What a disappointment for you(and what a sad statement on the ever-increasing problems of measurement in BOTH the miniature registries!!)
I was not at ALL suprised by what is related to have happened at Worlds this year; it has been happening in increasingly serious form for several years. I am sorry that you missed the show(though I certainly can understand your reasoning!)--it is very likely you would have had no worries; in my opinion, AND my personal observation and experience,it has (increasingly, IMO) become the 'standard' to measure SHORT-er, not tall-er. Anyone who has made a SERIOUS effort to ACCURATELY measure their horse(s)-and as Minimor said, it does take a serious and dedicated effort, make no mistake--but it is ENTIRELY possible to do it ACCORDING TO the applicable rulebook-should be able to be comfortable with what they get,and what their horse will measure, when it is honestly and correctly done. Surely sounds as if you made that effort...
I have two AMHA Champion geldings-they are the ones I've shown the most---in '91, I took the first one to AMHA Nationals in OK City. I have ALWAYS made correct measurement a top priority, and had measured this horse EVERY time, as an adult(he was 5 in '91), at 33 3/4"; had been told by friends who'd been to several previous Nationals how 'tough'(meaning, accurate!) the measurement was--and I 'sweated' it a bit..but, I just made sure his feet were PROPERLY trimmed(NEVER too short, NEVER SORE--UH, Uhh, would NOT do that!)a few days before leaving, and off I went. They WERE tough, they WERE ACCURATE--and my horse measured 33 3/4"-just as I knew he MUST, if they were doing their job! There was NO stretching, NO heads held up in the air(I actually observed, a number of times, in more recent years, people not only stretching horses, but literally placing horses' chins on their shoulders so the horse's muzzle was pointed straight UP in the air, before the 'no touching, stand square' rule went into effect!)--these kinds of things came to gradually 'slip in' more and more as the years passed. When last I took horses to compete at AMHA Nationals, in '02, my two horses both measured 3/4' shorter that I had EVER measured them, and by the next year, when a friend shopped for a horse there(we were both there sans horses), her definitely 34" horse had been 'officially' measured there at 32 3/4"-1 1/4" short! (When looking at him, I INSISTED we measure him ourselves; she actually purchased an 'official' Sligo Stick to do so-and NOT count on the posted 'official' measurement. As a trained artist, I have a VERY good eye for dimension, and was SURE the horse was the same, or virtually the same,height as MY genuinely 34" horse(my other AMHA Champion, BTW.)I told her I would wrestle her to the ground and pin her to prevent her from purchasing that horse if I could not measure him at 34" or under---and I meant it! We took him to several different spots where I could determine a level surface for the measurement(luckily, we were in my truck, and I always carry an older, wooden measuring stick which has a bubble on the cross arm, so can also be used REASONABLY well to determine the 'levelness' of the measuring surface,as we did not have access to the'official' measuring spot)--he came in at 34", 34 1/4" and 33 3/4+".She bought him--he is not a hair under, but he does fairly measure a true 34".
It is not really the fault of the measurers, IMO--they are,for the most part, only acting as I am sure has been made clear to them. This is true of any level of show nowadays; at many if not most, it has become more prudent to 'go with the flow'--if you believe the old saying that "HE*L hath no fury like a woman scorned"--well, you ought to see the FURY of many--often, 'name' trainers and 'name' owners--should they be told their horse measures out....most measurers(at local levels, at least) don't feel it is part of their job to take the abuse and nastiness--especially when it is the 'unspoken' but clear policy of the national organizations to 'measure them in, not measure them out'-to paraphrase-so they may well not feel that they would have support in that direction.Yes, there ARE some tough measurers(often heard from when this subject arises--and they have my admiration, but I think they are in the minority, these days.) Yes, horses DO get measured out at Nationals/Worlds-but look around, and you will find that it is almost ALWAYS either 'newbies' or 'no-name' owners to whom that happens...that is another personal observation I made at the most recent AMHA Nationals(now World)I attended. That year, accompanying my friend in her horse-shopping, we saw at least a couple of horses, belonging to (dare I say, naive and trusting newcomers?) that had measured out-even with the blue measurement 'mark' still on one of them--and that mark was well down the back BEHIND the 'last hair of the mane'! As taller horses began to be showing, the complaint was that it was the 'names' who got overly-tall horses measured in; then, it seemed to subtly change so that about EVERYONE got, shall we say, a 'break'?! (Clever, really--to deflect the criticisms and unrest--who complains when EVERY ENTRY measures 'short'?? Even if one did, it would not change the way the next one was measured, would it? )
Almost WORST of all is when there are situations such as the reported tension and 'upset'--and the measurement then is 'tightened up'(to where it SHOULD HAVE BEEN all along)--any teacher can tell you that it is much better to START OUT with firm rules, AND follow them--then to be lax, and THEN try to 'return' to adherance to rules, esp. those that have been there, and been clear, all along....in these times especially, people quickly feel totally ENTITLED to do whatever THEY want, when they have been allowed to do so, in spite of applicable rules(why do you think there are so many horrid, inconsiderate, aggressive drivers on our roads???) ENTITLEMENT. Today, people can, and often, do-- get MIGHTY ugly when someone tries to take away their 'privileges'-and it makes matters worse all around. And when the final result is that the 'measured-out' horses are miraculously 'back in'??? That is the supreme INSULT to honest exhibitors and members, to my thinking.
Oh, yes--the measurement is videotaped at AMHA World--I have seen how, and consider it basically ineffective in determining the accuracy of the measurments. Now, if they had multiple automated cameras-probably most importantly, one directly overhead with a sharp 'zoom' so that the camera would see what the measurer sees, and exactly where and how the measurer places the stick and tightens the set screw, and can show the bubble- and one that would show the full side view of all legs to the floor, the lead, and the base of the stick....well, then, MAYBE it would be useful?
I admit I am hardnosed about measuring--yet, recognizing the somewhat subjective nature(it CAN be VERY subjective, but carefully done, need be only very 'mildly' so)--I would even support a 'leeway' of up to 1/2")-- NEVER more. What gets me is how the verbiage is so definite(in the AMHA Rulebook, there are MANY statements to the effect that a horse cannot, and MUST not, be over 34")-yet there is the seemingly 'sanctioned' hypocrisy that occurs in practice. I like to think that someday, enough people will have had ENOUGH, and then the st*t will finally 'hit the fan', bigtime and not just in a 'spasm'--and maybe THEN changes will genuinely be made, and SUPPORTED, from the top--which is where it really has to originate, IMO.
Feel free to 'fire away-I've said it before--my ole hide is tough--and I sleep well at night(well, most nights-after all, I AM getting old-er!) I seldom if ever show breed any more-but I continue to take an active interest in what goes on, because I am a believer in honest competition.
Margo
