AQHA Judge Stephanie Lynn instructed her first ever demonstration at the Congress this year. Lynn also had an amazing show by winning the 2014 Congress Championship in Senior Pleasure Driving with Ride the Blue Sky. In case you missed her mini-clinic, Lynn has written down several of the points she brought up during the demo. The topic of her demonstration was how to execute patterns that will impress the judges. Held in Cooper arena, the stands were full with riders eager to hear how to improve their performance in the arena. Regardless of the event, there are certain aspects of every performance that stand out to judges and earn the highest marks.
- Be Ready. There is really no excuse for not being at the cone and ready when the judges look up. It is the exhibitor’s job to know who they follow and be on time. It will not matter how much time or effort you put into preparation at home if you are not standing at the cone to receive the nod to start from the judges.
- Judges are Rooting for You. Every time the judge looks up to start the next horse on course they look with hope that this will be the winner. Judges want you to succeed; they want you to be their winner but it is up to the exhibitor to show their skills. Judges give each exhibitor equal opportunity to show their ability but exhibitors must earn their merit.
- Show Confidence in your Posture. Exhibitors have seconds to make a positive impression on the judge. Do not waste a moment by doubting your performance, looking down or drooping your shoulders. You are what you are on any given day. Hold your head high pull your shoulders back and show your horse. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Remember, judges are rooting for you but if you are slumped in the saddle your posture tells them you are not the winner that day. Radiate confidence not uncertainty.
- Read the Rulebook. Judges score riders according to a predetermined set of rules. In fact, judges undergo testing annually to ensure they understand the rules. They will judge each performance based on the rules, whether or not the exhibitor understands the rules. Rule books also lay out the importance of different aspects of each class. Understand the criteria judges use to score each rider and use that information to determine your practice routine.
- Do not Subscribe to Fads. Winners win in spite of fads never because of a fad. The horsemanship rider whose free hand is held in a predominate manner perhaps higher than what looks natural, wins because his skills on top of the horse outweigh the distraction of his free hand’s improper position. Stick to the fundamentals of the class and learn to perfect those fundamental elements.
- First be Correct. A rider must first be correct before they can earn a plus. Concentrate on being accurate in every aspect of your performance. Regardless of how loose the reins are or how beautiful the horse lopes, you cannot earn a plus 1 for a lead change that is non-simultaneous in a Western Riding class. Find your markers, perform the required gaits at the proper place and perform every maneuver according to the rulebook.
- Early is Better than Late. It is always better to error on the side of early than to appear late. If a maneuver occurs past the designated marker, it appears to the judge that either the horse did not listen to the rider’s cue or the rider misjudged when to cue the horse. Either way it is a negative impression, a fault to be scored accordingly.
- Keep Riding. No matter what happens on course, keep showing. You never know how the rest of the class performed or if the judge caught the misstep. Remember you are leaving the judge with an impression of the kind of rider you are. A mistake made early in the day in Showmanship will not be remembered. However, a lost temper or sully attitude will be remembered all day and perhaps beyond the horse show. Everyone makes mistakes; it is how each of us learns. Judges understand this.
- Use Invisible Aids. The best performances are those without distractions, those performances that look easy as if the exhibitor and horse have danced this dance a thousand times. Avoid excessive shushing, clucking or using loud verbal cues to get through the pattern. It is not only distracting, but telegraphing that your horse is dependent on the verbal cues. Judges are looking for those riders who appear to be one with their horse and use invisible aids to communicate with their horse.
- Too Much is Too Much. Do not pose. Judges dislike exhibitors that pose or over show putting on a big fake smile or exaggerating their stance, smile or moves. Be natural and lose the stiffness. Judges are looking for riders who are connected with their horse. By definition, a posed exhibitor cannot be connected with their horse. Too much is too much – of anything!
- Make the Best of Your Features. You do not have to be 5’9” and rail thin or have the fanciest rigging to win. Make the best of every feature and show off your strengths. It is the strengths that will earn the most credit and win top honors.
- Most of all have fun. The most passionate riders are usually the riders who continually rise to the top of the judge’s cards. While practicing and showing is a serious matter, make sure that your facial expressions are pleasant. It is difficult for a judge to give top honors to a rider who appears sullen, snooty or crabby. Judges want the winner be happy with their horse. Have fun out there. Enjoy the ride.
About Stephanie Lynn: Professional Horseman Stephanie Lynn coached her first AQHA World Champion in 1988. She has since coached, trained and shown World, Congress and Honor Roll horses across disciplines. She is a judge for AQHA, NSBA and APHA and has judged World Championship shows for each association. Most recently, Stephanie is the author of The Good Rider Series and A Lifetime Affair: Lessons Learned Living My Passion. The Good Rider Series is a library of resource material that is both practical and applicable in the barn and show ring for riders. Stephanie can always be reached through her website: http://www.stephanielynn.net to answer your questions, schedule a clinic or lesson.
