Russell Marks said he is “stuck for words” after the British Miniature Horse Society (BMHS) told him it was preparing its list of panel judges for 2025, and that he had “unfortunately not met the standards expected to be included on our list”.
Mr Marks judged the BMHS supreme miniature horse championship in the International Arena on 27 July, and was asked to strike his “usual pose” with the winner, Harriet Miller’s Model Farm UK Midnight Meadow.
“I’m renowned for it; I’ve been doing it for years,” he told H&H. “Showing can be a bit stuck in the mud and people forget it should be fun. I try to encourage people, and I’m known for my lightheartedness and zest for life.
“I’ve done that pose many times at many shows and the photographer asked if I’d do it in the main ring.”
Mr Marks checked with RIHS showing director David Ingle, who said it was fine, so after most of the presentation pictures had been taken, the photographer snapped the light-hearted one.
“It was one shot and that was it,” Mr Marks said. “I thought nothing of it, then got the letter from the BMHS that calls it ‘frivolous behaviour’. It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?”
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The letter reads: “It is important that British miniature horses are represented and promoted by our judges in the best way possible, especially as we have the eyes of the public on us… you will see from the [photograph] that the frivolous pose shown to the public and our colleagues in the wider showing world does not represent or promote the BMHS or British miniature horses in the way we wish to be represented.”
The letter also says that “social licence… is at a precarious point which we cannot risk jeopardising”, although it does not explain how the picture could do so, and adds that it is “very disappointing” that Mr Marks had not made any of the four dates provided for obligatory online judges’ briefings in the past two years.
But Mr Marks said: “I haven’t been at the Zoom conferences but if they’d wanted to pull me up for that, they could have done it before, as they knew I was judging there.
“I judge the same at every show, whether it’s a local gymkhana or the RIHS, and that’s what I’m respected for, and I always try to make it fun. And competitors like these pictures and they buy them.”
The picture has been shared widely on social media, and some have digitally transposed Mr Marks’ pose into a range of other photographs.
“Talk about egg on your face for the society!” Mr Marks said. “If I’ve done wrong, ring me up and give me a slapped wrist, but to have it for such a ridiculous reason is beyond craziness.”
Mr Marks added that he has been judging for 33 years, including about 10 for the BMHS, and that accepting such appointments often results in his losing money, as judges are unpaid.
“You do it for the love of it,” he said. “Luckily, most societies are lovely. I always try to help and give constructive criticism; I’m serious with my judging but showing can and should be fun, and this gives it a bad name, which it doesn’t need.”
The BMHS told H&H: “The unanimous decision to ask Mr Marks not to accept any further judging appointments on behalf of BMHS was taken after the RIHS. The committee stands by this decision.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
