Showing judges’ pet hates

It’s what every showing exhibitor wants to know — what is the judge really looking for and, more importantly, what is guaranteed to lose you that red rosette?

DAVID INGLE

Judging for: 11 years

Background: breeding, breaking, producing and selling competition horses; point-to-pointing; now manager of Weatherbys Chase

Pet hates:

• Bad feet

• Offset forelegs

• Incorrect tack — “strings” for reins on double bridles, very “blocked” saddles

• Exhibitors who don’t consider the size of a ride judge’s feet and have tiny stirrups on their horse’s saddle

TIM WIGGETT

Judging for: 30 years

Background: breaking, schooling and training young horses for all disciplines

Pet hates:

• Horses covered in baby oil and make-up

• Shaved and not properly pulled tails

• Late arrivals who try to miss the initial go-round, because their animals behave badly in company

• Bad legging-up

• Classes that run late

• Rude competitors

GILL EVANS

Judging for: 30+ years

Background: hunt horses, Pony Club, riding and competing

Pet hates:

• Fashion bits — most are far too severe

• Fixed head position, from lead-rein up

• Overfat ponies, all types

• Small children with top hats and brown jodhpur boots

SIMON SOMERS

Judging for: 20+ years

Background: breaking, schooling and dealing competition horses and hunters

Pet hates:

• Horses that aren’t ready to be ridden by a ride judge

• Too small saddles and/or stirrups; too short leathers

• Too much make-up

• Bad manners from competitors

• Ponies which scrabble off a corner, go flat-out for six or seven strides and then pull up

NIGEL FULLER

Judging for: 20 years

Background: Pony Club; producing and showing at top level for friends, fitted in around full-time job

Pet hates:

• The erosion of classic and traditional methods of production in turnout and etiquette

• Bad hocks

• Very fine bridles with very thin reins

• Overly elaborate browbands

• Ever longer bridle lines on Arabs

PETER BOUSTEAD

Judging for: 25 years

Background: fell pony breeder and producer, now widened his scope to include most natives

Pet hates:

• In-hand handlers who don’t try to get their animals to walk

• Riders who make a cavalry charge for the front when there is no pull-in, disregarding instructions from steward

• One-handed canter from riders of Highlands

• People who hog the inside track

NIGEL HOLLINGS

Judging for: 25 years

Background: showing rider producer and exhibitor of horses and ponies

Pet hates:

• Poorly fitting tack and overbitting, such as a 133cm show hunter pony in a Sam Marsh or Swales bit

• Overuse of coat gloss and baby oil

• Ponies and horses that are badly shod

• Bad horse/pony management

• Overproduction and overshowing of young ponies

To find out what our judges do look for, see the full article in Horse & Hound’s showing special (2 April, ’09), plus an interview with top pony producer Katy Carter, and H&H’s pick of the new showing combinations to look out for in 2009.