For the fourth year in a row, I participated in the Equestrian Blogger Gift Exchange, which Tracy so kindly hosts (and has for seven years)! I love choosing gifts for a fellow blogger, trying to find just the right thing to match their likes and interests. And it is definitely fun to come home from work to a surprise package of horsey things for me!
This year, I received my gift quite early! Thank you so much Eventing Saddlebred Style for the two surprises this past week! She must have been checking out my Pinterest board I indicated I have, as these are both from my "want" category haha.
Plus, this is a new-to-me blog, so as soon as I finish this entry, I plan to tag along as a follower. I like adding to my reading list, even though I have been terrible at commenting lately.
The cute little fox mug just makes me laugh. I definitely cannot bring it to the middle school where I teach hahahaha, but I have already used it here at home a few times!
And the teal lead rope is aw…
This year, I received my gift quite early! Thank you so much Eventing Saddlebred Style for the two surprises this past week! She must have been checking out my Pinterest board I indicated I have, as these are both from my "want" category haha.
Plus, this is a new-to-me blog, so as soon as I finish this entry, I plan to tag along as a follower. I like adding to my reading list, even though I have been terrible at commenting lately.
The cute little fox mug just makes me laugh. I definitely cannot bring it to the middle school where I teach hahahaha, but I have already used it here at home a few times!
And the teal lead rope is aw…
WOW, that is not right! I'm so sorry you had that experience, and I'm curious to know what the USDF says about it.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to hear a word from USDF and sent the complaint through the competition evaluation on July 14. *sigh*
DeleteWTAF?! I would have done the same thing as you. Actually, no. Not now. I’m so tired of all this crap that I would probably have berated her and then gone to the show office. Not that I’m saying you should have done any of that. I’m really not just honestly. If you don’t want to judge don’t. I’m sorry that happened. I would tell you that here she’d never be invited back. It’s beyond inappropriate. I’m so pissed on your behalf.
ReplyDeleteLooking back, I wish I had called her out and said NO, I am not eliminated for two errors. But I was so incredibly shocked at what she was doing that I totally froze and went mute. I couldn't even process what she was doing to the point I couldn't even think! It was a strange feeling. I am just so sad to think that she has done this for so long and how many others she has treated so terribly! :-(
DeleteUmmmm... how the hell is this person still allowed to be a judge? Holy. Crap. Absolutely unacceptable. You are a bigger person than I am. I would be putting the name all over the entire internet. (And then I'd probably be shunned from the dressage community, but... meh.) Glad you filed a complaint. This is ridiculous and I'm sorry to hear that's how your first rated show with Ellie went. I'm so angry now...
ReplyDeleteTotally unacceptable! I am sad to think she has acted this way towards riders for so long. It is tricky because she is from Maine and now lives in Vermont, so although I am not a professional, I hesitate to call her out as we are in the same region. :-(
DeleteI hear you there. The horse world is too small even without drama. Ugh. How aggravating that you haven't heard back about the complaint yet :( That's disheartening.
Deletei'm so sorry, that's so incredibly frustrating. officials like that drive me f*ing nuts. we had a similar situation at our recognized event recently where a volunteer who's been in the game for a long time and is pretty sure she knows all the rules and needs to additional input, thankyouverymuch, eliminated a rider incorrectly too. and like, why tho. it's so so so counterproductive for the integrity and future of these sports. bleh. more reason to keep encouraging the next generation of judges and officials!!
ReplyDeleteExactly! I mean, if I deserve to be eliminated, by all means I want the rulebook to be followed to a "T". But to act so unprofessionally is discouraging.
DeleteWowwww. That's nuts! I would have gone to the TD just to feel like I had complained to someone who understood the gravity of the craziness. I guess you can only go up from there for your next rated show? Congrats on the 3rd at least!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I thought about going to the TD but it just didn't seem worth it in the moment. It wasn't like I was going to be able to salvage Training 3 at all and the judge wasn't going to suddenly be a nice person because the TD told her to be haha. Plus, I really just wanted to get the hell out of there at that point. Our next rated experience will be much better I would think!
DeleteI'm glad you turned in a complaint - we really shouldn't have to suffer that kind of abuse from judges! Ellie and you are such a star team! Lots to be proud of every outing!
ReplyDeleteThank you! She really is coming along well and thankfully I am not allowing a crazy judge dictate my self worth LOL!
DeleteWhat a psycho!?!?! I think it showed great restraint that you did not go to the office and demand your money back! It didn't take me long to track her down on http://www.dressagedetective.com/ and look up her average as a judge (low, but not crazy low) and then her average as a rider where is seems across the board judges I know and respect are not giving her high marks as a rider so she needs to get over herself!
ReplyDelete