30 SIDELINES JULY 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
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By Holly Hugo-Vidal
Arthur Hawkins, one of the most sought after judges in the hunter
world, is as trim and ft today as he was many years ago when he
gave me my frst riding job! After nearly six decades of judging,
this will be Arthur’s last year and the end of the Hawkins family
judging era. I’m sure, however, we will still see “Artie” outside
the hunter ring, maybe holding a clipboard! The day after Artie
judged the $10,000 USHJS High Performance Hunter Challenge
in San Juan Capistrano, California at the Blenheim Spring Classic
Horse Show, one of his fnal shows of the year, he granted me this
interview! This is how it went:
You are originally from New York, how long have you lived
in Southern California?
I moved here from Bedford, New York, 36 years ago. I miss
New York. My wife and I are going back for the summer, where
we have a condo.
Did you ride as a young boy?
I rode at home, but got terrible stage fright whenever I showed.
My brother and sister did a lot of showing.
When did you start to judge?
My judging career began in 1956. My brother Steve, my sister
Nora as well as my father all judged. We were really into horses.
Back in those days, if your parents were in the business, as mine
were, you were considered a professional the minute you turned
18. That was the rule of the AHSA. Even if you never went near
the barn, you were still considered a professional!
You have judged in almost every state, have you judged
outside the US?
I went to South America to judge medal fnals. Rodrigo Pessoa’s
father was riding in that show. Rodrigo was just a little boy. I have
also judged in Hawaii and Alaska.
What are some highlights in your judging career?
Probably doing the AHSA Medal and Maclay fnals eight times.
And judging the fall circuit - Pennsylvania National, Washington
International and Madison Square Garden - 20 times.
What are some changes you have seen over the years with
the hunters?
The main difference between the hunters now, verses 20 or 30
years ago, is that there are better movers now than there were
back then. Years ago, you’d have a class of 20 and have three
or four very good movers. Now when you have a class of 20; you
have 15 very good movers! With the advent of the Warmbloods
(verses the Thoroughbred) the horses are a little more lethargic.
They just gallop down and very nonchalantly bring their legs up
and jump it very fat, which is good for the riders but takes away
from the overall performance of the Thoroughbreds doing the
same thing. That’s progress, I guess.
How do equitation classes in California compare to those
on the East Coast?
They start them younger out here, like the Onondarka Medal
fnals, which I’ve done several times. The young riders are very
well mounted and very well trained. They’ll have 80 or 90 in the
class. You ought to see the course! Twisting and turning – it’s like
a medals fnals course. They’re very dedicated to the equitation
on the West Coast, especially in the last fve or ten years. Prior
to that, it was once and a half around and down the middle, but
not anymore.
The derby was dedicated to you, is that right?
Yes, it was and has been for the last fve years. Starting in
1997, I managed the show for Joan Irvine Smith for ten years until
she and R.J. Brandis formed a partnership. Mr. Brandis wanted
me to stay on, which I did as long as he agreed to continue to
run a frst class show, which he did. I stayed on as an adviser
for two more years, but it conficted with my judging, so I bowed
out. However to show his appreciation, Mr. Brandis, against my
protests, dedicated the derby to me.
Holly Hugo-Vidal is Sidelines’
California correspondent and
writes the “West Side Story”
column. Holly is based at
Alicia Saxton’s Oceancrest
Farms in Rancho Santa Fe,
California. Holly specializes
in hunters and equitation as
well as adults. She is an “R”
USEF judge, clinician and
an author. Her most recent
book is Build Confdence Over
Fences.
Arthur Hawkins
Photo by
Laurie Weiner