Stuart Hollings is a well-known and respected judge in the UK and abroad. He previously produced and showed a myriad of show ring winners and champions.
When Pippa Cuckson invited me to become a H&H columnist many moons ago, my only worry was that there may be nothing to write about at times, which I soon discovered was nonsense. The showing world is like a long-running soap opera and given this season’s negativity, our beloved sport – a term I now use loosely – has seemingly shifted in mood from Emmerdale to Eastenders.
It was important given the escalating costs post-Covid that the industry, governing bodies and show organisers did their utmost to encourage enthusiasts back into the show ring. And yet we have been overwhelmed by a tsunami of welfare issues, which has portrayed showing as irresponsible and ugly at this crucial time.
The day before our North of England Spring show in April, we received an anonymous call informing us that “a group” was attending the show to check on the removal of whiskers. Looking back, that set the tone for the season ahead. Headlines such as “The rider-age and size debate continues”, “Extreme disappointment at show horses’ weight”, and “Competitors reminded not to chase qualifiers” have reigned in the media. And let’s not forget the controversial whiskers debate.
If the picture is not right when I’m judging, say an overweight animal is struggling to perform with too big a jockey or is looking jaded from over-showing, then the combination is not going to be rewarded. End of.
Equine welfare is of extreme importance and I’m confident that the showing world is more than capable of addressing these concerns, albeit tomorrow rather than yesterday.
However, like my fellow columnists, I believe that the more immediate threat to showing lies within its ranks. I’m talking about the vitriolic attacks on our esteemed judges via social media and text. It’s clear that the establishment’s social media policies are not working as rudeness is all the rage. Dangerous times call for desperate measures and police involvement is overdue, particularly when fake identities need to be tracked down.
Once the integrity of our judging panels is lost, showing’s foundation is eroded.
Wrong legs
The wrong-leg scenario is the most controversial complaint and can vary from a nanosecond blip to a repeat offense or even a lengthy display of counter-canter. However, if a pony impresses on the go-round, earning bonus points, but briefly goes on the wrong leg in the show (of the misdemeanour category) and is then awarded an excellent conformation score, it could still win the class by a narrower margin.
If this remains a problem for some, then lobby hard to have the 60% performance/40% conformation system reinstated.
I wouldn’t like to see a one-size-fits-all fixed penalty in the marking system, similar to a knock down in workers. My reason being, there’s a Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) ruling which states “if an animal gets loose from its handler while in the ring, it will result in disqualification”. Once, a coloured horse shook off a fly when standing for his in-hand show, and the handler let go of the reins for a few seconds. The letter of the law allowed for no interpretation, sadly resulting in automatic disqualification by the judge.
Inviting the public to judge
The public judging competition, synonymous with Dublin Horse Show, went digital this time, and my 153cm show hunter pony class last Sunday was one of the 11 involved during the week. It’s a great way for spectators to demonstrate their equine knowledge. If your selection matched that of the judges, you were entered into a draw for the daily €1,000 prize. Perhaps we should introduce a similar team-bonding exercise over here? Then those on social media will realise that there is much more to the judging process.
● Do you think qualifiers should adopt a 60/40 marking system? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com
- This exclusive column is also available to read in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 25 August
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