| Welcome to Judges Notebook. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| More Training; Please | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Oct 13 2007, 10:20 PM (1,020 Views) | |
| Donna Johnston | Oct 13 2007, 10:20 PM Post #1 |
|
Member
  ![]](http://209.85.48.20/static/1/pip_r.png)
|
I initially went on the Trainee List to increase my knowledge of dressage and how it is judged during a time when my horse was off for a prolonged period of time. I am by no means an expert. Luckily for me, I passed my first exam and then my second and am now on List 4. But that does not mean that I know everything there is to know. My expectations are that BD will help me learn more to become a better judge - something I am committed to. Judging has become as important to me as riding. BUT the training is so hit and miss! And sometimes almost non-existant in some regions. Some judge trainers are fab and others - well lets just say no notes need to be taken! Some trainers say 'yes that is fine' and others say the same thing is definately 'verbotem'!!! Unless there is unity in the training then how the heck can we learn through the training and at the end of the day - pass the next exam! It almost appears that the exam may or may not mirror the training ........... depends on who you get examining you. If we are to maintain any dignity in this and be respected as judges ... the training and examination procedure needs to be further unified. It HAS got better but there is definately room for improvement. And certainly judges should be re-tested and checked! As a competitor AND a judge I am shocked to find that there are certain judges I do not wish to ride under. Harsh and maybe not singing the company song - but true. |
 |
 
|
| piaffe | Oct 26 2007, 01:30 PM Post #2 |
|
Newbie
|
:rolleyes: Oh how true. Judge training can be a minefield. I'm almost frightened to attempt upgrading from a list 5. You are definately not alone with judges you do not want to ride under. I am the same, and dare I say, also have judges I will not judge train with due to conflicting or confusing views. Considering the cost of entry fees, diesel, training etc etc, its not cheap to get out and about competing, so I believe judges owe it to the competitors to at least be singing from the same hymn sheet, as well as delivering profession and constructive feedback. I struggle a bit with judges who do not compete or at least train with a dressage orientated trainer. Text book judging has got to be a no brainer. I am fortunate to train with a list 3a and she is always happy for me to bombard her with judging questions as well as my usual 'why did that go wrong' questions when I am riding. Without doubt the judge training infrastructure has improved a great deal, but there's a way to go yet. |
|
|
|
| Dr Tamsyn Cowie | Oct 30 2007, 02:15 PM Post #3 |
|
Newbie
|
I hope I do a reasonable job at judging and work hard at all types of training but because I am old and stiff and have a BMI approaching 30 I do not compete any more (bit like an old schoolmaster horse!) I do ride in private and do some of the homework on my daughter's advanced horse and sit in on lots of training but I would take exception to being told that I have nothing to offer as a judge because I no longer compete. This applies to quite a few of us more senior judges and doesn't automatically mean we are useless or stuck in a timewarp - merely that we must work harder at other varieties of training to make up the deficit |
|
|
|
| Donna Johnston | Oct 30 2007, 08:21 PM Post #4 |
|
Member
|
I do not think you have to compete to be a good judge ... to have competed at some stage is definately an advantage. No I was more having a moan about the lack of training available and the standard of that training at times - and perhaps even the fact that training is not tested until an exam situation ........ |
|
|
|
| Dr Tamsyn Cowie | Oct 31 2007, 12:33 PM Post #5 |
|
Newbie
|
By which time it's a bit late!!!! I entirely agree with everything else - we do run practice exams in our region which is super-helpful and I find if you take time to pick the judge to do practice judging with that can be a fantastic learning experience. I do find that the discipline of working towards upgrading provides a structure and direction to study. My biggest private concern is that some judges 'stick' at a particular list - profess themselves happy with level they are judging at and perhaps do the minimum necessary to stay listed. We have all sat next to them at training! They seem to be there on sufference, and how can they be inspired to move onwards and upwards? As far as the quality of training is concerned the old problem of the people who may be hugely knowledgeable not necessarily making the most gifted teachers arises, as does having too rigid a 'National Curriculum' make for dullness and stifle lively debate - it's a question of balance. As List 4 I found this year's Seminar where we were allowed in with List 1 downwards so very much more stimulating than always being List 4-6, and my other plea would be for much greater use in training of decent Powerpoint presentation etc. Even old farts like myself can manage this in our daily life, and so often Colleges are the venues for training with classroom facilities available. In the end one has to take the not-so-good with the inspiring - and it's unusual to come away with absolutely nothing. There are trainers I 'prefer less', and it's quite difficult to explain tactfully why X is always booked solid from the moment of announcement and yet there are slots available for Y anytime!!! |
|
|
|
| Donna Johnston | Oct 31 2007, 09:49 PM Post #6 |
|
Member
|
100% agree with you DTC!!! I'd love to see more use made of technology in training - even videos/DVDs so that movements can be replayed in slow motion over and over so that discussion can be indepth and explanations clear. And certainly about the 'stuck' dressage judges! I am sure that there are lots of judges out there totally happy with their list and who are VERY good judges. But there are a minority who are judges for the sake of being judges. They are not interested in learning new things or taking on board new judging directives. Its their way or no way and unfortunately there is no way at present of weeding these people out of the system. But they still get to judge and their marks and comments are affecting competitors - either in a placing too high or too low or with inappropriate or unhelpful comments. They are the ones that I would prefer not to ride under as a competitor! |
|
|
|
| Andrew Bennie | Mar 17 2008, 11:12 AM Post #7 |
|
Member
|
 It must be very difficult for enough of these training sessions to be organized, especially with all the different levels involved.I have found in the last year that the ones I have needed to do, have been hard to find and have had several cancelled (not sure why, whether it be lack of interest or what?) There have been 5 that I was booked in for, not all in my area either and it does get frustrating when you set aside those days, to find that the training is cancelled. It must be time in the way technology is these days to be able to get something set up in order that we can, as Indi says make use of that in the form of DVD/video or even some form of online sessions that could be made use of. Not only for the very good video evenings that are being organized but also so we could have the use of or purchase DVD's that we can study that will give quidelines for judging, at least then we could study them and not have a "one off" chance to see movements as we do in the standard training session. I have bought several DVD's (WEG and Euro Champs etc)to study, in order to get ready for an upgrade, which have good commentary, but it would be great to be able to get similar DVD's that are showing tests at the particular level we need and that also have comments that are educational to us as judges. Does anybody know if there are these things available?  |
|
|
|
| « Previous Topic · Making a good Judge · Next Topic » |
6:51 PM Nov 24
