This message is from: Steve McIlree <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Vivian--
Saturday, May 25, 2002, you wrote: > The difficulty I see in regional Fjord shows is there is no > Technical Delegate to help diffuse the competitors anger and if the > TD perceives a real problem can then facilitate setting things > straight... My comment on qualified judges is in no way meant to > demean the NFHR list of judges it is just that in my opinion it > takes a mighty amazing judge to be familiar with the NGB rules > governing all the disciplines that take place at a breed show. I certainly agree with what you say, however I believe it would be just a hard to find TDs with the requisite breadth of knowledge as judges. And without an agreed set of rules to take as a starting point how can either judges/TDs or competitors really know what's expected in the ring? Just as an example, in a Fjord show several years ago the locally written rules for an obstacle driving class called for elimination for a break to canter, but didn't bother to define a break. As a result, the majority of competitors were eliminated. When I talked to the judge later he said he was aware of the ADS 3 stride definition of a break, and that only a time penalty was called for on the first three breaks, but he was stuck with the rules he had been given by the show committee. -- Steve McIlree -- Pferd & Skipper -- Omaha, NE/Las Cruces, NM, USA If I be once on horse-back, I alight very unwillingly; for it is the seat I like best. --Michel Eyquem de Montaigne(1533-1592)
