Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Perhaps if more people put their sentiments in writing as Lif has done, 
and sent them to the Commissioner there might be some ripple effect--- 
seems to me a better plan than just bashing (although most of the show 
bashing is justified (based on my assessments of the Western Pleasure, 
Hunter, and Halter classes over the last several years) and arising out 
of frustration ). We need to complain that the situation of trainers 
(who have vested interests in winning) showing under judges, who will be 
judged by these same trainers in  future shows,  is a clear conflict of 
interest! I have my plate full right now and no longer show myself; yet 
I would be happy to sign petitions from those who do still show or might 
want to show or have their kids show. There are thousands on this chat 
room site and while we are at it, we might add to the petition that AHA 
should also promote distance riding more as well.
Just a thought
Bette
PS If people want to send me their name and AHA number, I can draw up a 
petition to that effect and send it myself. I will send a copy to all 
first to make sure it agrees with everyone. I know one administrator of 
AHA very well and he is a fair man. I'll send it directly to him and let 
the chips fall where they may! Hopefully my email program will not give 
out under the numbers (if there are tons of disgruntled show people and 
frustrated endurance breeders)

heidi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> > The AHA judges pool is made up of trainers, enthusiasts, breeders, etc.
> > and I think the majority of them try to objectively judge horses on
> > their qualities and merits. To state otherwise is to cast aspersions on
> > the integrity of some very fine people in the Arabian breed.
> >    
>
>
> Then I guess I have to cast aspersions.  Although in terms of integrity, I
> will grant that in many cases, it is actually ignorance.  Our judging pool
> is by and large poorly educated about what constitutes functional
> conformation, let alone classic type, and tends to "objectively" put up
> the horses with the most extreme aspects of certain body parts that match
> what they see in the major magazines and at the other shows.
>
> The "good old boy" network is alive and well in the show ring--riding
> under a judge one week that you will be judging as a rider next week.  But
> you are correct that that doesn't apply to ALL judges.  The judges who
> make me ashamed are the ones who KNOW what it takes to be functional and
> yet persist in putting up the extremes of necks, croups, legs, bodies,
> etc.  Yes, they are being "objective" all right--but they are rewarding
> things that are destroying our breed.
>
> Yes, there ARE a few judges who will heave a sigh of relief and pin a good
> horse if he shows up.  But since the good horses by and large are ignored
> as not being sufficiently "extreme," they rarely bother anymore.
>
> Additionally, this push toward the non-functional extreme in the show ring
> has caused breeders who strive to breed show winners to BREED for these
> extreme traits--to the detriment of the breed.  It is a sad fact for those
> of us who love the Arabian as he was--a sturdy, functional, sane,
> well-conformed RIDING horse--that the breed HAS by and large earned the
> bad rap that it gets in the public opinion.
>
> Heidi
>
>
> ============================================================
> REAL endurance is reading the LD vs. Endurance thread/debate every 3
> months!!!
> ~ Heidi Sowards
>
> ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/
>
> ============================================================
>
>
>  

--
Bette Lamore
Whispering Oaks Arabians
Home of Bunny and 16.2h TLA Halynov
who lives on through his legacy Hal's Riverdance!
http://www.arabiansporthorse.com

Always remember: "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." (George Carlin)



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I still prefer what it is that BH100, Tevis, The Duck's Soup of Endurance,
etc. has to offer...but, to see a horse canter over sand for those
distances...Good Lord, it humbles me.
~  Frank Solano

ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/

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