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Should dressage judging be more open?

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31 Oct 2008 13:08

In Laura Bechtolsheimer's blog of 28th October, she talks about her recent experience at The World Dressage Forum in Holland where she was surprised to find judges so defensive and unprepared to discuss their fallability! The question is how to get more openness in the system and especially in forums like the one in Holland which are ideal places for discussion.

I don't know much about the mechanics of dressage judging (I am just an amateur on the receiving end of a score!) but is the judge's decision final? Or can you lodge an objection to a score and if upheld, get the mark changed? If the latter, I guess it will be hard in practise to encouage openness in judging?
Laura Bechtolsheimer
31 Oct 2008 18:15
 No your score is final and that is ok too. The judges in our sport feel very attacked at the moment and I can see why - they are over criticised and have recently been dealt with in a less than polite way, hence events like the forum should be a starting point for more open discussions between riders, trainers and judges, outside of competition so that we can work together for the good of the sport, not against each other. At the end of the day we all want to get it right!

29 May 2009 12:40
 I agree with Laura, the judges descision is final and they do sometimes get a lot of stick for it, which is a shame because it can make them defensive in the future. You are easily recognised in this sport and a sore loser is not elegant!

If you are an amateur, and you don't understand the reasoning behind a mark or comment, politely asking afterwards for them to explain in a little more detail can often work wonders. I came from performance ponies/showing to dressage and then moved to Spain and for the 1st couple of seasons, couldn't make head nor tail of the marks and what the judges wanted to see, so I would go afterwards with my sheet and ask them. I think if you are polite and ask the reasoning behind it to improve for next time, the judges are very happy to explain. I have found a great resource in my local judges, they are always delighted to help me now.
 

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