# Bad judge?



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

What makes you think she was a bad judge? 

You can knit and watch people ride. Knitting is a 'busy' activity. It doesn't take any real concentration if you've been doing it a long time, and can be very soothing.

Are you mad because you didn't place, so are trying to blame it on the judge and the ring footing?


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## mygirllola (Dec 6, 2011)

No. We did fine, but over all it was just a bad experience. I wasn't the only one that thought this, and was just curious if anyone else has ever had a bad show experience.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

Speed Racer said:


> You can knit and watch people ride. Knitting is a 'busy' activity. It doesn't take any real concentration if you've been doing it a long time, and can be very soothing.



Well maybe you feel that judges that multitask at shows is acceptable but here that is not acceptable.

A judge is not hired to knit but to judge. Fine if the judge wants to knit during breaks but when the class is ongoing they should be doing one thing only...judging.

I would not return to that show if they hired that judge again, nor would any competitor I know.


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## gigem88 (May 10, 2011)

I agree, if the judge wants to knit...she needs to stay home and knit! Unless, she was knitting every contestant their very own sweater, then maybe I'd let it slide!!


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I would think the dressage people would think it is more OK than the types of shows where the judge writes their own comments. In the dressage world the judge is not expected to even do their own writing, they just speak their comments and the scribe writes it all down for them. Knitting would not interfere at all if no writing is required.


Anyone who has shown any amount of time has had those days where they feel that the day could have gone better.

The long and short of it is, you are paying for the opinion of the judge for the day. If you do not like the opinion of that judge or the footing at that facility do not go to shows where that person is judging or at that facility.


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

Alwaysbehind said:


> I would think the dressage people would think it is more OK than the types of shows where the judge writes their own comments. In the dressage world the judge is not expected to even do their own writing, they just speak their comments and the scribe writes it all down for them. Knitting would not interfere at all if no writing is required.



Maybe the dressage judges where you are feel they can do a passable job judging while doing something else but where I am we have higher ethical standards.

Any judge caught doing something other than what they are paid to do can be hauled up and answer to the national committee and have their license revoked.

The scribe does the writing so the judge can put 100% of their focus on JUDGING. not the odd pearl one or two in their lap.

You are making it out that judging in your neck of the woods is pretty second rate...

I can only assume that a judge from your area would not like the low standards you have assigned them...or maybe not ????????????


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Hmmm, I do not see where I mentioned any judges in my area doing that. Just pointing out a small fact. It seems to have gotten someone upset.


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

I don't know about the dressage world but I do judge stock breed shows & 4-H, I wouldn't dare knit (or anything else for that matter) while classes were working. Seems rather unprofessional imo. I'm too busy watching horses work & taking notes (when I don't take a steward with me) to do anything else. On a break or between classes while the arena drag is being ran, that's different. 

The footing, yes that stinks but it is what it is. I've ridden in and trudged through many while judging that I didn't necessarily like but everyone is in the same boat. 

Sorry you had a bad show day OP. They happen. Just take it in stride and learn from it.


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

Alwaysbehind said:


> Hmmm, I do not see where I mentioned any judges in my area doing that. Just pointing out a small fact. It seems to have gotten someone upset.



Nope, not upset.

But only two possibilities exist.

One make a statement based on experience or one makes a statement based of some unsubstantiated piece of information they pull out of thin air.

Your statement is based on which of the above two....fact ( meaning it is your experience) or fiction ( something you have made a wild guess at)?

It is not fair to the many dressage judges out there to have someone imply that they are not really doing their job.

Or to the competitors that have paid good money to be judged and may come to think that maybe they are not being judged as they should be.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

You are right. I made a statement or two based on experience.

You took them, twisted them (along with your panties) and are having one of your tantrums.

Experience - at dressage shows there is a judge and a scribe. 
Experience - people who can knit can do it with out any thought, their hands just do it.


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

Alwaysbehind said:


> You are right. I made a statement or two based on experience.
> 
> Thanks for agreeing with me.


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## Cruiser (Aug 28, 2011)

The only bad experience I had with a judge was showing in hand the judge (a older man) said somethings rather very inappropriate to me at 14 years old. Found out later he was sexiest against most girls and women that he was judging. As well as him drinking all through the show.


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## paintedpastures (Jun 21, 2011)

I don't know what kind of show you attended,but I would not have been impressed either. I know at the breed shows I attend that would be frowned upon:evil: & many the exhibitors would have voiced their feelings to the show committee,would bet that judge would not be asked back:-(. Poor Arena footing can also been a sore spot for exhibitors again that feedback is noted & the facility that you are renting hears about it. Facilities have lost the clubs business for not providing the appropriate accommodations/service. These people are being paid for a job or service if they can't provide the standard expected they need to know about it.


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## Shasta1981 (Nov 12, 2010)

No, I've never seen anything like that. The judges at the shows I have ever been to have been very focused and intent on providing helpful critiques.

Sure, I could choose to knit at work while reviewing bond spreads, but I would probably get fired for doing so. I would hold a paid judge to the same standard.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

What type of show was it? Local fun show? Rated? Schooling?

You can contact the association the judge has her card through and file a complaint.

As far as the footing, there is never anyone happy. Since it's the same footing for everyone, you ride or you don't. Your decision.


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## WickedNag (Sep 7, 2010)

Speed Racer said:


> What makes you think she was a bad judge?
> 
> You can knit and watch people ride. Knitting is a 'busy' activity. It doesn't take any real concentration if you've been doing it a long time, and can be very soothing.
> 
> Are you mad because you didn't place, so are trying to blame it on the judge and the ring footing?



I think judges can multitask and do so all the time  so liked your post for that reason. I do think it was unprofessional to knit though as it does appear the judge has no interest in the show.


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## OuttatheBlue (Dec 8, 2011)

I don't like complaining about judges, because they spend a LOT of their time at the show, and alot of the judges here don't even get paid well. But knitting while judging is a clear sign she wasn't paying 100% attention to the job at hand.

I've only had ONE judge I really didn't like. I can accept being placed low, having a bad day, having good competition, etc. but at one show I went to this judge just didn't like us, at all. I couldn't get her to look at us in ANY class. But I figured there were some good riders out there, I wasn't watching the competition so maybe it was just me.

Then in one of our pattern classes, where you are supposed to do a flying lead change (you CAN do a simple, flying gets placed higher), we NAILED the pattern! We were the first to go, got the flying lead change RIGHT on place and when we finished all the other competitors were actually clapping! The rest of the patterns I got to watch, there were 2 others that got the flying lead change, more than half of the rest didn't even change leads. I mean out of 16 people maybe 3 did GOOD simple leads, 1 or 2 did sloppy lead change and the rest either didn't start or end on the right lead. Out of the 6 placings, we didn't get one. My instructor watched it all too, and said I had at least 3rd place.
Normally that's not even that big of a deal to me, but it was an open show and I spent a little too much money to show to a judge who wouldn't give me a chance. Maybe she was biased against white (technically faded gray) horses?


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## HarleyWood (Oct 14, 2011)

yes when i took my three year old to his first show, it was a fun show and i just wanted to see how he acted. and we got ready and they were fine but when it came to musical tires there was music playing and a person taking pictures, my little guy never had this go on around him and he freaked and dodged to the side. and into the area inside the circles we werent saposta be, and i got him out with in 4 seconds and he was fine after that and we all got to a tire but this one "super good" chick, didnt and they said to restart because someone didnt fallow the directions and i looked at my mom like "What the!!" but we went again adn the same ckick didnt get one so we restarted agian. finally she got one and we kept going and going it was me, her and some guy. and she didnt get one and like stocked off out of the ring, but the judge kept letting her get away with stuff. and we got second and won a hay bag!


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## alexischristina (Jun 30, 2009)

I've had awful experiences with the same judge in my area at a couple different shows- they were all 'club' shows, and at every one of them the 'club' kids placed- nobody else did. My girl was awful for the first two classes, we took a break, worked hard and then went back into the ring- my coach said the judge didn't look at me once, despite the fact that my horse was behaving perfectly, we rode the class perfectly. One horse stopped to take a poop half way through- stopped dead and didn't move for a good 30 seconds, another never cantered, her horse was all over the place, both of them were club girls and placed 2nd-4th. But what really got me was when we all lined up she gave _every single rider_ a lengthy comment, good or bad, got to me and then turned around and left the ring. At another show there was a large group of fancy paints, clearly coming out from a 'show' barn, all rode amazingly and none of the coloured horses placed once.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Speed Racer said:


> What makes you think she was a bad judge?
> 
> You can knit and watch people ride. Knitting is a 'busy' activity. It doesn't take any real concentration if you've been doing it a long time, and can be very soothing.
> 
> Are you mad because you didn't place, so are trying to blame it on the judge and the ring footing?


 Knitting while you are judging? That is unprofessional and not appropriate regardless of how good of a multitasker you are.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Alwaysbehind said:


> You are right. I made a statement or two based on experience.
> 
> You took them, twisted them (along with your panties) and are having one of your tantrums.
> 
> ...


Maybe they have a scribe so they can watch what is going on 100% of the time.


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## Scoutrider (Jun 4, 2009)

That's rough that you had such a poor show experience. Personally, regardless of how automatic an activity knitting is, a judge knitting during the class is highly unprofessional, and presents an image of distraction or just plain not caring. Judging a class is neither the time nor the place to be catching up on your knitting. To me, that is just as bad as an exhibitor texting in the lineup (I have seen that before, too :roll. Even at one of our little club-only schooling shows, if the judge we hired did that he/she would not be asked back. For all of the work and preparation that riders and horses put into a horse show to demonstrate respect to the judge, the judge should reciprocate by putting down his/her other hobbies while they judge the class. 

One of the infamous tales of our district level 4-H shows (the state show qualifier) is about a judge who judged half a dozen classes from outside the arena sitting in her pickup truck because it was drizzling. No thunder or lightning, just one of those ongoing annoying drizzles. There are so many better ways to handle that... find a volunteer to hold an umbrella so the paper stays dry, or just pause the show until the weather clears. Many of the exhibitors were unhappy about that one... 

I've had G&S judges place people in literally pants-on-the-ground baggy jeans and baseball caps that shoved and dragged unbathed, unclipped horses around the arena ahead of me several times. More than once I've had perfect strangers flag me down after a class and tell me what an excellent job Pony and I did and how they didn't understand why I wasn't placed/placed higher. All that can be done in those situations is to be a good sportsman yourself, and chalk it up to a valuable show experience for yourself and your horse. Most of my friends avoid judged classes as much as possible - contesting and gaming classes are very popular here because of the lack of subjectivity in the placings. 

As far as footing goes, there's always a problem and it's impossible to make everyone happy. Just something that must be taken in stride when it works against you. All that you can do as an exhibitor is to prepare and do your best, whatever that is that day. Even a bad judge or adverse weather conditions shouldn't kill your enjoyment of the experience - there's always something to have gotten out of it. 

Here's hoping that your next show experience is more positive!!


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## LadyNeigh (Jul 16, 2011)

this topic has gone...off topic!! (thats funny in my mind)
my worst shpw experience is when we turned up and there was no warm up ring!! So yeah not fun trying to warm up in the car park (i didn't go faster than a trot don't worry)


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

Things like footing and track conditions are challenges all competitors have to deal with equally so I dont see that as an issue.
I come from a shooting world but I can tell you nothing will suck the fun out of a match quicker than bad officiating. It can also kill one off pretty quick. The problem is sometimes the organizers dont know why their match is dieing they just realize no one is showing up. Human nature is to not think it is them.
I have voted with my wallet and feet at several venues. Shooting and horse.
One thing I have done though is communicate "Why" I am not coming back to the organizer and give them a chance to fix it. SOme address the conserns, those get a second chance, some respond with excuses about how I am wrong for feeling a certain way, to those I never return.
Contact the organizer and let them know you found the judges behavior, and lack of professionalism totally unacceptable and would apreciate the issue being addressed. If the organizer responds like they are actually concerned and want to fix it, give them another shot. If the organizer responds, with it is OK to knit and this judge is soooo great and blah blah blah, tell them never mind you will look for a more professional venue to spend your time and money.


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

Ick! I had a bad judge experience...he pretty much pinned the horses before he even saw them go around the ring. He placed people that were on the wrong lead, one girl was on the wrong diagonal the whole entire time...she got Champion in the division. 

It was a really low key schooling show...so braiding is optional...he only looked at people that had their horse's braided. Which is OK with me, but if you are making a blatantly obvious mistake, you shouldn't place in the class.

During my division, the judge stood in the area during the flat classes, and I watched him the entire class...not once did he even look up from his notebook. It's annoying with judges like that, because it makes you not even want to try. For me at least


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

I know how to knit, crochet, cross-stitch, do ceramics,folkart paint, faux paint and can make gum paste sugar flowers for cake decorating. I can do all of that without thinking too much about it. But I wouldn't do any of that if I was being paid to judge anything. 

That was very unprofessional of the judge. Even if they were "able" to do that it gives others the impression that their attention wasn't on their task of judging what the people paid to have judged.

If someone showed up at a cake show to judge with their knitting in their hands, it wouldn't go over well. It would be all over the sugar boards/FB about so and so (the sugar world is an unbelievably SMALL world) and I don't think they would be asked to judge squat doodly again. 

I would do as Joe suggested...speak to the show manager. Speak with your wallet and don't go again if this person is judging. As for the footing - everyone had the same footing to deal with.

There will always be judges who shouldn't be judging. Either because they can't be objective or they really don't know what they are doing! Fairness should always be a must. I was going to enter a cake show and was discussing it with a friend who just happens to be very famous in the cake world. She said "don't tell me anything! I was just asked to judge that show!" She is fair and honest. When she sets out a judgement it is fair and concise. All judging should be that way!


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

QOS said:


> If someone showed up at a cake show to judge with their knitting in their hands, it wouldn't go over well. It would be all over the sugar boards/FB about so and so (the sugar world is an unbelievably SMALL world) and I don't think they would be asked to judge squat doodly again.


Sorry to go off-topic but I think you need to post pics in off-topic of your sugar work! I love looking at that stuff. Took decorating lessons as a kid...I was meant to stick with horses :lol:


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

My bad judge experience was at a combined drive. 

I named the meanest barn cat I have after the judge.

This is ... Nasty Natasha


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## haleylvsshammy (Jun 29, 2010)

^^Nasty Natasha is a fine looking kitty-kat!


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Natasha is cute!

I had one judge when I was younger that I absolutely despised. Was at a show (was probably 8 or 9) showing my old mare, won her halter class, went back in for grand & reserve. Didn't get either but after the judge told me on my way out that "I'd have stood your mare grand kiddo, but she's too old and that wouldn't be right" Um, really??? 

A few years ago I double judged a show with that judge. On our break I shared that memory with him, he bought my lunch :lol:


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

Good grief, what did age have to do with it? If she had the stuff to be grand she SHOULD have been stood as grand. :evil:

As for the sugar  you can look at my latest stuff at Flickr: Denise Talbot's Photostream I have two wedding cakes next week that I am looking forward to making and then 2 the next week.  Hope you like it!!!


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

QOS said:


> Good grief, what did age have to do with it? If she had the stuff to be grand she SHOULD have been stood as grand. :evil:


My thoughts exactly...she was 24 at the time in the ring with a bunch of 4 & 5 yr old mares. Here's a pic of her (and me) back then


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