An idea to reduce cheaters when being measured in

[JMS Miniatures]

I agree that the current rules should already put a stop to all this cheating, but the problem is none of it is being enforced. We need much more stricter rules.

Also I am not talking about Worlds cause I never been there, but for Nationals, the people who do the measuring really need to be more into it. I feel they don't really care how well its done and all they want to get is a measurment no matter how well your horse is standing. I know that this is nationals, there are alot of horses and they do measurments every day, but yet again this is Nationals and we need to get it done right. Let the owner have a chance to properly set up there horse, squared, and they must judge if the horse is square or not, and get the measurment. Its really not that hard. At local shows the stewards are wonderful, and they get the job done, at Nationals I don't feel that at all.

 

[Erica]

In defense of the stewards at Nationals.....I actually have always felt that have done a good job. They have always checked my papers, checked for markings, made sure we were in the box and measured.

I find they measure quite closey to the show I go to in August just 3 weeks before. I have the option as the owner to remeasure two other times after the inital, most times it doesn't drop any; some times it will give you that .25-5" mark off after the horse relaxes, or even just goes in it's stall and rests a day.

I actually have had one that was like 33.5" as a two year old........of course I would have loved to have her shown in the 33" under, but she just was an honest 33.5.........all three measurments. It's ok, she won her class. But I wasn't able to "talk" the stewards into knocking off .5", not that I asked, but in three measurements we didn't get her down.

These stewards not only measure horses they have to preside over the show as well.........they have to deal with complaints from exhibitors about the show..........deal with protests.........deal with horses in the wrong class.......watch and make sure the show and classes are running right. It's not just sit up there and throw a stick on a horse.

They are there for as long as the show is running and before hand. so at the measure stand at 7am and stay on grounds until show is over, sometimes up until the morning hours and back again to do it for 10 more days!

NOT a job I'd want at ALL........plus have to deal with everyones issues, most with people don't express until after the fact in which they can't do anything about.

I'm not saying there is not an issue with a few big horses measuring in, as a few do manage to get in, but who knows maybe their owners have taught them to measure under, and the stewards measure and they just make it, I don't know.........I just now I wouldn't want to be a steward and put up with it all. And overall I think they do a good job.

 

[txminipinto]

I'm going to chime in here because I attend several shows that National Show stewards steward at (say that 3 times fast). They have been nothing but professional to me. They've done the same excellent job at Nationals as they do at our local shows. At one of our local shows, my stalls are within eye/ear shot of the measureing station. I have sat and watched horses be measured and not once did I think anything fishy was going on. Personally, I think this issue is more of an AMHA issue than an AMHR since we have several height divisions at the national level.

 

[afoulk]

I have to agree with Erica. My horses have all measured closely if not the same as the show I do in late August. At nationals I have never been rushed and always had the chance to set my horse up correctly and in the box. My papers have been checked and markings verified. I think our stewards do a good job. I see an awlful lot of people arrive late and want to measure right as they come off the trailer and do not give their horses a chance to relax. I try very hard to bring to my stewards all the information they may need to correctly id the horse and a relaxed horse that will measure and not dance around.

 

[Minimor]

And I suppose an AMHR steward who has been threatened with a lawsuit (or make that plural?) for not playing ball when someone wanted their horse measured smaller is just making it up, since there are no cheaters and therefore there is no one with desire for a lawsuit? And the governing body would never suggest that such a steward should get a blanket insurance policy to protest him/herself against the possibility of an owner following through on that threat?

Anyway, back to the main thread. Whoever said that the risk of exposure to infectious diseases when a single handler is handling each and every horse for measuring--that is an excellent point. I thought of that last night after I had posted. People go to shows & disinfect their stalls before putting the horses into the barn, but then you'd want your horses being handled by someone that has handled every other horse in the show? Not me.

As for liability--that's another very good point. The waivers we all sign to show are fine, but they are no real protection against a lawsuit. It's one thing to use the waivers to protect against a rather general sort of complaint, but waivers can be tested in court, and have been tested in court different times. As I look at it, if someone trips over a chair in the show office & falls and breaks an arm--chances are that waiver would protest the show committee from being sued. But if a paid show employee (or for that matter a volunteer) were to be handling someone else's horse and in a moment of carelessness let that horse get away, and the horse ran down an aisle into a concrete pillar or wall, or out a door and into traffic...a good many horse owners would probably file a lawsuit and in that situation I wouldn't count on the waiver to be any protection at all. I think a waiver that gives general protection to the show committee isn't likely to stretch far enough to protect against some out and out negligent action by a show committee member. Accidents happen, but if the accident is caused by negligence....it's a whole different situation all of a sudden.