Area 1 Results

[Ashley]

I personally would not pull any weight off of the gelding. I do think if you add some weight and muscle to your mare she will do alot better all around.

 

[Jess P]

Thank you Ashley for your opinions but I did not ask for a critique. I do know my mare needs more muscle but she does not need more weight. If I up her grain and hay she gains fat in odd places, such as her withers and legs.

My gelding, or Zeus instead of "The Gelding" does need to lose weight. The judge and a few trainers told his previous owner, and seeing him in person confirms that he needs some weight off, and he has a lot of muscle.

 

[Mercysmom]

I did like the judge because she was very friendly. I couldn't help but smile when she offered one when I entered my classes. I do feel she didn't really look at everyone's horse in my driving class, thats all I really saw.

She was very kind to Julie and I with my Moderns - she did not want to stress our baby Nefertiti any more than she had to...and she took the time to come back for a look when I initially had trouble setting Intrepid up in her Modern Pleasure classes. Granted, our pony classes were much smaller than the mini performance classes Mercy and I did but if a judge takes the time to interact with me and my horses and handlers so that we can show our horses to the best of our ability, I am certainly grateful.

: :aktion033: Her smile was great for easing my case of the nerves!!!

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I have been very fortunate in my show career to have had some judges that were phenomenal and I don't mean that because they placed Ben or I first... it is the interaction and encouragement to inspire us to achieve that mean so much!

Years ago, one Area One judge took Ben aside when he was little and was DQ'ed in a Jumper class with Freedom's dam Hope. Ben was in tears at the time but the judge gave him a little horse keychain that we still have and his encouragement to Ben helped him to achieve his Halter Obstacle, Hunter and Jumper Hall of Fames a few years later. That talk the judge gave to Ben meant a lot to us both. :aktion033:

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And, judge Lee Crutchfield took him aside and gave him some pointers so that when Ben earned his first blue ribbons in Halter and Showmanship, he showed Lee them and Lee was still very kind and encouraging to Ben.

I always remember the old adage - "it is one judge's opinion on one day - tomorrow might be a different story." Success to me is not so much in the ribbon earned as to how my horse and I interact in the show ring together. While Mercy did not place as high as I would have hoped in the Open Halter Obstacle class, I felt we had a good round and she was responsive to me. She definitely earned her carrots and peppermints... and she was right on in her jumper courses and the Amateur Hunter class. Amazing we have been showing together for 10 years now!

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Denise

Silversong Farm

 

[YHFF Miniature Horses]

Hi Barnbum! It’s taken me awhile to get on here and check out the forum to read about everybody’s results. I’ve been busy landscaping all day (my daily summer job), so that I can afford to take care of my now 14 minis, down from 17 as I’ve sold a few mares and a baby this year. And this year, of course, a couple weeks worth went towards show fees, show halters, and all the necessary grooming supplies, and I also had to buy a bigger and much more expensive pair of clippers as the cheap ones became extremely unreliable. But, after having to spend all of that money I would have to say it was definitely worth it as it was such a wonderful experience. Seeing some of trainers I’ve read about in AMHA and AMHR magazines, meeting new people (Barnbum, Jostlin), attempting to learn how to show in halter, (wow, we’ve got some work to do!), winning some ribbons here and there, and of course Oreo winning her multicolor classes, at the Minirama under the one judge, and at the Nat’l Area 1 show was worth all of the effort.

Anyways, I really enjoyed watching the Liberty classes, did anybody else see the one horse that picked up the plant and ran with it all over the ring? That was the highlight of the show I think, even the judge commented on how unusual it is for a horse to carry around something in it’s mouth for that long. There were some other awesome performances as well, horses were just prancing and dancing all over the ring. I wish we could have stayed to see the results. Sounds like everyone was successful!

Courtney