Affiliated Dressage today.

[DITZ]

Judge got out of bed the wrong side:eek:

No honestly! So much so that organiser said they wouldnt use her again. Shame because he was going really nicely too. We did N24 and got 60.74%. A good 2/3rds of the class got below 60% so it wasnt really a good place to be. It was a qualifer but still, theres no need for that. We came 5th so the placing was about right, just the % was wrong, and lets face it I'd rather an extra BD point than a rosette;) He went nicely in it too, except one incident, turning into a corner he had shied away from in the trot round I applied too much inside leg and got a buck.

Second test was N32 where we had the same judge and 62.17%. Again had the same buck in almost the same place. I must learn to be more subtle with my left leg.:o

But we did get an 8 for our free walk and canters are getting more 7s than 6s now too.

Seems to me he gets better marks in the more complex tests. Next competition is an unaffiliated one in a couple of weeks time. Am thinking of trying elementary, what do you reckon?

[Ginger Thing]

Well done (despite the judge ;) )

Yes I would have a go at elementary if you are doing so well at novice. My horse is the same, needs to be kept busy and occupied, finds the easier prelims boring (or is that just me?:rolleyes: )and just doesn't go as well as in busier tests.

We would far rather be doing complicated stuff we have to concentrate on than endless cantering around the arena with not even a circle (prelim 7, which he's got next Sat for ode!)

Go for it!

[DITZ]

mmm. just looked and the elementary test is 51. I dont have a copy of the test but I suspect its tricky!

Perhaps we'll wait until a E41 or something lower down the difficulty scale comes along.

Anyone know whats in E51 BTW?

[chewitmonster]

Sorry don't know about E51, just wanted to say well done - although with no help from the judge. Some people :rolleyes:

Good luck for future ones though :) xxx

[DITZ]

I got a copy now, think its a bit too hard for me, collected trot, 10m circles in canter and simple changes. Maybe stick to N25 instead;)

[Bozzy]

Well done on the tests, shame about the judge :rolleyes:

Take a look at the Elementary tests and start to work on the movements at home, sure you're not far off :D

[Haphazard]

Judge got out of bed the wrong side:eek:

lets face it I'd rather an extra BD point than a rosette



Problem is if judges are generous you end up running out of points very quickly and are forced into Elementary. I feel that if your aim is to qualify for regionals, if you don't win its better to not get any points so you can keep trying to qualify for longer. In one qualifier I got 68.5% and came 3rd which blew a load of points for nothing

[star]

agree with that! now have 81 points and out of novice. we only won a few classes - clocked up most of those points from placings with low 60's scores. now forced into elem with a 20yr old horse and will probably have to retire him as he cant cope with elem. we had fun at novice but i wish it could have lasted longer!

[Jane.A]

In defence of we judges we don't go out to give poor marks! The training we have drills us to mark up in spite of , instead of down because of. We do quite a bit of training, all of which costs time and money and get paid 40p per mile for judging, so its done for the love of the sport. Writing for a judge is a great way to see things from the judges perspective, and believe me things can look a lot different from where we sit to the ringside. We all have days where a test felt better than the mark we got, but also days where we perhaps looked better than it felt. Perhaps the judge saw a basic fault in your way of going today, or perhaps they are a more critical marker. It sounds tho' that they rewarded the good stuff as you got an 8 so they were obviously prepared to reward what they thought was good and use the range of marks. I accept that you are disappointed but if the judges remarks give you something to work on then you may well do better next time. Also remember that judges do not object to being asked questions about the test if they have time after the class.

[DITZ]

Agree Jane, and I have been judged by you (and fairly too). Personally I have never yet come across a judge I disagree with until this one but the marks were erratic. She gave a 3 for one movement as we struck off on the wrong lead (but recognised and corrected it within the 1st 1/4 of the 20m circle). Had I not corrected and done the entire movement on the wrong lead then I would say 3 is fair. Also gave me a 4 for my the canter across the diagonal with g-r over x, comments were that head was tilted. Not a 4 though?

I can see why you wouldnt want BD points if you didnt want to move up the levels but I do not just that but 2/3rds of the class neither got placed or got a point because they didnt come upto the 60% mark. In my (limited) experience at novice level there are only usually 1 or 2 that fall below the 60% mark but there were over 10 in this class.

It was my friends first affiliated outing and she got 54%.:(

[Jane.A]

Obviously a really small world! Perhaps I should adopt a pseudo-nymn on-line in case somebody doesn't like my judging! :rolleyes: Put me out of my misery and pm me so I know who you really are!

[DITZ]

will do. Gonna look back thru tests first to see where you judged me and on which horse.;)

[Haphazard]

Had I not corrected and done the entire movement on the wrong lead then I would say 3 is fair. (

I am not a BD judge but I believe if you had done the entire movement on the wrong leg a 0 or 1 would be more likely.

Jane, I am sure I speak for many when I say how much we appreciate judges such as yourself for giving up your time, without people like you there would be no competitions. Of all the BD judges I know most are happy to discuss tests when asked and all try to be positive even when faced with the worst test imaginable. Also we should all accept that judges are humans like ourselves and can make mistakes but thats life.

[holiday]

Hi guys gonna join in with this one, im afraid all judges have their own way of judging and id rather work for my marks than go under someone and get a really high percent and feel i didnt deserve it.

Not sure if ive been under you Jane but as you are local i am more than positive i have been.

Im never disappointed with my marks and sometimes they can be really bad!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially as i give the judges an interesting time with my pony who either goes really well or incredibly badly and most people want to video him then!!!!

Although to be fair i do believe some judges could let a few marks go!!!

Well done ditz go for e44 or e41 they are nice tests to start elementary!!