but had to turn it down due to another commitment. However if I was available I would have done as it is enjoyable.
 
I judge I do it as I love the breed and aim to improve the breed by picking the best horses. It's no power trip and in fact I still get nervous even 3 years later.
 
If there weren't people prepared to give up their time and go through the necessary training/apprenticeship, there would be NO judges and YOU wouldn't be able to compete! :)

Judges are not infallible, it is often a thankless task.....you should TRY it before criticising others. Why do I do it? Because I have had years and years of fun (as well as tears and frustration!) and now believe that it is my turn to give back and allow others to have the highs and lows that I have enjoyed! Take criticism on the chin....look for the truthful elements in it and learn from it in order to up your game!
 
I fence judge for a free bacon sandwich. Oh and that and the massive power trip I go on giving riders clear all day long. Occasionally, I replace some dislodged turf but I find the adrenalin rush of that a bit too much for me these days.
 
Cant say I have ever had a judge on a power trip. Some offer more feed back than others but thats the nature of unafilliated, some make decisions that arent always agreed with but again thats their opinion. If you dont want their opinion then dont put your horse forward to be judged. I hate people who complain about the judging after putting an unsuitable animal forward to be judged and if you dont want the judges opinion then dont go! They are giving their time up for free to spend a day in often not the nicest of weather, a smile and a thank you dont take much time at all even if you didnt agree with the decision.

Sorry I'm in a bit of a ranty mood after the day I have had :o
 
Over the years I have organised a show, stewarded, fence judged (for a cup of tea), directed the traffic, been on the collecting ring, set up and cleaned the toilets - and yes, once or twice judged. However, I stand by my original comment that some people do it for the power. It seems that competitors cannot say anything to some judges but they can be extermely rude. This please note is SOME judges - not all. How does one know who they are though until they let loose their rude and totally unjustified criticism on you?
 
Nobody knows what was said to you by the judge, who isnt here to defend themself, we are hearing a one sided argument which is yours.
I judge occassionally and i ve never been rude to any rider or handler that im aware of. I have however been on the receiving end of abuse from a lady who didnt like her place in the line up, i asked her to speak to me after the class, again giving my time to help her understand my decision. She preferred to berate me and critisice my decision, detracting the limelight from the winning combination who were well deserved.( she was 3rd )
I chose to then tell her im sorry you feel that way, but my decision is final.
What i really wanted to say by then was find a kleenex, grow up and jog on !
 
Just ask yourself what you would do if people like myself & my daughter didn't volunteer our time to judge at the little shows held every weekend in our area. It is a way of putting back into the local horse community what we ourselves have enjoyed over the years - other peoples time & opinions. Do some judging or some stewarding & get a more balanced picture!
 
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