Would you like to judge them

carthorse

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I find it hard to judge dressage and although I have ridden up to psg and know what I like I find it really hardespecially if the riders is really bad and the horse is lovely, I have to write something then regret it.
but imagine if you had to judge Zara Phillips.....I'd be scared they would send me to the tower,not that I could say anything bad about her, but it must be impossible not to be influenced
 
I don't feel intimidated at all by the 'names' when I'm judging although I know several judges who I think are.

I judge purely what I see in front of me and it makes no difference if it's Carl Hester or Joe Bloggs.

Can't say who for confidential reasons, but I gave a very well known rider a 0 last year at Hickstead!!

Royalty is different though cos, as you say, I could end up in the tower but luckily I haven't had to judge any of them!!
 
i am very careful not to be influenced by the name riders and i think its fair to say that most the big eventers know me and generally think i mark fairly. i have judged zara though not on Toyrown and i havent been sent to the tower yet! I think that the funniest thing i ever did was a couple years ago when badmnton was in doubt as so wet and one centre decided to run an unaffil combined training for the hopefuls to get insome practice. i was quite amused by the fact that as the judge i was presuming to be commenting on the likes of messers fox pitt and nicholson. as if i can tell them how to ride a 4**** test!! often teh proffessionals do a better job of presenting the test in that they dont waste marks needlesslyby missing the centre line and that sort of thing but not always. there are a good many amateur eventer riders anyway that could teach many a proffesional a thing or two about the dressage phase!
 
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Often the proffessionals do a better job of presenting the test in that they dont waste marks needlessly by missing the centre line and that sort of thing

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Ah yes the classic "Straight, but not on centre line.......4"

Then you judge them again at a different venue a weeK later & they do exactly the same thing........it's such a shame because those silly inaccuracies do cost marks & spoil what would otherwise be very nice tests
 
Hee hee, somebody recently commented on the fact that I always get an 8 for centre lines, this I believe is the habit of starting on the right note, because the rest was going to get worse! Dressage is as much about accuracey and showmanship as it is about germanic style learning of movements! (At our local centres).
 
You are so right - especially with regard to accuaracy - why turn a seven in to a six if it can be avoided?!!!
 
Yep same hear Fatarse, got on 3 occasions 8's for centre lines.... and finished on a 4 on one
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First impressions and all that!! I work be terrified judging "names" but sometimes I think it can be worse for them as people have expectations.... therefore may mark them down more harshly if they don't meet those expectations.... where as Joe Bloggs there will be no expectations, so will be marked on what is seen.. on some occasions anyway?!
 
Good God!!! I've never seen a ten awarded in all my years of messing around in dressage! Well Done!!!

What really annoys me, is when a judge writes in the comments, Good transition and then gives something like a 6..... on the marking descriptioins good is an 8!!! So why not give it if prepared to state it!
 
Ovidius - I agree. If "good" is written in the comments, then really the mark should reflect this and be an 8.

Having just survived a marathon weekend of writing for and sitting in on BD Novice tests, I can also agree, that so many (including some professionals) throw away marks, by riding wiggly centre lines, or not being on it in the first place, or riding large cirlcles.

Haven't been in for judging of "big" names yet, but I think it is best to not even look at who the competitor is and just judge what you see
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