I would like to be a judge

[shadowsmystictopaz]

I was wondering if anyone of you here is a amha or amhr judge id like to learn how to be one and I dont know where to start. I turn 18 may 7th so I would like to start after the heritage sale. I think that judging would be a great thing to learn because sometimes breeders need that to help get there breeding progrm on track. I am able to see what horses should win as I have a eye for it. Thanks ahead of time.

 

[disneyhorse]

Look in the Rulebook or on the website, there is information there.

I would suggest getting lots of experience FIRST, not trying to become a judge first. I don't think it is very easy to be a judge, your exhibitors under you are going to be VERY critical and yet you DO want to be hired back.

I suggest being an exhibitor for a LONG time, before you spend the money to apply to be a judge. At least on the AMHR application, they want your horse resume on there to consider you.

Andrea

 

[shadowsmystictopaz]

okay i have a idea that might work really good with this judging idea. im gonna be able to have lots of time to hang out at th show in reno so when im not busy ill sit down and watch as many classes as i can ill be there for both shows so I will have alot of diffrent horses to look at and also ill be able to practise my judgeing skills. I could look at the horses in the show ring from afar and circle the one that i think should win. and if it does win I report back here letting you know. this is one way i think that i could get closer to my goal.

 

[Ferrah]

I am also interested in becoming an AMHA and AMHR judge, but I know that goal is a long way off. I read the AMHR and AMHA rules for judges and it will require lots fo work, and study, many years of showing and as I found out...quite a lot of money.

I will probably be an old fart by the time I get my judges card.

 

[dangerranger]

A good start is to judge the horses as they show and then compare your scores to thos actualy judging. not only that but you will learn alot about the judges and what they are looking for. DR.

 

[Jaxjag2000]

I would try to find a judge that you can work with to learn. They can teach you a lot. You will definitely want to be very well prepared! Disneyhorse is correct. You MUST know what you are doing and it will take a lot of time, money, and experience. People will be VERY critical of you so you have to be confident with your decisions and know what you are doing. If you are truly interested I highly encourage you to pursue it. Just make sure you are very prepared, know the show ring and rules inside and out, and work with another judge to practice scoring systems and what to look for. Good luck!

 

[txminipinto]

Wow, that's a pretty big goal and one I have for myself in the next 20 years. My advice to you is to show as many horses as you possibly can in as many events as you possibly can so that you have an understanding of the classes, requirements, and work that goes in to a winning horse in that division. Judging is much more than just picking the "best" horse. You must have an appreciation of what exhibitors have to do to prepare the horse and you must have a noteable background yourself to be taken seriously.

When I pick the shows I attend every year there are several considerations that come into play and one of those is the judges. I want to show under judges who will be judging the national level shows so that I can get an idea of what they like. I want to show under judges who've proven themselves in the ring as well as the breeding shed with their programs. I want a judge to like my horse as that tells myself and the rest of the world that I'm on the right track with my program. Judges have a serious job at hand. They encourage the trends in our industry!

You might also want to watch exactly how much work is involved in judging. They are standing from 8am until finish. Down here in Texas, that means til at least midnight and many times til 2am! Judging is tough, there's SOME money in it, but very few make their living at it.

Being a judge has some romantic thoughts to it, but it's also a very hard job. One where only a very select few will love you and the rest of the exhibitors will proclaim to never show under you again!

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Wow, that's a pretty big goal and one I have for myself in the next 20 years. . Judging is much more than just picking the "best" horse. You must have an appreciation of what exhibitors have to do to prepare the horse and you must have a noteable background yourself to be taken seriously.

When I pick the shows I attend every year there are several considerations that come into play and one of those is the judges. I want to show under judges who will be judging the national level shows so that I can get an idea of what they like. I want to show under judges who've proven themselves in the ring as well as the breeding shed with their programs. I want a judge to like my horse as that tells myself and the rest of the world that I'm on the right track with my program. Judges have a serious job at hand. They encourage the trends in our industry!

!

I agree with all of the above the onlyother thing I will add is place me or give me the gate I want a judge who is respectful enough to look at my horse (or at least pretend to look)

And one who can have a kind word or a smile for everyone.. those are the judges I enjoy showing under

 

[shadowsmystictopaz]

thanks for the advice and other ideas that you have given me. ill keeep them close by. I am going to talk to my trainer about bbeing a judge and seee what he says.

 

[dancer31501]

i am also looking into being a judge as well, i really want to show and judge but from what people are saying i feel that it is going to be very hard to do both!!! And many people are going to judge u even when you are showing!!! Is it best to pick one or the other, like show amhr and judge amha or the other way around?? i am not a trainer nor do i own lots of horses would that make any difference?? i am 19 years old and want to make horses my job some how.

help??

:

Thanks

Amanda

 

[kaykay]

i have been pondering becoming a judge myself and keep putting it off lol. I do think though that you should have at least a couple years showing locally and nationally before becoming a judge. I dont think you have to be a "pro" handler but do need to have shown enough that you are comfortable with how things are done in the show ring. You do have to apprentice judge quite a few shows before you get carded. I do not think you have to be a trainer to be a judge.

jr judging competitions are a great way for youth to see what it is a judge looks at and why. I know they have this at congress and nationals.

 

[Neil]

okay i have a idea that might work really good with this judging idea. im gonna be able to have lots of time to hang out at th show in reno so when im not busy ill sit down and watch as many classes as i can ill be there for both shows so I will have alot of diffrent horses to look at and also ill be able to practise my judgeing skills. I could look at the horses in the show ring from afar and circle the one that i think should win. and if it does win I report back here letting you know. this is one way i think that i could get closer to my goal.

Don't just circle your picks but rather place them in order 1st through 10th (it might be 1st through 6th in Reno this time). Then compare your picks with all of the judges picks. This is how I started back in '98. It might have been a little easier for me since I had already had over 30 years of breeding, showing and judging pure bred dogs. The animals are different but the concept is the same.

Something else that you need to think about if you are serious about judging is that you would not only be judging the halter classes but all of the performance classes. I don't know of any shows where you could only judge halter and someone else judges performance.

I attended the AMHA judges seminar in Sacramento a year ago last March. This one was open to the public but the same as what new and carded judges have to go through every few years. This seminar was put on by the AMHA LOC Committee and was well done.

The thought crossed my mind to follow through towards getting my AMHA Judges card but I am a long ways from being able to judge performance classes.

Another thing that you need to study is the rule book. You need to know it cover to cover.

Good luck.

 

[alongman]

I'll throw in my thoughts here, since I've been in several of your shoes. First, knowing the horse in general is of huge importance - you must be able to accurately recognize faults in conformation or form. Second, you must be very informed - you are expected to know the rule books inside and out, be a good advocate for the breed that you are judging and attend multiple seminars to further advance your knowledge. Third, maturity - you are hired to offer your professional opinion, it is okay to have good time, but people spend hundreds of dollars each weekend to show their animals. You are also responsible for some judgements to be made outside the showring - evaluating animals that are being hardshipped (are you comfortable shaping the future of the breed), ruling on possible abuse cases, removing people from the showring for behavioral problems. You must also work closely with fellow judges and stewards.

You do not need to be a trainer to become a judge - there are several who are though. This is probably due to the fact that they are comfortable with every aspect of the horse show and its' runnings.

For the AMHR/ASPC/ASPR, you must complete an application process along with a pre-test that questions your knowledge of the current rulebook. Rulebooks are available from the AMHR office. The test can be requested from the office as well. After successful completion of the test, you will be considered for placement into the apprenticeship program. During your apprenticeship, you will "judge" with several different judges in different areas of the country. Remember, this is all done at your own expense (travel to shows, hotels, meals, etc...). You are also required to be approved by both the judge you want to apprentice with and the show management - not all managers and judges are willing to accept apprentices. In general, a very expensive endeavor financially and mentally. After completion of this process, your reviews from your training judges are evaluated and you are considered for your Junior judges' card - you must judge a certain amount of shows before being considered a Senior judge and have the ability to judge some of the larger shows or judge alone.

Judges do get compensated for their work - I usually am paid mileage/airfare, hotel, meals and then a judging fee. Some shows set a flat fee to include all expenses. It is essential to do thorough research to make sure you are not losing money but not overcharging the show management as well.

It is a tough job - standing and walking for upwards of 16-18 hours straight with small breaks, extreme heat in some cases, verbal abuse that some people throw your direction and all the time keeping a positive attitude and remembering that you are representing an entire breed.

To prepare for this whole process, I would encourage people to attend many many shows - watch what the judges do, how they place classes, how they evaluate the animals. Study the rulebooks! Talk to judges and see what they recomend. Make a name for yourself - once you get a judges card, you now have to promote yourself and get the jobs! Show managers want judges with a good reputation of being FAIR (judge the horse, not the person), having good knowledge and good ethics. Someone suggested extensive showing of your own animals - I would encourage this as well. You learn a lot from the behind the scenes stuff.

I would be happy to answer any other questions that people may have. Please feel free to contact me directly or post on the board if you have a public question. I hope that all this has helped!

 

[shadowsmystictopaz]

thanks all for the ideas and advice,. ill definitly keep that all that stuff in mind and i hope my dreams come true. I love having this fourm to talk to people who have minis and shetlands and be able to be opn about things.

 

[bevann]

I know 2 judges who were young when they got their judging cards and both had many years experience showing Minis of their own.1 lady started when she was 5 years old.It takes lots of experience to gain the knowledge to be able to do a good job as a judge.The performance end of judging is another thing to think about.Judging looks easy from the stands, but it is very hard work when you are down there in the center of the ring.Get the material from the AMHA or AMHR office and go from there. We need good judges.

 

[shadowsmystictopaz]

any other advice or sujestions would be great.

 

[Cathy_H]

any other advice or sujestions would be great.

........... PLEASE judge the horses conformation & NOT the exhibitor...... Just because a judge trained an exhibitor's horse does not mean that person/horse deserves first place. This is getting too obvious in todays show ring - trainers placing previous clients & trainers placing trainers. And no it isn't sour grapes - it is obvious in classes that we aren't even in ....... I asked Lee today, "why are you wasting your money when you know this is the way it is going to be with some judges?"

 

[alongman]

any other advice or sujestions would be great.

........... PLEASE judge the horses conformation & NOT the exhibitor...... Just because a judge trained an exhibitor's horse does not mean that person/horse deserves first place. This is getting too obvious in todays show ring - trainers placing previous clients & trainers placing trainers. And no it isn't sour grapes - it is obvious in classes that we aren't even in ....... I asked Lee today, "why are you wasting your money when you know this is the way it is going to be with some judges?"

I was waiting for this topic to come up! First, I am a trainer. Second, I am a judge. Let me explain a couple of things that are very personal to me - I take both of those jobs VERY seriously. My clients pay me decent money to send their horses to me (as do the other trainers' clients). These clients have selected the best horses they can to send out as representatives of their farm. They pay for their horses to look good, show well and ultimately WIN. If my clients' horses aren't winning, then I'm not doing my job as a trainer. When I am acting as a judge, my role is to select the absolute BEST horses in each of the classes despite who is on the lead. I am fair! It doesn't matter who is showing the best horse (I've seen some kids showing some killer horses beat the most seasoned trainer) - that's the horse that wins the class.

Here's my point - when I first started showing I got frustrated that the "trainers were always winning". Then I looked at what I was showing. I wasn't spending hours each day conditioning my horses, I wasn't grooming them to look their best, I wasn't handling them like they needed to. The judges were picking THE BEST HORSE! It sometimes wasn't mine! I was upset, said "I'm not going to waste my money showing" blah, blah, blah.....

If you look at most of the successful trainers in the ring today - their livelihoods are made on this BUSINESS of showing horses. The day they stop being excellent at their jobs, is the day that they lose this business. Instead of being frustrated with the trainers', look to them as mentors! These people have remarkable knowledge and are often open to helping others out. If you aren't willing to improve, then don't resent those people who are good at what they do.

You're right. I do know a lot of the trainers who are out there. I respect them, they respect me. When I am a judge, they expect me to place the best horse whether it is theirs or not. I do want to comment though, after the shows, its the TRAINERS who come to the judges and ask what they liked/disliked about the horses on the show strings - they want to improve themselves. It always seems odd to me that the person who is the first to comment on how "political" things are is the first ones to load their trailer and leave the show without asking what they could do different.

Finally, after my long rambling, I'm not defending anyone. I do see all sides of this as I was a beginner/amateur, I am a judge and I am a trainer. Without ALL of these people involved in the miniature horse industry, none of the shows that we love to hate would be available.

 

[Cathy_H]

Finally, after my long rambling, I'm not defending anyone. I do see all sides of this as I was a beginner/amateur, I am a judge and I am a trainer.

.......................... If you do not do this then I applaud you but if anyone denies that it does not happen then they are not watching & listening or don't want to admit it is so............................

I do want to comment though, after the shows, its the TRAINERS who come to the judges and ask what they liked/disliked ...It always seems odd to me that the person who is the first to comment on how "political" things are is the first ones to load their trailer and leave the show without asking what they could do different.......................

... Then I guess we have never shown under you & we are not trainers.. It is NOT fair to judge an exhibitor that you have never had contact with either........ We've been showing since 1986 & have seen a lot in & out of the show ring & have talked to a lot of trainers & judges through the years...............................

Without ALL of these people involved in the miniature horse industry, none of the shows that we love to hate would be available

. No one is saying they are not valuable to the industry. Anyone that has been observing shows for awhile knows when the judging is on & also knows when it is off. Seasoned exhibitors will tell you they do not mind being beat by a better horse & that is how it should be.................................................................................. To the original poster - you have gotten some good advice. To me it seems like it would be enjoyable but also stressful at times. If that is what you want to do then go for it. Best of luck to you!

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

I have to say I am not naive enough to say it NEVER happens that trainers pick there friends be it other trainers or old clients or old horses they have had in training

However that said I am not sure it happens as often as one would think

I hear often it is political however I only hear people say that when they lose I sure don't hear them saying OMG it is so political when they win

: yet I am sure someone else who didnt place where they felt they should is saying it.

Showing is such an odd thing paying for an opinion that you might not agree with.

For me the key is being nice to everyone most judges do train and do see the "little people" on a regular basis when they are showing.. those that are kind to others(even when they think they are not going to get anything out of it) make the most impression on me.

We have a judge here in our state who i LOVE to show under... truth be told I dont do so well under him although raven does a bit better. he doesnt love my horses but he is truly a pleasure to be in the ring with. Always smiling, happy, respectful, a kind word for those like me who look either nervous or like a total doof-never once not even in the National show ring with classes of 40-50 + was he ever to busy to smile and say something even if it is just thank you very much even if it is a horse he knows he will not use - that is what stays in my memory a couple years down the line not what ribbon I got under what judge but who helps to make the day pleasant win or lose.