Back from nationals

[JMS Miniatures]

After sleeping last night when it comes to the Amateur yeah I don't see it come out very succesful if we did split the ammy divisions, the classes aren't that HUGE to begin with but you can always add the AOTE division. That might come out well at the end. You may not add it at local but Nationals sure. But I just don't think we can split it there would be more paperwork involved and I would think you would have to make it mandatory for local shows and there are just not enough amateurs to do that. Shoot the only amateur classes you see at local shows is halter. If we wanted to help the amateur perhaps make it mandatory to add all amateur classes to our local shows.

I agree that adding WCP was a terrific and much needed idea. It is a very popular class and as long as judges keep following the outline it will always be popular.

 

[wpsellwood]

sorry Matt have to disagree with you on the order of go. I dont see it a mess at the World show at all. I think they do an excellent job at the gate! I also think it makes the judges work a little bit to find that horse, as its so easy to assume its in the first row or last. Not saying all judges do that, but thats where are the handlers line up we all know it. Also takes off alot of stress trying to get those positions one less thing to worry about.

When we go, of course we want first or second, but if not that we always want the purple one LOL. Brown is not my fav either!

 

[Erica]

Thanks to so many of you for the kind words. I don't want to take away from this post, but wanted to drop in and say thanks to all of you, it was a show of a lifetime for me. It means a lot to hear some good thoughts from people, as I have felt bad even posting anything about it from the rumors I have heard and grumbling from the stands. I haven't been on the forum much at all this year, as it's been A LOT of long hours at the barn this summer. I was so proud of all my horses as they went out there and behaved and showed like they should have for not only but my youth kids as well. Even after showing day and day - youth, ammy, incentive, futurity and then open, the horses came through. I couldn't have been disapointed at them if they hadn't have won, as they peformed as asked, and winning was icing on the cake! (they got Lots of Peppermints that week!)

As far as order of go or measuring.....I honestly think that when it comes down to it, being in the middle of a line up, or if you are the first or last to go in.....or if you have a 32" horse in the 32-34" class; a good horse is still a good horse. The conformation of that horse isn't going to change if you stand him up in the first spot or if you stand him in the middle, or if he was to show in the 30-32" class. My yearling stallion was 28.5"...and he showed in ammy jr stallions (33" and under) futurity yearlings (32" under) and open owned/bred/shown (34" under) and won all of those classes, each under a different set of judges....and was VERY "short" in those classes, as well as I'm sure we walked in - in the front, last and middle in them as well...as some classes I had time to get there early and go first, some I was running like crazy to make the 2min gate call...

Measuring was tight this year, and that was a good thing. I had one that I bumped up who measured 36.5" at Nationals and has always shown at 36", not a big deal, didn't make me love him any less than I loved him when he was .5" shorter, and he went onto to unamious wins.......and I had one that I had to do three measures on - first time right out of stall at 34.5", then trimmed feet, 34.25 - all done within 12hrs of arriving to Tulsa...waited a day, lunged her and got her at 34". There wasn't any stretching, mashing on the back, or measuring from the happy trail from where I stood, it was tight - but you can't complain when they are doing their job.

The 8th place ribbon like others have said is the traditional color as far as I know.......last year AMHR went out on a limb to make 3-10th place a uniform color as people complained about some of the colors....yet then it was mass confusion for the people handing out the ribbons as they all looked the same, some people complained about not being able to tell how farms did when walking the barn, some liked it, but it got voted out at convention, so now we are back to the traditional color scheme.

Back to work at my real job...and if I can get my brain to stay focused here in a bit, I'll go through some pictures and post!

I have to say CENTER RING looked AMAZING this year (and I'm so glad they listened and moved the fountain!

Kuddos to Mark, Sharron, Roger, Office Staff and Lenard for everything they do!

 

[txminipinto]

Erica, you well know that anytime you win, people talk! I watched a good majority of your classes and you deserved every win. Congratulations on an OUTSTANDING breeding program!! Do NOT be ashamed of your success!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Thanks to the OP for an interesting and broad-spectrum view of the show! I especially appreciate hearing about the vendors and shopping as those are the types of things the webcast does not give any idea of.

My thanks also to Erica for her extremely kind, soft-spoken and generous reply. I for one am very interested in hearing her front-and-center view of the show and can't wait to see pictures of all her winners! I can understand being frustrated when someone who is clearly good enough to beat the trainers and has a stable as big as most trainers wins everything in the amateur division but at the same time, she IS an amateur. She does not do this for a living, it isn't her profession, and that means she has to put in all that time around her day job to do it all herself just like the rest of us do. The fact her horses are so amazingly turned out is a tribute to her skill and dedication and earns nothing but admiration from me. The fact she bred them all herself is icing on the cake!

We run into this in the CDE world as well with the issue of whether advanced level drivers should be allowed to show a green horse at training level (is it fair to the brand-new drivers just starting out?) and so far the answer has been that while it's allowable, many trainers do not feel it's ethical and will show the horse at Prelim and just take it easy with them for the first few events. Perhaps a similar attitude could be cultivated in the case of adding an AOTE division. Someone like Erica would qualify, but perhaps they could choose not to show there in order to let others have a chance.

If Amateur were to be divided into two divisions, I surely hope that it wouldn't have to be divided into two divisions at all local shows. I can say for sure that here we would not want to have to divide it up that way--our amateur classes here are not big as it is, maybe 2 or 3 entries at most. With only 2 or 3 entries per class it is not worthwhile for a small local show to have to divide each class into two.

Shoot the only amateur classes you see at local shows is halter.

Now see this is interesting. Clearly there's a very big difference depending on what region you show in as up here in the Pacific NW the amateur division is very nearly as large as the open division and full of top-quality competitors from the barns of major trainers like Patty Cloke, Syndi Kanzler, Lori Gugliamo (sp?) and others. This makes it hard for those not working with a trainer to place well even in amateur driving classes so there's a lot of pressure to add an AOTE division. Most drivers (like me) would still go in the regular amateur classes but we'd also go in AOTE where we'd be competing against exhibitors like ourselves who train from home. I got to try that arrangement when I showed AMHA this year with my halter horse and really found it nice, and an AOTE halter class was also added as an unrated option at one local AMHR show where I believe it was well-received.

You're still likely to get whupped by more experienced exhibitors but as people have pointed out those are the folks you learn from and aspire to beat. At least you'd know that they did all the work themselves rather than getting handed a conditioned and trained horse at the gate as sometimes happens when the only requirement for amateur is that the person showing own the horse and not offer professional services to others.

The amateur halter classes in my area aren't as well attended but it's no wonder when there is no championship offered. Where is the incentive to compete??

Leia

 

[gvpalominominis]

....

Now see this is interesting. Clearly there's a very big difference depending on what region you show in as up here in the Pacific NW the amateur division is very nearly as large as the open division and full of top-quality competitors from the barns of major trainers like Patty Cloke, Syndi Kanzler, Lori Gugliamo (sp?) and others. This makes it hard for those not working with a trainer to place well even in amateur driving classes so there's a lot of pressure to add an AOTE division. Most drivers (like me) would still go in the regular amateur classes but we'd also go in AOTE where we'd be competing against exhibitors like ourselves who train from home. I got to try that arrangement when I showed AMHA this year with my halter horse and really found it nice, and an AOTE halter class was also added as an unrated option at one local AMHR show where I believe it was well-received.

You're still likely to get whupped by more experienced exhibitors but as people have pointed out those are the folks you learn from and aspire to beat. At least you'd know that they did all the work themselves rather than getting handed a conditioned and trained horse at the gate as sometimes happens when the only requirement for amateur is that the person showing own the horse and not offer professional services to others.

The amateur halter classes in my area aren't as well attended but it's no wonder when there is no championship offered. Where is the incentive to compete??

Leia

Good point Leia regarding the NW as to the numbers that enter amateur classes. Sounds like we are fortunate to have competition.

Classes can be made non required classes, but at least the option to offer.

I don't necessarily believe that AOTE eliminates the newbies competing against the seasoned handler issue. A true NOVICE class is what I'm saying. I enjoy AOTE also because you are competing at least against non pros and non pro trained horses... Erica would also qualify for AOTE class(just making a point... not complaining) along with other long time and well known exhibitors.... including ex-pros that wait the time.

In AMHA, if I remember correctly, an ex-pro after not showing for a certain timeframe, can go back in to showing as a Level 1 Ammy... There's just some flaws in the rules. Rules need to evolve as popularity of a sport increases and more people enter and are involved... that's all.

 

[horsehug]

Ruffian,

I sure enjoyed reading all about your experience at Nationals! Very well written and interesting!!

And congrats to Erica also on your amazing horses!

Susan O.