‘Lack of limb’ — and other things a native judge doesn’t want to see at Olympia
Olympia S/Jump 20.12.10
(Image credit: TREVOR MEEKS)
Thorough training and preparation, good behaviour and being true to its breed type. Len Bigley, who will assess conformation in the Blue Chip British Show Pony Society (BSPS) Heritage mountain and moorland championship at Olympia on Monday 21 December alongside Henrietta Knight, reveals the criteria their winner will fulfil.
Q. How long have you been judging and on what panels?
A. Over 40 years for the national pony society (NPS) — plaited and M&M — Welsh Pony and Cob Society, British Show Pony Society, Coloured Horse and Pony Society and British Show Pony Association.
Q. What particularly appeals to you about natives?
A. They are family friendly. They tend to have laid back temperaments, which means you can just get them out of the field and ride them, even after long spells of rest. This has led to a huge growth in their popularity, which is wonderful for the native breeds.
Q. Is there a downside to their rise in popularity?
A. There has been a trend towards losing traditional breed characteristics such as substance — it is essential that traditional breed standards are followed by judges or we will blur the lines between the individual breeds and end up with a universal M&M pony.
Judges should immediately be able to recognise and reward animals that would fit into their native environment. It is very tempting for a judge to emphasis the riding qualities at the expense of native type – particularly in such things as size and refinement.
Q. Have you judged at Olympia before?
A. Once before when the competition was run by the NPS.
Q. What do you see as the principal challenge facing competitors at Olympia?
A. After a long and hard season – I think that many tend to do too much nowadays – it is not easy to produce polished animals who are still enjoying the show ring in December.
Q. What will you be looking for when you are judging at Olympia?
A. Breed type coupled with breed quality – by which I do not mean refinement. I expect to see natural movement and good feet/limbs. I will be looking for excellence within conformation but you have to remember the conformation of an Exmoor, for example, is not the same as a New Forest pony.
Continued below…
What is a native judge at Olympia looking for?
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