For judges, an experienced ring steward is a godsend and their expertise is crucial for a show to run smoothly and in an efficient manner. The majority of judges have experienced the spectrum of ring stewards; from world show caliber such as Don Manuello and Ron McMillian, to volunteers who have never shown horses. Competent ring stewards keep everyone on task and allow the judges to do their job. GoHorseShow asked judges from many different breeds what traits and characteristics their ideal ring steward would encompass. Some judges also shared some funny and revealing stories about some great, and not-so-great, ring stewards. Let’s find out what everyone had to say.
Charlene Carter–I’ve had the chance to work with some very green ring stewards to the Best of the Best. I really like a ring steward who is right there to get your cards in halter, especially when the classes are really large and you have had to walk around all of them. If you don’t have to walk around to find them or get their attention, it’s great. In a multi-judged event, it’s even more important, because the announcer wants to call all of the results promptly and the show runs smoother and more effectively. The judges seem to get the blame if the show drags out and an organized ring steward can be invaluable to a judge. It’s like a dance, it’s hard to keep the beat when either one doesn’t stay on top of the game.
Michael Damianos–My ideal ring steward is courteous and efficient. They should understand they are there to assist the judge, not advise the judge. In rail classes, they should be able to tell me how many horses are actually in the class as soon as the gate is closed. The ring steward should be dressed appropriately for an official of a horse show. Finally, at the modern day breed show, the ring steward must be experienced and comfortable with scribing. Once, I had a steward quit the show during the reining because I asked her to stop texting and stay focused on me. She said her boyfriend was more important than the show. The show manager had to find a new ring steward in a hurry, but the next one was excellent and it ended up being a great day!
Kit Kope–Every judge breathes a sigh of relief when they know they have a good ring steward. It makes the job of judging the horse show so much easier and more enjoyable. On the flip side of the coin, there is nothing that adds stress to your day as much as finding out your ring steward lacks adequate skill. There are very few classes left that do not require a score sheet anymore. As judges, we are required to use a scribe for those events. The ring steward is usually the scribe. If the scribe does not have the necessary skill, you can be in a mess really fast. We depend on our scribes to be able to transfer what we say to the score sheet and do so quickly and accurately. The judge is ultimately responsible for the accuracy of the placings so if need be, we have to go back after the scribe and do all the math again. That adds quite a bit of time to the day.
A great ring steward thinks ahead. They know what they will need for the next class and the one after that. Those items are already waiting since a great ring steward knows how to plan ahead. Cones, chairs, score sheets, anything that comes next needs to be ready and waiting. Great ring stewards are knowledgeable and efficient in conducting each class. They accurately and consistently call the correct gaits, are ready to take control and line horses up once the judging is complete. They are quick to transfer results to the announcer or to communicate with the show manager. They even know when to order lunch so the show won’t be delayed.
The ring steward, announcer and gate person can make or break a horse show. A cohesive team is most certainly noted by the judge. All of these jobs are so important, it is very hard to run a successful horse show with volunteer labor. As a show manager, I hired all these positions and made sure that our staff were adequately compensated. I have heard the excuse that shows cannot afford to hire every position and that using volunteers saves money. I must disagree with this statement. In my experience, a great staff has always made our shows run more efficiently and has saved us costs especially in overtime. A well run show also attracts more exhibitors. I worked with a scribe once that after I had called “penalty 1, penalty 1, penalty 1”, I looked down to see only a single penalty 1 recorded. The scribe told me not to worry, they had heard me the first time.
Susan Howe–I am an AQHA Novice judge, but mostly, I am a ring steward. This leads me to a rather strong opinion. When judging, I have had everything from a seasoned professional ring steward to a volunteer. It is very hard to maintain a high level of judging performance if you are working with an individual that you have to school. My other pet peeve is having to justify or answer questions to an individual whose job is to help you, not school you. I am a ring steward for some significant horse shows (including the Quarter Horse Congress), and I truly love the role. I have been in management as well. I have worked with the good and the not so good. This is not a job for those who merely want to be on the “inside.” A lot of responsibility goes into the job to be successful. The most important elements are to be familiar with class procedure, rules, and good scribing skills. A good ring steward needs good communication skills as well. Communication between the paddock and the announcer keeps the show moving forward. Judges appreciate having correct information and class counts so they can get on with judging the event and not worrying about trouble shooting their show staff. A professional attitude and attire will always put a judge at ease. A punctual and prepared ring steward will always be appreciated. Having a spare pencil and pen is part of the uniform. Long days are what we all sign up for so a good attitude should be a requirement for all the staff it takes to run a horse show if you are a judge, ring steward, announcer, paddock master, manager, show secretary or awards person, etc. Perhaps, there should be some sort of formal certification or clinics to help us educate ring stewards so they have a better idea on how to do the job.
Sue Kapushion–My favorite ring steward I’ve ever worked with is Don Manuello. Years ago, before easy view pads were invented, he saved my life while judging my first world show. Back then you literally had to step behind riders (going at a high rate of speed) to write down numbers. I was trying to do that when four riders abreast came around the corner behind me. They would have taken me out if not for Don’s hand on the small of my back quickly guiding me to safety without taking my attention off the task at hand. They don’t make them like that anymore and our industry has been so lucky to have him.
Dean Ross–Over the years I have been lucky to have had so many great ring stewards. Ones that know how to be organized, keep the classes coming in the ring, great scribing skills, and that have made my job easier. It all makes for a great day of judging. When I was fortunate to be asked to judge in Australia, my ring steward, Janeen McRobert, went above and beyond the call. This lady is nothing short of a stand up comic–kept me on my toes and laughing the whole time. Her “insult humor” was as good as any that I have seen on TV. I don’t ever remember having that sore of a stomach at the end of a day–completely a riot. She was very good at her job and took it seriously, but just one of those people who never quit making me smile. It was a great experience despite how much she picked on me.
Mary Luther-Eggleston–My ideal ring steward is aware of what the announcer, the office, and the judge needs. When the cards for placement are turned in, a good ring steward will always make sure that the cards are signed and the number of horses being shown are recognized on the card. It is also very helpful if the ring steward looks to make sure exhibitor numbers are not duplicated on the card for the judge. Sometimes when the judge moves numbers around on their notes, a number can be duplicated onto the scorecard. A good ring steward is also aware of how the class is being run and help the announcer keep the show running smoothly. They are the personal connection between the judge and the announcer, and their understanding of procedure is very helpful when running the class. One of my favorite things that ring stewards often do, and is so helpful, is keep the judges on time. I love when we know how long we have between breaks and delays so that we help keep the show running smoothly.
Mario Bosjoli–I like scribes to keep a written running total in the margin on scored runs. This makes it easier to be accurate and insures that the exhibitors will get the score and therefore the placing they deserve. At this particular event, I had a different scribe for each class. I always do a quick orientation with new scribes. Usually they really appreciate it and as a result we get a good job done with no confusion. At the beginning of one particular class, my new scribe announced that he didn’t need to do a written running total. I pointed out that I wasn’t interested in what he needed, and I expected him to use my system. Very sarcastically he said, “What’s the big deal, it’s just mental arithmetic.” At that point I gave up, thinking to myself that I only had to deal with this attitude for one class. He made three addition errors on the first run. I resisted the urge to say, “I told you so.”
Terri Dyson-Wirthlin–Ring stewards. I can’t say enough about the great ones, and truly appreciate the ones who volunteer for the job. To be able to walk into that arena knowing that the person next to me knows their job gives me the ability to devote all of my attention to the exhibitor. I know how hard the exhibitors have worked to prepare for the show and know that they deserve my total attention. If my ring steward is inexperienced, they will have a lot of questions, which is understandable, but I will spend my time looking over their shoulder to make sure my score sheets are correct. We have all had that show where we have just finished a trail class and looked down at our sheets to say, “oh no, I’m going to need a minute.” So to those amazing stewards I thank you. To the volunteer stewards, I know it can be a thankless job, but stay positive and you can get through anything. By the way, most of us don’t bite!
Gigi Bailey–I think ring stewards sometimes do not understand how important their job is…horse shows are about safety for people and horses. Judges don’t always see all of it and the best ring stewards acknowledge that responsibility and try to keep an eye open on the whole picture. Those stewards will most often spot trouble before it is a disaster and either take steps to fix the situation or notify the judge so that a crisis may be averted.
Jodi Finkenbinder–I don’t want to single out any instances, but I can tell you what makes a great ring steward and that will give you an idea of what the bad ones have done. The ultimate ring steward is one that is absent and invisible when you are judging and marking your card but magically appears when you need them. Efficiency is key. You don’t have to find them to turn your card in, they keep the arena moving, horses in and horses out. They call out numbers in individual work and have someone waiting at the cone. They catch a clerical error with a number before it is called in when our minds are weary and they know when you need a bottle of water. The job is always much easier when you have a cheerful person with a good attitude just like we should have. It makes it a great day to have a few smiles and a laugh when appropriate. Good math skills as a scribe is a must and we have all been burned by a bad one. Last but not least, a quiet steward is a plus for me. Questions and conversation when trying to concentrate is very distracting and unfair to the exhibitors. I don’t mind educating later during a break if someone wants to learn, but I am being paid to do the best job I can and it is important to me to have that opportunity.
Gayle Lampinen–My ideal ring steward is someone that respects the job they have signed up for and has taken the time to read and learn the duties of a ring steward right down to a neat, clean, professional appearance in the show pen. It is also beneficial for new ring stewards to attend a scribe seminar which some state associations offer. With that being said, ring stewards make our job easier throughout the day especially if it’s a large show. They know the order of classes, knows the approximate number of entries in each class, keeps track of who is eligible to come back for Grand and Reserve in halter classes, right down to scribing for scored classes and keeping a running ledger for large classes. Understanding score sheets that entail penalties and maneuvers is critical in coming up with the correct score. It is important for me to know my ring stewards level of experience whether they are a veteran of beginner. I do appreciate all ring stewards efforts in taking on this responsibility whether a veteran or beginner.
Lori Gordon–It is really ideal when the ring steward has all of your score sheets intact for each scored class and is a good scribe. It makes us be able to focus on our job of judging instead of helping them get numbers and check their addition or add it ourselves. For the most part this is the norm, but there was a summer where for some reason or another I had a string of “novice” ring stewards, so by the end of the season I was looking for an oasis. I was judging a championship type of show and my ring steward was a little disorganized in the beginning with the paperwork and cards, but we got through it fine. We sat down to scribe a large number of trail horses and she was a little mixed up adding the first few goes. After the third draw in the first class, she threw up her hands and handed me her score sheets and pencil and said I cannot do this and fled the arena. Needless to say, I got a lot of practice sharpening my math skills the rest of that day!
Bruce Army–I was judging an AQHA show in the midwest where I was put on a well used hay wagon to judge the trail in a back arena. My fellow judge was on another hay wagon with her ring steward. We had steel chairs and after awhile I tend to fidget, especially sitting on something hard. So, I had my coffee and other judging aids in my hands and I was squirming around when all of a sudden my chair fell through the rusted out hay wagon. I went flying forward with all my papers and now empty coffee cup scattered all around me. Meanwhile, there is an exhibitor trying to still perform the course with all this racket going on. Everyone started laughing and my ring steward yelled out, “Penalty three with a minus 1 maneuver.” I think her score was a little low!
