In hand showing? And judging?

Question

Entering a larger in hand class than before.

I know which way to turn, but that's about it really.....

Any serous dos and donts?

Any little tips or ticks you clever people have up your sleve?

What is the judge looking for?

--And--

What is the difference between a judge and a steward?

Answer 1

In hand showing is not difficult, but it does take practise to be able to do it seamlessly.

What the judge is looking for depends entirely on the judge and the class... but if you are showing your Welsh A in a breed class, s/he will be looking for a good stamp of a pony turned out correctly - in a perfect world, the winner of the class should stand out before it even enters the ring.  It's late in the season now, but if you can get along to any of the big county shows, a morning spent watching the professionals is far more valuable than anything you can learn on YA.  They have been doing it for years, and it is their job!

Make sure your pony is alert; a bored looking animal is unlikely to win the class even if his conformation is spot on.  Walk at his shoulder - if you are any further forward it will look like you are dragging him along, and it is hard to see the movement if the handler is walking by the pony's head.  Practise trotting your pony up, especially round corners!  You'll be going round on the right rein (turning left as you enter the ring) so you'll be on the outside, so you need to be able to turn the pony away from you.  

Most judges have you all walk round together, then you trot one at a time round to the end of the line - a bit like in a riding school.  After that, you'll be pulled in.  Look, but don't stare, over to the judge and steward so you don't miss your pull.  When they point to you, nod and take your pony over to the middle of the ring - the steward should tell you exactly where to stand.  The judge will then look at each pony individually.  Stand him up square - that's more difficult than you'd think, so practise getting him standing correctly.  You'll probably have to move his feet about to get him in the right place.  When the judge asks you to walk away and trot back, try to go in a straight line!  It's much easier to see straight legs if the line is straight.  Don't run the judge over, but do carry on trotting until you are well past the judge, and go back to your place in the line.

Be pleasant and polite to the judge and steward, and remember to say thank you.  The judge is the one judging you, but shows couldn't run if stewards didn't volunteer their time too.  They keep the shows going, make sure everyone is in the right place, and are just as important as the judge.  I don't know how old you are, but if you are young enough to enter young handlers classes, do as many as you can.  They are a perfect environment for getting the hang of in hand showing.

Good luck!

Answer 2

serious donts:

-touch your horse

-switch hands the lead is on

-slouch/drag your feet

serious dos:

-be extremely polite if they say something add a ma'm or sir

-have confidence

-dont cut corners on making your horse look his best (i.e. dont just say, oh well i brushed his mane and tail this morning even though it got windy out...)

i wouldnt call this a trick, but i always smile (not just a fake cheesy one) and make eye contact with the judge. think about making yourself looking like your saying "this is my horse." in a PROUD way.

in showmanship atleast, the judge is judging on the effort the shower put into her horse. the pattern is also extremely important. do it right and make sure your horse is trotting/walking so that you are behind his ja2 but infront of his shoulder. (that way it doesnt look like your dragging your horse and vise virsa)

the judge judges and the steward assists the judge (not in judging, but getting the showers #, showing the horses where to line up, etc.)

sorry its so long! good luck!!!

Answer 3

Make sure your horse is standing square (front hooves inline and back in line).

Stand at your horses shoulder and give him his head, it looks awfull when people pull their horses and its easy to not realise your doing it.

Walk in a straight line, as you turn encorouge your horse to start trotting and then as soon as your straight get him into a nice trot. Trot in a straight line and trot past the judge (gives him/her a chance to look at your horse from behind) then if it is appropriate trot the whole way around the ring)

If your horse canters or does something wrong dont panic just bring him/her to a halt and then carry on with what your doing, dont let it put you off.

Always remember to smile and be polite to the judge, after your trot, halt, stand square and salute to him/her.

If you dont come as high up as you would have liked ask the judge how you could have improved and work on what they say for next time.

Hope this helps

Answer 4

The judge is the person deciding your placement in the class (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.). A show steward is someone who checks to see if anything is being done that is illegal for the show, they can be the judge's assistant, they can even make the decision to disqualify a horse/rider from a class/division/ or even the whole show.

Answer 5

what the judge is looking for depends on the class titlae - are we talking a handler class (judged on you) or a specific breed/type class (e.g a part bred arab class)??  Keep your horses head up, always stay by their shoulder, don't be afraid to pick up a bit of grass or rustle something when standing for the judge to get those ears pricked, take a few seconds to get them standing up straight but don't prick about too long or the judge will get impatient.  Stand in front of your horse but if the judge wants to look at it straight on then move to one side to give him/her the full view!!!  also when it comes to the trot up -  don't just jog - RUN! really get your horse to throw out his legs but make sure you do not drag him b- stay at the shoulder and give a flick with whip or show cane if necessary to get them moving smartly!  

a judge is the person judging the class - choosing the placings and deciing the winner etc.  the steward is there to help out the judge, keep things moving smoothly, relay instructions from judge to competitors and generally help out  - you can ask a steward to help you quickly altho nothing like holding your horse or brushing obviously!!!!

good luck, hope u do well n have fun!!!!!

Answer 6

1: Act like you own the class. If there is a close call between you and someone not so confident, they will chose you every time...it may even push you up a placing. It's a SHOW...so show off! I think people forget how much effect the handler's grooming and stature has on the aesthetic.

If this is a showmanship class:

The class is judged on how you show your horse. Pattern execution is weighted heavily, with certain point allocation to grooming

- DO NOT touch your horse!

- Follow the pattern and ALWAYS be aware of the judge--they will often see who is paying attention and

-DO address the judge as "sir" or "ma'am"...why be impolite to the person who is placing you?

If this is a halter class:

the class is judged strictly on conformation as described by your breed characteristic.

-Touching your horse is acceptable, but personally I like to avoid it. That being said, however, there are ways to set your horse's feet in order to make him look more acceptable.

The judge will be placing the class, the steward is a show official, there to make sure the rules are being followed and to help the judge with secretarial duties.

Answer 7

The difference between a judge and a steward is: A judge is appointed to........well..........judge the class.  A steward makes sure everything runs smoothly, checks off horses as they come into the ring, helps the judge out and does any official stuff.

Now things to do when showing.  It really depends on what class you have entered.  I like to get my horse a bit excited before the class, as i show a welsh cob and when he's strutting his stuff, it's breathtaking.  I make a loud whoooosh or shhhhhh sound when we trot and he gets going really well.  I like to see a horse with a bit of rein, you know not held tightly under the chin on the bit.  I give my cob about a foot of lead, this way he's moving free and i'm not restricting him.  A good stand in the line up is important too.  We do either the square halt.......explains itself, or three legs square and near side hind placed back a little.  It's really up to you though.  I also try to stand out of the judges way as he inspects the horse, and get your horse pricking his ears, possibly extending his nose out a little to show off a nice neck or shoulder.  The walk is important too, let your horse take long strides, keep him in a long frame if you know what i mean.  

It really depends what the class is as to what the judge is looking for, each judge is different, good judges will pick a horse with good conformation, movement and temperament, some judges who in my opinion shouldn't be judges at all because they confuse people pick on colour and go past the temperament thing all together.  Overall, if you can get a horse who respects you on the ground, will stand in the line up and show to his best ability then you'll have a horse who has a pretty good chance of making a good impression.    

Answer 8

Not sure how much experience you have so excuse me if I waffle on a bit...

Your judge will be looking for first and foremost: the standard for your breed (what breed are you showing?). They will assess movement, conformation, presentation and behaviour. Once again all these factors differ from breed to breed, you should by this stage know how to present your breed of horse (plaits? free mane? type of halter), and what behaviour is/isn't acceptable for that breed. And you can have the best horse there, but if it looks like a paddock scrubber it will not get noticed. Have all clipping done weeks before, have Mr. Horse looking as fit as possible. On the morning make sure he's immaculately groomed, feet cleaned and polished, mane & tail braided if that's the standard, some sheen on the coat, make-up (depending on breed).

Your presentation is also very important. Make sure you are groomed & dressed appropriately for the class. Make an effort, the judge did! Jeans and sneakers will not do it.

Make sure your horse is trained to stand-up well before the show, so that when you are in the arena you are not "schooling" your horse - ie once you are where the steward or judge has directed, go straight into the stand as quickly as possible without fuss/pulling/adjusting feet & head position/excessive whip use (and I don't mean hitting for those people who think that's what a whip is for). Stand well clear of your horse so the judge has a good view of it.

Watch any previous classes if you can, it will give you an idea of how you are required to enter the arena - at a walk in file ? trotting in one by one?, the pattern the judge wants you to take for your individual workout. Once in there, keep an eye on where the judge is at all times. Just when you think they've finished looking at your horse and started scrutinising the next, they can often have another quick peek. When asked to walk away from the judge, do it in a perfectly straight line. The speed of trot-out depends on the breed of horse - for example QH's are a slow calm jog, with Arabs they want to see BIG movement. How the horse is stood up is all dependant on the breed also, but I'm guessing you've already done this bit.

Be polite to all other competitors. Always allow plenty of room either side of you. Also keep an eye on the steward who may be passing on directions from the judge to move forward/space-out more/change direction or whatever. Congratulate other competitors, regardless of where you placed. It's good sportsmanship. Never show disappointmnt or annoyance in the arena - or outside for that matter - wait til you get home to have your tantrum if you need to have one.

Don't let your horse pick the grass while you're not being watched either - messes up their make-up, and you might get busted! lol!

In all honesty though, if you've shown in smaller classes, you'll be fine ;o) just relax, enjoy yourself (your horse will behave better if you're relaxed), keep an eye on what's going on.

A judge is just that. They make the decisions. A steward assists the judge, often giving directions on the judges behalf to make things flow, taking notes of placings, bringing ribbons to the judge (depends on how the show is run).

I'm a slow typer so there's probably 10 more answers by the time I post this... lol!

Bottom line, have fun and good luck.