21 minute read
A Judge’s Perspective … Scottsdale
A Judge’s Perspective
2022 Scottsdale Show
Bruce McCrea
English
Rhein Standish
Western/Hunter
John Power
Halter
Kevin Price
English
Donnie Bullock
Halter
Gretchen McDaniel
Performance Halter/ Working Western
Michael Damianos
Western/Hunter
Leslie Connor
Halter
Allan Ehrlick
Sport Horse
Duane Esser
Western/Hunter
James Constanti
Halter
Michell Combs
Sport Horse
Laura Gault
Western/Hunter
Kim Morgan
Halter
Debbie Riehl-Rodriquez
Dressage
WHAT CLASS(ES) STOOD OUT TO YOU?
MCCREA: We had lots of great classes! A favorite was the Half-Arabian Country Junior Horse Championship. A favorite horse was our Champion Half-Arabian Park horse, especially outside in the qualifying class!
PRICE: The youth classes were very strong in all divisions this year. It is always impressive to see kids riding at a high level on high quality horses.
DAMIANOS: Stand outs for me were the Arabian Western Pleasure Championship, Half-Arabian Hunter Pleasure Championship, and Half-Arabian Western Pleasure Jr. Horse. I felt bad I could only write down 10 numbers, because there was an arena full of excellent horses. I must say, we did not see a weak class all 10 days.
ESSER: The amateur and youth classes were large and very competitive, not only in numbers but quality as well. The exhibitors did an exceptional job showing in their specific divisions.
GAULT: ALL of the classes were incredibly competitive and packed with super horses, but one class in particular that was memorable for me was the Arabian Costume AATR Championship. It was a great class and the crowd was so involved. One rider won a fan favorite award which was so refreshing!
STANDISH: Since my passion is in the English division, I really enjoyed judging the AEPA Country English Pleasure Maturity. It was a great group of horses and an exciting start to the show year.
BULLOCK: Junior and Senior Mare Championships.
CONNOR: For me, the entire session on Monday, when the championships for the International classes were held, was outstanding! I thought the overall quality was very high, and it was a real honor and pleasure to judge such beautiful horses! I must add that, I was also very impressed with the high level of competition in the Performance Halter division.
CONSTANTI: The International breeding classes were my favorite classes to judge. It was a pleasure to see the very high quality that was presented in these classes. I have had the privilege of judging breeding classes in many shows in other countries around the world, and it is interesting to compare in my mind the quality being presented from country to country. I applaud the quality that breeders in our country presented in these Scottdale International classes.
Another highlight for me was working with such highly accomplished and experienced judges. It was my distinct pleasure to take center ring with Leslie Connor, Scott Brumfield, Steve Dady and Majdi Al Saleh. And I cannot fail to mention that our Ringmasters, Juan and Dennis, with their decades of experience, were truly masters at keeping our classes flowing smoothly.
MORGAN: All of them really. So many great horses, beautifully presented. I was so impressed with all the trainer and handler presentations. I have always enjoyed seeing all the young horses “coming out” at Scottsdale. This year we saw a very strong group of halter horses, in particular, the Arabian yearling fillies and colts—some “off the charts” great individuals.
POWER: Our Junior and Senior Champion Colt and Stallion were on par with the all-time greats! This group of horses was not only of excellent quality, but the handlers did an awesome job of presenting them with the respect and enthusiasm that the horses deserve. Both our front line and back line in the Stallion Championship were top notch!
MCDANIEL: Having the pleasure of judging all the classes in Ring 8, home to the Trail classes and Cow Horse events, they tell me that the exhibitor numbers were up in the trail, and I saw many great runs in all divisions. The weather was also great weather for all these classes.
The cow horse classes are a favorite of mine and they always draw a crowd of spectators. There were many great horses with exciting runs.
EHRLICK: The Gambler’s Choice was a very exciting class in front of a full house.
HOW DID THIS YEAR’S PUBLIC ATTENDANCE COMPARE TO PAST SCOTTSDALE SHOWS OR OTHER SHOWS YOU’VE JUDGED?
MCCREA: I think things are slowly getting back to normal. We had great crowds. It was a full house on Saturday night.
PRICE: The Arizona Arabian Horse Association does an amazing job at promoting and getting the public to come to the horse show. The Scottsdale show is one of the best spectator shows that I attend all year. As a judge and/or an exhibitor, it is always more exciting to have a crowd of people enjoying the show.
DAMIANOS: For attendance, I think the Scottsdale show is always the big one. There is no other show like it in any breed. Obviously, by the numbers, horse people were ready to re-emerge and attend in one way or another the “Greatest Horse Show on Earth.” Covid was a very unbiased monster. It affected everyone, one way or another. This year’s Scottsdale show was a testament to the resilience of the Arabian horse community.
ESSER: I remember thinking to myself the first weekend of Scottsdale, how impressive the number of spectators there were in the stands, and into the last weekend, it was a full house. Very impressive. Nothing else compares.
GAULT: Scottsdale has always been one of the highest attended shows, but it seems like this year was better than ever! I believe everyone was ready to get out and enjoy the fresh air, beautiful animals, and socialize again!
STANDISH: I judged the Scottsdale show in 2019, and the pre-pandemic show consisted of a good crowd, but for 2022, it was a great crowd! The energy in the arena was exciting and made for a great show with packed seats.
BULLOCK: Public attendance was definitely up in numbers from the past few years, but not back to its normal attendance success. CONNOR: When I am judging, I’m not aware of how many people are in attendance, as I am totally focused on the horses I am judging. I did hear though, that there were good crowds at night in the Equidome.
CONSTANTI: I have not judged, or even attended a horse show since returning home from judging the Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship in mid-March of 2020. At that point in time, the Coronavirus pandemic was exploding around the world. Because of that, the show committee in Dubai had decided that they would not allow the public to attend. It was strange throughout the show to have it be so quiet and to see most of the seats remain empty. Some of the judges I worked with had received notification during the show that they would be required to go into quarantine when they arrived home to their countries, and we were all concerned that our flights home might be cancelled. To my relief, however, my flight took off from Dubai on schedule, but I decided I did not want to travel to judge abroad until it looked like the pandemic was safely under control.
MORGAN: Nobody does it quite like the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show. Best run show in the world! The weather was wonderful, but best of all, the Wendell Arena was full of enthusiastic people watching and showing. There was great energy, and it was awesome to feel that the excitement was back!
POWER: I think the ability to travel and compete at our horse shows has found a new appreciation and a renewed joy! Boy, did we miss the audience and the cheering.
EHRLICK: There were more people.
WHAT IS YOUR MENTAL PROCESS FOR MAKING SURE YOU SEE ALL THE ENTRANTS AND PLACING YOUR TOP TEN?
MCCREA: I tend to pick my top few horses early and check in on them throughout the class. First impressions are important. By the reverse, I have a pretty good idea how it’s going to go. The last trot is usually to confirm the top placings.
PRICE: Every judge develops a system that works for them. I prefer to write down the exhibitors’ numbers as they come in the ring. This gives me the opportunity to look at every entry as they enter the ring and evaluate the quality in the class. I use the first way of the ring to start placing. I do not write a lot down on my paper as I prefer to watch the class as much as possible. By the time I call for line up, I like to have my entire class placed. Because I write down all the numbers in the class, I have either placed them in my top ten or marked them off. This way I know I have evaluated every horse.
DAMIANOS: First of all, I make sure I see every horse come in the gate. That is an exhibitor’s one chance to make a good first impression. Then, when the gate closes, I start to judge. By the time they reverse I usually have, in large classes, my contenders sorted out. I like to use a clipboard with legal size paper which I break into four quarters. In the upper left, I write down the numbers of the horses I think are stars; below it are the numbers of horses that are possibilities of placing; upper right is for numbers that I feel are not in contention; and below them, the numbers of those that make large mistakes. Horses can move up or down in their category and can also move into a different quarter depending on circumstances. It is a system that has worked well for me for years.
ESSER: This is a very good question, especially for me as a judge, because I take my position very seriously. It is crucial to evaluate each and every entry, knowing that it is so important to each exhibitor involved. My mental process is to study the class, spending about three quarters of it observing/studying the horses and how they are performing. Then having the equation develop the placement to my answer. Because each class is uniquely different, the equation has slightly different dynamics that can affect the end result placement.
GAULT: Entrance is paramount. When classes are big and competition is deep, first impression means a lot. I write down my top numbers the first couple of laps, then put my notepad down and watch the entire class to sort out the placings. Some that made my initial list may fall off and others that may not have made my initial list may move up, depending on the entire performance.
BULLOCK: In halter we have the privilege of judging each horse individually, thus allowing us the ability to place the class with all entries having equal evaluation.
CONNOR: Having judged the International classes and Performance Halter, those classes involved individual scoring, and the placings were tabulated for the judges. Most of the International championship classes were judged comparatively, and we only placed four. But, in the AOTH, JOTH, and Breeders Club classes, which were placed comparatively, I had the opportunity to walk the line to finalize all my placings, so every horse received a second look!
CONSTANTI: I’m sure that all judges have their own mental processes that they follow to make sure each entrant is evaluated to the best of our ability. I showed for over 30 years before I received my Judges License, and during those years, I grew to appreciate and respect judges, whether I won or didn’t place, and felt they gave each exhibitor the same respect and an equal and thorough evaluation. From those many years of showing, I know how much work and expense it takes to get a horse trained, conditioned, groomed, transported and ready for a class. I get from that standpoint, that without exhibitors, there would be no shows. It is my personal goal to give each entrant the opportunity to perform to the best of their ability.
MORGAN: When the horses enter the ring I note my first impression, in particular Arabian type and movement, followed by the walk around which I value greatly because a lot of important things are revealed. The individual presentation pulls it all together for a final evaluation. I take a fair number of simple notes to help me keep order to my process. How you organize yourself is critical. The final walk around is important to separate horses that are close in placing. Comparing those individuals is very helpful to make the best determination.
POWER: In halter I have a procedure where, as a horse comes up to me, I evaluate it fairly quickly. I put them into one of four categories: Excellent, Very Good, Average, and Below Average. I do this by giving them a score. 90’s is excellent, 80’s is very good, 70’s is average, and 60’s is below average. Needless to say, at a show like Scottsdale, I had very few 60’s. On the final walk around, if necessary, I compare each of the horses in those categories to see if my first impression stands correctly. Was 98 really better than the horse that scored 95, and so on. I’ve used this system for years and it has yet to fail me.
EHRLICK: I just pay attention and focus.
WHEN JUDGING, ARE THERE THINGS THAT DISTRACT YOU FROM FOCUSING ON THE JOB AT HAND?
MCCREA: Not much really, I try to stay focused on the job at hand.
PRICE: One of the biggest distractions is when a trainer is screaming at their amateur all the way around the ring. It’s one thing to advise their client while going by, but screaming across the ring, or all the way around the ring, is very distracting.
DAMIANOS: Not a lot distracts me. I am looking at horses. Focus on the horse and it will tell you the story you need to know.
ESSER: Distractions happen easy at times. I have realized early on in my judging career that total focus is the way to accurate evaluation.
GAULT: Black number magnets make numbers very difficult to read. I noticed that several times and had to do a double take to make sure the numbers were correct. Also, excessive schooling with western horses is very distracting.
STANDISH: One of the biggest distractions for me as a judge is over coaching from the rail, especially with a negative tone. Coaching should be done at home and the warm-up; no one wants to be talked down to while they are showing!
BULLOCK: The biggest distraction in halter are handlers that want to push the limits of showing and show too aggressively. This year my panel did not witness any of that, which made our job of judging a lot easier and more pleasant. Excessive coaching from the rail is distracting and annoying as well. CONNOR: When judging halter classes, I would prefer to not have all the bagging and shagging that often goes on outside before horses enter the ring. I think it is sometimes overdone, and, as a result, the handlers have difficulty controlling their horses when they are trying to trot them for the judges.
CONSTANTI: I believe with experience, a judge learns how to focus and not be too distracted by activities outside of the ring. I actually enjoy crowd participation and music. To me, all of that adds excitement, energy and atmosphere to the show.
MORGAN: I’m pretty focused. My only concerns would be if there is something causing an issue for the horses or exhibitors. The elements can create issues. And occasionally, another exhibitor or unruly horse, which would be quickly dealt with.
POWER: I’ve never had a problem with distractions while judging, or even showing for that matter. The most important thing is my attention to the task at hand. Breeding decisions will be made because of my choices. Horses will move from one training barn to another because of my decisions. Someone may lose their job because of my decisions. Many, many people have worked tirelessly to teach and prepare these horses for the competition that I am judging. Each decision carries the weight of all those things. I know most all of my fellow judges carry that weight seriously and proudly, knowing the task at hand.
EHRLICK: I do not get distracted because I block out everything else.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO REMAIN MENTALLY FOCUSED AND CLEAR WHEN JUDGING A SHOW AS LONG AS SCOTTSDALE (11 DAYS)?
MCCREA: By staying focused on the job at hand, Scottsdale is really a pretty easy show. Usually, you only have morning and afternoon sessions, and classes are split up with other panels. It’s much more difficult judging the performance rotation at U.S. Nationals where you go 13-14 hours a day for nine days!
PRICE: To stay focused, I highly recommend a big meal, a drink and a lot of laughs at the end of the day. Seriously though, the Scottsdale show is well divided among many judging panels; this gives plenty of down time to stay rested and focused. If there is time, I like to get a workout in. I find this clears my head and keeps me feeling good with all the sitting and standing there is.
DAMIANOS: The first thing to staying focused is a good night’s sleep. Secondly, I had the opportunity to judge with nice and competent people; that makes things really easy. I try to remember something a clinician said at a judges seminar I attended once, “Know the rules, be prepared, and give a darn.” I think if you keep that perspective, the rest is easy.
ESSER: Scottsdale with its well-designed schedule allows judges a nice break to stay mentally charged. It is important to approach every class with a new evaluation and open mind; giving every entry a new opportunity to rise to the top.
GAULT: Scottsdale manages all of the judges very well. They schedule classes and panels in a manner where we can get a mental break and not wear ourselves out. Getting plenty of rest and taking time to clear your mind is an absolute must to judge a long show.
STANDISH: I have a 4-year-old daughter, I’m used to running around all day with minimal sleep! CONNOR: I judged seven days and I never felt stressed at all! It was a joy to get to judge such beautiful horses every day!
CONSTANTI: A judge has a lot to think about at a show and during a class. I have found the best way for me to stay relaxed and focused is to be fully prepared and rested when I start a day of judging. It is a good idea to try to get to sleep early each night before judging the following day. Also, I always try to arrive at the hotel a full day prior to the beginning of any show. This is especially important for me when I travel abroad to judge. I try to provide a time cushion for the potential of flight delays, cancellations, and missed connections.
MORGAN: Certainly 11 days is a long time. My panel had a 7-day schedule, so it was not difficult at all. I feel strongly about rest and preparation. I have my notes organized and my schedule prepared so I am always aware of my demands. The Scottsdale show is so well organized, and everyone is on their game, so we tend to lift each other up. Having great leadership and great ring men create a perfect formula for success.
POWER: My previous answer applies her as well. There is so much relying on the decisions we make to take any of it lightly. That being said, there is a responsibility of the exhibitors to show us their horses to their best advantage so we can properly place them. We can’t find everyone; some of them have to find us. That doesn’t mean riding down the middle every pass but working the arena for an optimal spot.
MCDANIEL: Scottsdale is one of the biggest and longest shows I judge. It’s interesting and exciting to see each horse go and I’m really rooting for them all to have great runs.
EHRLICK: Love what you are doing and occasionally gaze into the view of the mountains. BULLOCK: Plenty of sleep!
WHAT DOES THE SCOTTSDALE ARABIAN HORSE SHOW DO BETTER THAN OTHER SHOWS YOU’VE JUDGED?
MCCREA: They do an amazing job with that many horses and arenas going at any one time. It is a very fun show to judge!
PRICE: They do a great job of organizing the entire show. It has to be a nightmare to schedule all those divisions and all of the judges, not to mention the big exhibit area. But one thing they do better than the rest is the advertising and ability to draw the pu blic into the show and expose them to the Arabian horse.
DAMIANOS: The Scottsdale show just has their act together! They hire their judges early, they are on top of the travel arrangements, they give you a workable schedule, they issue clear communications on their expectations, they have staff that are genuine professionals, and they provide an environment that makes you feel like you are judging a big show.
ESSER: Given the Scottsdale Arabian horse show has an impressive history, success, and prestige, they’ve kept their torch lit bright over the years. They have a tremendous marketing and promotional team that keeps this show changing with exciting and enticing programs, and continues to bring us together as a community to celebrate the Arabian horse. It’s also maintained itself as a favorite annual local community event, going out of the way to roll out the red carpet to local interested enthusiasts.
GAULT: I can’t say enough about the Scottsdale show management, committee, and staff. It is run like a well-oiled machine in every way! They are the best at getting outside people to come in and experience our beautiful horses. It is managed like a true business and the result is SUCCESS!
STANDISH: The Scottsdale show does a great job with having plenty of judges and panels. Not having to judge every single class back-to-back is refreshing mentally, even if it is only a short break.
BULLOCK: The Scottsdale show is a model of perfect management, professional staff and friendly atmosphere. All of these qualities entice exhibitors to want to be there and enjoy their time with their horses.
CONNOR: They truly run like a “well-oiled machine”! How Taryl O’Shea and her staff can manage such a huge undertaking with such precision is really remarkable! They go out of their way to make sure the judges have everything they need, and the exhibitors are treated with respect and care. It really lives up to its name as the “Greatest Horse Show on Earth!”
CONSTANTI: Like many judges, I have had the great fortune to judge widely around the world. One comes to appreciate judging at a show that runs smoothly. I’m sure that all shows have glitches, but an experienced show staff know how to handle them as they come. Under the seasoned and expert leadership of Executive Director Taryl O’Shea, Show Manager Matt Kwapich, their dedicated Show Committee and legion of volunteers, the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona proved once again that the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show is arguably the “Greatest Arabian Horse Show in the World.”
I am an “old timer” who showed when it was held at Paradise Park on Bell Road. Having shown in Scottsdale for over 30 years, it was a poignant moment for me when I walked out into center ring of the Wendell Arena this year for the first time as a judge.
The photo I submitted is me with my grandson, who is four. This is the first horse show he has ever attended. I hope that he will be the third generation of our family to experience one day the thrill of competing here.
MORGAN: Again, an exceptionally well-run horse show. The board members are completely committed to the Arabian horse and an event to perfectly showcase them. All the people working the show seem to have the same thought process. I have always felt when you surround yourself with good people, great things happen! I was blessed to work with Donnie Bullock and Jack Thomas on my judging panel. Our co-panel on the Signature classes were also great to work with. All horsemen and people that had their heart in the outcome. I was truly honored to be a judge this year.
POWER: Scottsdale is able to put on Youth Nationals, Sport Horse Nationals and U.S. Nationals with 2,000+ horses all in 11 days with only five nights of evening classes. The judges and exhibitors get a chance to relax and socialize and enjoy the fellowship that made horse shows what they are supposed to be. A place to enjoy each other and compete … now that’s an advantage I’d like to see more of!
MCDANIEL: Scottsdale really is the greatest show, and I couldn’t do my job without the excellent ring crew we had in Arena 8. They are organized, efficient and experienced, making my job easier.
EHRLICK: They treat you with respect and are appreciative of you being there. They make you feel like it is a privilege to judge there, and it certainly is.
