Judging can be a thankless task at the best of times, so we salute the dedicated few who wake at the crack of dawn, thrown on their best attire and trek off to stand on a muddy showground so we can proudly parade our horses and ponies in front of them.
While judges are professional and polite at all times, we sometime wonder, what are they really thinking during those brief exchanges with competitors on show day?
Read our tongue-in-cheek guide to what might be running though their minds…
“Are you okay?” – Please show me you can pull up immediately
“He was a bit tense today’”– Piaffe and half pass aren’t required in a riding horse class
“It was a very difficult class to judge” – Slim pickings today
“You win the best turned out prize” – Your show wasn’t up to much, but I can tell you tried your best
“Is he a New Forest?” – It’s been a long day, I’ve seen hundreds of natives and they are all blurring into one…
“There were some really quality horses forward today’”– The trifle served in the lunch tent was fantastic
“Can I have a nice short show please” – If you change the rein more than once I will stop watching
“At least the weather was nice today’”– There was an hour this afternoon when I could actually feel my fingers.
“Thank you for coming forward” – I wish I’d stayed home in the warm and dry.
“Can you fetch me a coffee please steward?” – It’s going to be a long day, is there anything stronger on offer?
“Will he be OK with this sash?’”– If your horse tramples over the top of me, I will sue
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Former H&H showing editor and deputy features editor
Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the showing scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show and Olympia and has first-hand knowledge of the current issues in the showing world as well as the horses, ponies and riders who compete in the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 as showing editor, cementing its place as the leading equestrian publication for both showing reports and current showing news in the UK. She moved on in October 2024 to pursue other opportunities, but continues to write for us on a freelance basis.
