Numerical scoring has become very popular, as the audience can better relate to a score. Could you give a breakdown of the range of scores so that the average person has a better understanding?
Here is an easy-to-follow score chart that I hope leads to a better understanding of scored hunter classes:
90-100 Excellent
80-89 Good to very good/or an excellent horse with minor mistakes
70-79 Average/or a good horse with minor mistakes
60-69 Poor/or a below-average performance with minor mistakes, no major faults
50-59 One major fault: hind knockdown, adding a stride in an in-and-out, very bad fence, dropping a leg, trotting on course, cross-cantering
40-49 Serious major fault: front knockdown, refusal, extremely dangerous jumping
30-39 Two or more serious faults
10-29 Very unsafe and dangerous, but avoids elimination
0 Elimination
What are you looking for in a leadline class?
A way out! I really feel management should let us tie them all for first place. If not, then I place them according to their position, suitability of their mount, and their turnout.
In an equitation class that has two phases – a jumping phase and then a flat phase – a horse gets hurt and cannot return for the flat phase. Can the rider come back on a different horse?
This has actually happened to me when judging an equitation class. It is ultimately a decision that the show steward has to make, but in my opinion, the rider is fine to continue on a different horse for the flat phase, as it is the rider being judged in this instance.
How do you handle it when exhibitors or even other judges complain about the judging?
It all takes care of itself. Either the judge will not be invited back if the consensus is that they have not done a good job. Perhaps there is a good reason for their decisions, as the judge is not situated at the ingate, but at the side of the ring where they see it all! As a fellow judge, I am always careful about what I say, as it could be me the next time, and we need to support each other as judges!
If a jump is broken in the middle of a class and there is no similar replacement available in the stock of jumps, what happens?
Interestingly, this has happened to me quite often! The course designer is responsible for making the replacement jump look as close to the original jump as possible with whatever fill he or she is able to locate. The jump must remain as inviting as possible, and not become spooky with the efforts to make it look similar.
Have you ever been approached by an irate exhibitor, trainer, or rider?
Only once, and the offending individual was fined $3,000 and sent down for one month … so my advice is simply don’t go there! This incident occurred with the steward present. As the judge, you simply do not let yourself get caught up in it. You let the steward, horse show management, and your federation handle it.
