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Gaits of Gold Gaited Horse Community Messageboard > Please Partcipate in our Gaited Horse Polls & Surveys! Start your own! > Gaited horse polls and surveys > Schooling/Unrated and Fun Shows |
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Gaits of Gold Gaited Horse Community Messageboard > Please Partcipate in our Gaited Horse Polls & Surveys! Start your own! > Gaited horse polls and surveys > Schooling/Unrated and Fun Shows |
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| Schooling/Unrated and Fun Shows | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Sun Jul 15th, 2007 09:03 pm |
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1st Post |
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Aethelthryth G.O.G Community Member 
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Several people from my barn "show" their horses several times a summer. These are mostly adults, they have nice horses, etc. This weekend, they brought back a slew of trophies and ribbons. The thing is, they only go to very small, local "schooling" type shows. No ratings, no points, but whenever they don't come in near the top of their classes these same people P&M about the judge being biased, not liking their horse for one reason or another. Keep in mind, these are all supposedly adults. Maybe I misunderstand something here, but I was always under the impression that small, local, schooling/unrated/fun shows were either geared towards children who have not had a lot of show experience, or they're for young/green horses whose owners want them to get some show ring experience before heading off into the "real world." So, seeing a group of experienced adults with nice, seasoned horses who just keep going to these little shows to collect ribbons and trophies has started to bother me. Every time they start bragging on their "big win" at the show, I just want to ask them when they plan on entering their horses in shows that count for something. They obviously know how to ride, their horses are obviously more than comfortable with the whole show environment, so why not put it to the test and show at a higher level? I've seen and been to shows (hunter/jumper type) where an adult rider took his very nice, well-bred young greenbroke horse into a class where all of the other competitors were kids. The nice young horse's performance easily would have won the entire division, but the rider intentionally did things wrong (wearing inappropriate show clothing, or trotting rather than cantering to a jump) just so that he wouldn't actually be placed in the class. Basically, he sabotaged his own round, because he didn't need to win, he just wanted his horse to get some experience. A girl on a fat little pony ended up winning the division. She was ecstatic. I thought that was awesome. Thoughts? Opinions? Audrey
____________________ Audrey "Parelli horsemanship is just like painting by the numbers. You need absolutely no skill. You just put this color here and this color there, and when you're done, you have ... a mess no one wants." mp |
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| Posted: Sun Jul 15th, 2007 10:58 pm |
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2nd Post |
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JoyRider G.O.G Community Member 
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I see your point. You would think it would take the thrill of winning out of it to know you beat some young kid on their pony/ horse who has not been to any or hardly any shows and you and your horse can be doing bigger & better things even if not necessarily taking a blue everytime. Maybe the show officials/ judges should take this into account and divide the classes in such a way like age groups or something to help correct this.
____________________ Revelation 19:11 |
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| Posted: Fri Aug 3rd, 2007 05:44 am |
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3rd Post |
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TWHequestrian G.O.G Community Member 
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OK... I personally LOVE "fun shows" BUT, I am chronically anti-competitive. I like to go for something different to do with my horse and expose him to the world outside the barn and trails we frequent. I hate competition and just feel like it sucks the fun out of riding because it takes the joy out of it and makes it about winning every time. and if I get a ribbion I gloat for a few days and then remind myself it was just a show against kids half my age on their cute little horses... but then stay proud, because, obviously, my horse is so awesome the judge could see it. lol. A show, to me, is an excuse to make my horse all clean and shiny and strut our stuff around the ring for a few minutes.  However... I don't get the people you are talking about. it sounds like they, unlike me, ARE competitive... Maybe they don't know about regular shows?? I know about judge bias... I competed in some english pleasure classes... all bay and chestnuts... with my flasy coloured paint. some of the horses were BUCKING and placed higher than my nice, rhythmical (if not a bit too much impulsion and extension for pleasure), well behaved Paint.
____________________ Whitney C. "Horses that do not startle were all eaten long ago." -Charles de Kunffy |
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| Posted: Fri Jan 4th, 2008 01:30 am |
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4th Post |
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dazzlerider G.O.G Community Member 
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I know this is an old topic, but I thought I would reply since I am in the "transitional grey area" between showing and ??? something else to have fun with my horses. I can certainly understand why you think these adults should act differently, not complain, and/or go to real shows, but I must also say that there are reasons why adults go to these shows- namely time, money, and friendship. Many of the adults in the local clubs enjoy getting together each month and showing together. They have put in the effort to train their horses, improve their riding, etc. but they are not in a position monitarily to compete with the fancy trainers (or amatuers who have their horse professionally trained and boarded with the trainer), or to invest the large amount of time away from home that it takes to be competitive on the bigger circuits. Therefore, they are competing in the place best suited to their lifestyle and means. They should have the right to fair judgement, because they put time and effort into their horses and their riding. I know that it can get sticky sometimes, especially when someome lost to a kid who made mistakes but won anyway, and the adult is chastised for taking the "fun" out of fun show. But there has to be a place for people to enjoy their horses, and the progress they have made with them (often through years of self training guided by a video/book, etc.) without taking them far from home and competing against professionals or prof. trained horses who are in it for the high stakes. I don't know if this applies to the people in your barn, but this is why my friends and I hang around the local shows.
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| Posted: Fri Jan 4th, 2008 02:49 am |
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5th Post |
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ridingintherain G.O.G Community Member 
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Very well said Dazzlerider! Hope this helps you cope, Aethel!
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| Posted: Fri Jan 4th, 2008 01:20 pm |
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6th Post |
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JoyRider G.O.G Community Member
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There is always 2 sides to the coin. But classes still can and are at the ones I attend be divided into age groups, amateurs and trainers. Of course if there is not enough entries to diversify the classes then I can see how adults vs. kids cannot be avoided.
____________________ Revelation 19:11 |
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| Posted: Sat Jan 5th, 2008 05:07 pm |
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7th Post |
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SPOTD RIDR G.O.G Community Member 
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Joy that is how our local fun shows are usually done. The biggest majority of the people in the classes are the barn owner/trainer/farriers customers who just like to get together to show off there horses and have fun. Now there are a few that come to every show that the local barns have with 4 horses for 1 rider dressed to the T and serious as all get out, and like you say Aethelthryth I just don't know why she don't get out to some real shows, but who knows maybe she does and these shows are just good practice.
____________________ JoAngela "Jo" |
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| Posted: Sat Jan 5th, 2008 11:01 pm |
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8th Post |
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CJM G.O.G Community Member 
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My daughter goes to some of the local shows. There are a variety of classes that vary the ages of riders and horses and green vs seasoned. It gives a variety of people a chance from kids to adults. Also people can ride with their number upside down, which means they are there for training purposes and not counted for competition. CJM
____________________ Give your child a stable life. Give them a horse. |
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| Posted: Sun Jan 6th, 2008 07:19 pm |
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9th Post |
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twhstone G.O.G Community Member 
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If I were still showing and could go to local "fun" shows to train I would and I have to admit I would take it seriously. There is a lot of money and time tied up in showing to not take it seriously. The shows I have competed at were basically club type shows but because there aren't a lot of gaited shows around there was all sorts of different levels of competition. It was mostly adults and often the horses were professionally trained. Often times the judges just don't see things too. I placed pretty high once in a class were my horse missed a lead. A woman competing in the same class didn't place and she was pissed that I did. Reality was the judge didn't see the missed lead and correction four strides later. People are competitive and that comes out regardless of the type of show. Also most peoples backyard trail horses wouldn't do well at the bigger gaited shows. I've seen both and it takes a certain type of horse to show at the bigger shows. Trust me it isn't the type you usually see on the trail. The last filly I had was very gaited and I was impressed with her RW ability. My friend took her to the trainer to check her out for possible show and the trainer chose a different horse. The filly wasn't nice enough to make it anywhere but California local shows and they are planning on showing at the celebration next year in Tennessea. As someone already mentioned these horses are in full time training with a professional also because that is what it takes to be competitive at that level.
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| Posted: Mon Jan 7th, 2008 08:12 pm |
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10th Post |
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giddiupspots G.O.G Community Member 
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As I have mentioned before, I show in the bigger shows in Utah with my SSH, but I also go to my community show. I am sometimes the only gaited horse at the show, and have arranged to have several classes for the purpose of others to see a gaited horse. I guess it's really a demonstration with a judge! But I feel like its important to have people see these horses and how great they are. I have sometimes gathered my non-showing friends together to have some "clinics" before this little show and give showing a try, but I've found that its not for everyone. They either like it or hate it. I do agree that its a shame for more advanced horses and riders to show against the backyard horse and rider.
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| Posted: Wed Jan 9th, 2008 09:34 pm |
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11th Post |
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Ruuhzoo G.O.G Community Member 
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There are a lot of local and county "horse clubs" that put on non-professional, low key, fun type shows. Most of them are family oriented and have age classifications for little kids, juniors, and the seniors. I belong to one such club here in Florida and we are out for funsies to have a good time with our horses and learn and compete in the process. Yes, some of the "pro's" use us as a schooling show to get ready for the sanctioned shows, but that is OK. Some of us locals can give them a run for the money. We also have classes for "novice" riders and horses. I love our shows. I have no intention of showing at the upper levels because of the time, energy and financial resources. I can go and relax and maybe bring home a ribbon or two and it is all for fun. These are the shows that get our kids started and also provides a venue for them to grow and develop since it is a competition sport. There is also a little something for everyone, English, Western, Gaited, Speed - . And yes, some of us purposely screw up sometimes to allow others to succeed. It's all part of being a horse person and supporting one another.
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| Posted: Fri Jan 15th, 2010 06:16 am |
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12th Post |
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AppyJo G.O.G Community Member 
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The last schooling show I went to this summer, there were several experienced people on experienced horses just there to feed their egos. However I think the judge took this into account and didnt let them win blue after blue after blue. I think she rated them at a higher standard than the obvious "newbs". As a novice adult on a novice adult horse, I am very much appreciative of the small schooling shows that give us a chance to show off our horses. I entered every novice class there was, won some ribbons and lost some classes but it didnt matter. I was there for the experience like everyone else. The pic is Joey and I at our very first show with our very first blue ribbon. We were in a class of 12, a patterned novice equitation class, all ages. I was shocked when I won over the local rodeo queen  Attachment: JoeysBlue!4-09sm.jpg (Downloaded 16 times)
____________________ Never assume! The moment you do, life is sure to screw you over! |
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