SMDA Recognized Show - July 14, 2019

Ellie and I tried her first recognized show in July.  It was quite an interesting experience; I don't know why this has been such a weird year, but sadly it has!

I signed up to ride Training 2 and 3, paying the little extra to have T3 count as a qualifying score.  It didn't really matter since we cannot do enough rated shows this year to qualify for a USDF award, as I want to do horse trials and other things on weekends when the rated shows are scheduled.  But I wanted it to "count" just in case because you never know lol!

I didn't get any media as I went by myself.  Training 2 went great!  Ellie warmed up well and we had a really solid test.  She was calm and rideable, and I honestly thought we had done quite well!  The judge didn't agree and we scored a 62.241%, for third in a class of five.  Not a terrible score, but it seemed lower than the performance.  I figured it was just a difference between normally doing schooling shows and this was rated, so the score would be lower anyway.  Well...

Training 3 was a trainwreck!  But not because of Ellie.  It was fairly warm out, so I kept our second warm-up pretty short, with just a little bit of trot work and canter in both directions.  Again, Ellie seemed really ready.  The show was running ahead of schedule, but I choose to go in early because Ellie was ready and it was warm.  Everything started out well, but then I somehow blanked on the free walk, so the judge rung us out.  Fair enough.  Somehow I had ridden the Training 3 free walk from the previous test (which, by the way, I have not ridden since 2011!  WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON WITH MY BRAIN hahahaha!)  The judge sounded really annoyed at me when she told me how to start over, but I thought maybe I was imagining it.  I can be sensitive to how people speak and the tones they use, but I tried not to get too flustered.  I was admittedly embarrassed and annoyed at myself for frigging up a dressage test AGAIN, as I have never gone off course in a test until this year.  

So, we start again and I end up with a SECOND error.  OMG.  I truly had no idea what had happened when she rang the bell, other than I was supposed to canter between A and F after the serpentine, but I kinda forgot and picked it up just past F (I think I thought I had to canter between F and B, not in the corner).  I was like whoops this will be marked as a late transition, but instead she rung me out for an error.  Sorry, but that seems REALLY harsh.  So I am thinking aw, man, I better finish this goddamn test before I get a third error and get eliminated hahaha.

But here's the thing.  Not only did the judge apparently think my late transition by a few meters was enough to give me a second error, but she also took it upon herself to start SCREAMING at me.  She actually stood up in the booth and screamed that two errors meant I was now eliminated, how I should know my tests better, and that while she could allow me to finish the test anyway even though she was eliminating me, it would put her behind schedule.  

Let's remember that she was actually running ahead of schedule, but whatever.  Oh and let's remember that the rulebook states the first error is a 2 point deduction, the second error is a four-point deduction, and not until the third error is the rider eliminated.  

What. In. The. Actual. Fuck.

I was so incredibly stunned by her tone and her unprofessionalism.  I just stood there on Ellie, at about the letter I, listening to her rant and not exactly understanding why she was so angry at me.  I didn't even bother to argue that actually I wasn't eliminated until a third error, because I have learned that crazy people who are yelling don't actually want to listen to facts.  When she demanded I leave the ring, I just turned Ellie and walked out.  I didn't say a word.  

Now, I have no problem with the fact that I clearly have started having difficulty memorizing tests, though I thought I knew T3 pretty well, and with the point that the errors are all on me.  I do think a late transition shouldn't count as an error, but who am I to argue with an "S" judge at a rated show.  I also am not pleased with her deciding to eliminate me after only two errors, but let's be real; after the way she treated me, there was no way I wanted to ride in front of her any longer.  And I probably will avoid this judge in the future because holy moly!  The judge had no acceptable reason to act this rude and downright mean.

I filled out a USDF complaint that afternoon and as I wrote:  This is not the Olympics.  I am an adult amateur riding a Training level test at a level 1 USDF show on a young mare I trained myself.  This is not how judges should be treating ANYONE, this is not how to encourage participation in the sport, especially at rated shows.  I have no problem being told I need to memorize my tests better, but I am NEVER ok with being yelled at in the manner this judge chose to yell at me.  I am not talking about using a loud voice to be sure she was heard; I'm talking full-on berating screams.

well, at least the Training 3 isn't on there lol

I walked out and stood there dumbfounded while a volunteer asked to check Ellie's bit and fly bonnet.  I was like, Oh my god, that judge just screamed at me and I was eliminated for only two errors.  I don't think the volunteer really understood, but it didn't matter.  It felt surreal and I really couldn't process what had just occurred.  I took care of my horse, loaded her up, and drove home.  I didn't even bother to pick up my test.  

Once I started telling friends and my instructor, a ton of stories about this particular judge started emerging.  No one was surprised she treated me this way.  A friend of mine was at the same show later in the day with students and told me he overheard the judge yelling at other riders as well.  

The stories I have been told are crazy, how she had once jumped out of the booth and chased a rider all the way back to stabling to yell about something (this was told to me by the actual rider who was next to ride in that ring, who had to wait over ten minutes for the judge to return.  WTF!).  About how she had a meltdown at a pony club dressage rally because the D rated riders didn't know how to ride.  About how the only written comment at the end of a test was "Rider needs to wear lipstick".  

So, needless to say, our first rated show was incredibly weird, but I am sure in the future it will go much smoother haha.  I will memorize my tests and maybe ought to teach someone how to be my reader LOL!  And you can be sure I am not only never showing under that judge again, but I also am not going to bother showing with this organization again either.  After a few years of BS, this was the last straw.  At least I can say Ellie was perfect and I am super proud of how far she has come. 

Whew!  Onwards and upwards, kids! 😁