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Monday, January 30 2023 / Published in Weekly Feature

The Challenges of Dressage Judging in Eventing 

By Liz Halliday-Sharp

The dressage phase in eventing is very tough. Not only does the rider need to be accurate and precise, but teaching a fit horse to be relaxed, trained and rideable in the ring when they are ready to run and jump is no easy task.  I also believe that it’s a challenge to be a dressage judge; the ability to remain consistent, objective and accurate from the first rider to the last is a real skill. 

We are lucky to have some very good international judges such as Kristina Klingspor, Bobby Stevenson and Andrew Bennie, for example. They are judges who I believe are knowledgeable enough to know what they should be looking for and are also brave enough to be consistent with their marking throughout the competition.  

I believe that it’s a continual challenge, however, to find this level of consistency from all eventing judges and it’s something that each judge should be striving for regularly. It is still normal, I think, for every rider to be nervous about going first in a class. Most of us are worried that we might not get the score that we deserve being the first rider to go and that the judges might not reward movements in a way that they would later in the section.  

I have personally been that first rider many times and I have had scores that I felt were very fair and have sometimes even put me in the lead, but I have also had tests that I felt were under-marked based on my early draw. More often than not, however, I find that it’s still a detriment to be the first competitor, especially in a big competition, and it’s surprising to me that this continues to be an issue. So the next question is: how do we change it? I am lucky to know many great eventing judges and I know for a fact that they work very hard to to get away from this stigma and to be as consistent as possible. Maybe the riders and organizing bodies should reach out to them directly to discuss how things can be improved?  

In the big championships and five-star competitions, I think there should perhaps be a review at the conclusion of dressage and any significant discrepancies of three marks or more should be examined. I know this is the case for flying changes, but I believe that it should happen with other movements as well.  At the same time, I think that judges should be asked to analyze tests from the previous day in relation to the second day if their scores across the board have dramatically changed for most riders. Good tests should always be rewarded, but the scores should not simply go up because it’s nearing the end of the section, and mistakes should not be overlooked. I’m sure that no judge intentionally does this, but it appears to still be happening on occasion in our sport, so it might be useful to hold a review session when there are large discrepancies.  

I realize that I am being very bold with some of my comments and I do recognize how tough it must be to be a dressage judge in eventing. We would not have a sport at all without them! My hope is that all of our hard-working judges can continue to be cognizant of the position of importance they are in and they can recognize that owners and riders depend on their objectivity and accuracy for the progression of their horses and careers.  

The event organizers should feel equally responsible for choosing reputable judges who are known for being accurate and fair. I understand that organizers have their work cut out to keep events running smoothly and a lot of effort goes into putting on some outstanding shows, but getting quality judges who know the sport should be a real priority over having those who are just readily available. I believe this is the only way that riders at all levels can truly understand what to work on and how to improve when they come away from a competition.  

I will finish by saying that I’m very grateful for the many hard hours that judges put into our sport and I can only imagine how much time and energy it takes to be one of the best. My hope is that both riders and judges continue to hold themselves accountable and put the work in to keep improving dressage in eventing.   

caption

Liz Halliday-Sharp competing in the dressage phase.

Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography

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Lisa Goldman-Smolen and Ivaro N strike gold in Gre Lisa Goldman-Smolen and Ivaro N strike gold in Great American $300,000 Grand Prix at HITS Ocala!! 🏆🥇

Crowds filled the stands at the HITS Ocala Grand Prix Ring on Sunday afternoon to watch the world’s top athletes compete in the Great American $300,000 Grand Prix. The day concluded with a thrilling five-horse jump-off featuring athletes 
representing four countries. In the end, it was Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA) and Ivaro N who produced the only double clear effort of the day, claiming one of the biggest wins of her career. Scott Keach (AUS) and Noble De La Chapelle earned the second-place prize with the fastest 4-fault jump-off, while Aaron Vale (USA) and Obi Wan placed third as the day’s pathfinders.

“I'm still on cloud nine, I still can't believe it – I’ve used up all my luck for the year,” smiled Goldman-Smolen after her win. “I've been knocking on the door a long time in these bigger classes. I am so proud of my horse – he gave every ounce of effort.”

Sunday’s Great American $300,000 Grand Prix marked the conclusion of the 2023 HITS Ocala circuit. HITS CCO Joe Norick concluded, “We are so excited about the new HITS, with 2023 as the launch. New footing, many new arenas here, and a lot of our facilities across America are getting a lot of love and new footing. Our partnerships with Worldly Martin and others across America including our footing leader Bart Poles overseeing our operations – it really makes a big difference for us. Today is about Ocala and these three riders sitting next to me who supported us this entire winter. We want to be a proud destination for our exhibitors and our friends. We know we have to provide them a beautiful showplace to work from that's horseman friendly, and that's our go goal. 

Congratulations to all of the riders, horses, owners, and groom who participated in this prestigious class!!! 🎉
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Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses—in a way, she was born into her career. She grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where her parents ran a farm. Her mother taught, and her father had a jump business and then created one of the first horse show software programs: Ryegate Show Services, Inc.

Riding all her life, Annette spent many years as a groom and loved it, but knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do as a career. After she finished college, Annette’s father recruited her to help process entries at Ryegate. Since her father, Lloyd Longenecker, founded it in 1981, Ryegate has provided show management and office staff for some of the largest shows in the country. Now, Annette has taken over from her father and directed the company as it focuses on managing memberships and rankings for organizations such as the North American League, WIHS Championships and Equitation, Rolex/USEF Computer Ranking and National Medal Series (THIS NCM and Ariat NAM). Ryegate also provides scoring software for use with video walls, and production teams for hunter and jumper shows.

“Besides running Ryegate Show Services and its various organizations, I can be found in the show office, running a scoreboard or judging jumpers at most shows,” Annette said. “I love getting to wear a few different hats at the show.”

When she’s not busy at a show, Annette lives in Annville, Pennsylvania, with her “fur-baby,” Maggie Mae, and enjoys spending time with her many godchildren. Though she doesn’t currently own any horses, Annette rides when she can at Rolling Acres Farm with Patty Foster, Ashley Foster-Worthington and Mary Lisa Leffler.

Read this month unbridled with Annette Longenecker by clicking the link in our bio. Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine! 🦄
📸Photo by Sheryl Sutherby

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A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself The spor A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself 
The sport of eventing is a demanding and mentally challenging discipline that requires a combination of physical and mental fortitude from both the rider and horse. While having a coach can be incredibly beneficial, self-coaching can also play a crucial role in a rider’s success.

I think that given the opportunity, most riders would like to be coached every day. The reality of life in the horse world, however, is that the majority of us need to absorb as much from the lessons we have on a limited basis and then practice those skills at home to improve.

When I am riding, I try to have a plan for the horses each day and focus on what I’m looking to achieve. It’s important to be aware of the steady improvements rather than trying to solve everything all at once. This is especially important when teaching horses new movements or exercises that they might struggle with, and we need to give them time to learn and understand what we are asking for.

I have a couple of quotes that I use regularly when I’m teaching, and these are mottos that I hold myself to in my daily work as well.

The first is, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.” This is a quote that was said to me many years ago when I was still motor racing and I keep it in the back of my mind each day. It’s easy to get stuck doing the same thing every day with your horse and bad habits are hard to break, from both riders and horses!

This leads me to my next quote, which is, “If what you are doing isn’t working, try something else.” It really is as simple as that! Many riders I see keep asking a horse to do something the same way over and over with an ongoing negative response and they wonder why things don’t get better. In these circumstances, I recommend that the rider change something, even if it’s wrong.

Read the full article by clicking the link in our bio! Don’t forget to keep your eye out for our April subscription!
📸Photo by Alex Banks Photography
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