Feature: Mark my words

FEATURE

Mark my words

Pencilling: it’s probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of dressage, yet it plays a critical role, writes RACHEL ROAN.

Pencillers often work quietly behind the scenes as a necessary cog in the machine, and without them, dressage competitions would not go ahead. For Cheryl Cooke, a experienced penciller often found at Boneo Park, pencilling offers a range of benefits sometimes overlooked by the uninitiated. “For starters, it can be really enjoyable,” she remarks. But clearly there’s more to it than that, so I decide to investigate the many advantages of volunteering as a penciller.

Although she grew up with horses, Cheryl didn’t discover the joy of pencilling until later in life. Now 70, she’s a regular penciller at some of the biggest comps in the country. “It was back in the 80s when I first tried my hand at it. It was at one of my daughter’s events, and someone approached me to ask if I could pencil a test,” she recalls. “Back then everything was handwritten on the test paper. I had tried competing myself a handful of times and I found it quite distressing, but I’m much better on the other side of it.”

Cheryl says pencilling is not only enjoyable, but an easy job that anyone can do. “If you can type, you can pencil!” She suggests that before an event, you should make sure that you’re familiar with common dressage terms, abbreviations, and their spelling. Equestrian Australia has a list of abbreviations for scribing tests, and advises that where possible, they should be used to save time. While this is a good starting point, Cheryl explains that it’s best to check with your local club prior to the event to clarify which tests you need to be familiar with, and what their expectations of you are for the day.

Many dressage riders know the feeling of anticipation that turns to frustration when they receive comments back following their test, only to have trouble deciphering them. But Cheryl tells me that that’s becoming a thing of the

past. “In the last couple of years there’s been a move to iPads, which has been fantastic! Many clubs are grateful to receive your help and are supportive in making sure you’re set up for success. At Boneo Park, they walk you through how the iPad works.”

With the advent of e-scribing apps, dressage clubs across the country are replacing paper tests in favour of the new technology. For Cheryl, going digital has helped to ease her job as a penciller: “It allows judges’ comments and marks to be transcribed quickly, and they’re often uploaded before riders have dismounted. Importantly, it saves time, improves accuracy, and helps with the overall smooth running of the day. It works really well because I can quickly type what judges are saying as they speak, and then we’re on to the next movement,” she adds.

This is especially useful for higher level tests where the movements are more complex and closer together. “The tests can go so quickly, and sometimes the judge says so much that you’re still remembering the last movement when they’re already on to the next. The Grand Prix levels are pretty quick. You’d have no chance of keeping up with handwriting,” Cheryl remarks.

If you get left behind while pencilling, it’s important to notify the judge. This gives them the opportunity to modify the detail of their comments, or reduce how much they say so you can keep up while still noting the mark for each movement. Or, they may decide to come back at the end of the test to add more detail. “You have to sit quietly. If you haven’t picked up everything they say, it’s okay to let them know. It’s important you keep your ear attuned to the judge and listen. Generally, I can’t look up very often to watch the test - unless it’s during a free walk - because I’m so focused on writing,” she explains.

Conversation between the judge and penciller varies from person to person. If you haven’t previously pencilled for a judge, it’s best to ask them what their preference is before you start. While it’s nice to chat and a good opportunity to get to know the judge, it’s important that during the test you are quiet and focused on the job at hand. It’s also important to remember that conversations with the judge about riders and their tests should remain confidential and not leave the four walls of the judging box.

Cheryl tells me that developing a keen eye for detail and learning what judges look for have, for her, been two of the most beneficial aspects of pencilling. “Over the years I’ve learned so much. You develop an eye for the mistakes riders make. Nowadays, if I spot something the judge hasn’t commented on, I actually feel confident in asking them if they missed it, which they can appreciate.”

With her wealth of experience, Cheryl often has a good idea of how a horse will perform by watching them when they’re warming up. “You can tell straight away how the test is going to go,” she says. “You can read them and think ‘oh no, this one’s a bit hot’.”

Her time as a penciller has also helped Cheryl forge friendships and a sense of belonging within the dressage community. “Meeting different judges I’ve pencilled for over the years has left me with some lovely friends. Jane Ventura is lovely. She wanted to take me around the world with her as her private penciller!” Cheryl laughs. “Christine Sievers is an A level judge - we get along really well. She’s also a mine of information, as is Jane.”

After years spent listening to the nuances of how a judge marks movements, it’s no surprise that Cheryl has honed her abilities as a penciller. She tells me that she’s reached a mutual understanding with some of the judges she regularly pencils for. “Jane

FACING PAGE: The Boneo Park dressage arenas, Cheryl’s home away from home (Image courtesy Boneo Park). LEFT: For Cheryl, going digital has helped make the job of pencilling much easier.

Stephanie McDonald and Friedolin (Image by Susan Jeffers, Equine Images Victoria).

can just give a one word description for the movement - that’s all it takes to understand what she means.”

Besides pencilling for our own Australian judges, some of whom have adjudicated at the Olympics, Cheryl has been fortunate to have met many international judges over the years, an opportunity she’s grateful to have had. These days she tends to call Boneo home. “It’s only half an hour away and it’s a really social day. We’re lucky at Boneo Park, they’re really generous in paying us as well as feeding us,” she says. “It doesn’t matter which level I’m assigned to. There’s a lot of variety in the tests and in the combinations that come through, and at the end of the day the biggest benefit for me is just enjoying the horses.”

Finally, I ask Cheryl if any of the tests she’s seen have been particularly memorable: “I pencilled quite a few of Mary Hannah’s tests. She’s competed at Boneo the last two years, and it’s just lovely to watch,” she smiles.

After speaking with Cheryl, it’s clear that volunteering as a penciller has a variety of benefits; the extensive insight into how a judge marks, a sharper eye for detail, and lasting friendships to name just a few. Hopefully when your next competition comes around, you too can stop and offer to pick up a pencil.