[Bratmare]

There was one time I was very mad at a 4h leader. We generally flip between 2 judges every year for draft. One is a very old school draft judge and one is a saddle horse judge. They have TOTALY different judging styles.

Well, the saddle horse judge gave a clinic a couple days before the show on how/what to do at the show. I felt so bad for the girls who were new. All of them placed low or not at all because of it.

On a side note: My draft seet up and STAYED set up! Ya!

[shell]

I was with a group of Arabian people at a show years ago and we were at an open show. As a group we asked the judge what the deal was, as NONE of our horse were placing. Her exact words: "I don't like Arabs."

[spinandslide]

Originally Posted by John

I dont know if it was the show shene or the big smile that they all had when they were showing!!

As long as it was a genuine smile! I always hated seeing kids with fake smiles plastered on their faces.. but a genuine, Im lovin this type of grin..priceless!

[glideride]

Originally Posted by shell

I was with a group of Arabian people at a show years ago and we were at an open show. As a group we asked the judge what the deal was, as NONE of our horse were placing. Her exact words: "I don't like Arabs."

Wow, she really said that...That's awful...I think at a Open show a good judge should be able to judge all breeds of horses fairly, after all that's why it is an Open show...

Clearly that judge should only be judging the breed she likes, I certainly would not want to show under her.

[shell]

Originally Posted by glideride

Wow, she really said that...That's awful...I think at a Open show a good judge should be able to judge all breeds of horses fairly, after all that's why it is an Open show...

Clearly that judge should only be judging the breed she likes, I certainly would not want to show under her.

Yep, she did. We complained to the manager and that judge didn’t show at that arena again.

[Bratmare]

Originally Posted by shell

Yep, she did. We complained to the manager and that judge didn’t show at that arena again.

We had the same thing at an Arab hosted show. Only problem was he was placing horse from HIS barn.

If they had a crappy round compared to the horses around but it was a good round for where they were learning wise he would place them. This is why the Midwest club that I belong to tries to get judges from farther away; they don't know the riders and its easier for them to place fairly.

[Mira]

Hence the reason I got a Quarter Horse xD I faced the fact that at most of the shows I go to, it's a Quarter Horse world. QHs pretty much dominate. Sometimes you'll see a good Arab or Morgan pinning high. Is it necessarily right? No, I guess not, but it's just how it is. The judges are primarily AQHA/APHA judges, so that's what's gonna win unless somebody on a different breed has an outstanding ride.

A couple months ago I got a taste of what it's like... but reversed. The last HS equestrian team show they had a fine horse judge. I didn't place in any of the three classes she judged. Only one class had an actual reason.
First two shows my results were as follows:
Western Showmanship - 1st and 2nd
Huntseat Showmanship - 2nd and 3rd
Western Horsemanship - 2nd and 5th
Last show under fine horse judge... zero, zip, zilch. Western showmanship pattern was solid, nothing fantastic but it was a heck of a lot better than most of the people that placed. Huntseat showmanship I messed up the pattern, so there is her excuse. Western Horsemanship, all right ride, rough in some spots, but if you saw the rest of the chaos going on in that ring, I definitely deserved to place. Nothing.

It really made me mad and I understand how people feel with their other breeds and they go to a show with a QH judge, have a good ride, and get nothing. It really sucks. This judge messed me up out of a chance at a medal in western showmanship. >.<

[Fork]

I don't want to discriminate unfairly against you, but in HUS, QHs and Arabs have completely different styles of jumping. I totally understand your anger, and I would be mad too.

I used to ride at a major hunter barn, and I think I only ever saw one Arab who did dressage.

[Smooth IE]

Originally Posted by Fork

I don't want to discriminate unfairly against you, but in HUS, QHs and Arabs have completely different styles of jumping. I totally understand your anger, and I would be mad too.

I used to ride at a major hunter barn, and I think I only ever saw one Arab who did dressage.

You don't jump in Hunter Under Saddle. It's a flat class.

[rileynbob]

This is not really a breed discrimination, but just an insane, totally bizarre class that almost provoked a riot right then and there.

5 years ago, VERY large show circuit here in Ohio (Midwestern Express if anyone remembers it), very big money classes, was a great show but judges were a bit iffy and this incident put the nail in the coffin for the whole circuit (went bust after this show). Anyway, about 3/4 through their season, $1000 western pleasure class, nothing wrong until the backup. My trainer was in the class with one of my old horses. As the judge goes down the line, she talks to just about every person and most of them have scowls on their faces afterwards. My trainer was one of the first who came out after the placings (not having placed), the judge had come down the line to her, had her back up, after she backed judge said "pity, look I had you first in the class" and put the clipboard in my trainers face and crossed her name off as a DQ, would not elaborate. She disqualified half the class of 25 horses, if you lifted your hand, if the horse had a blue eye, if you had a correction bit, she even disqualified one lady because she said that she was "too big a fata** to be riding a horse", I kid you not.

Afterwards when the story began to get around the showgrounds, officials were afraid someone was going to beat the judge up because people were coming up to the entry stand and throwing out threats and yelling about her. They took her out of the ring, into the announcer's stand, but came out soon afterward and proceeded to start judging the youth classes. Everyone started leaving and they had to stop the show in the middle of the day because there were no more horses coming into the ring. Still an infamous incident around here that no one who was there still quite understands.