Ask the Judge – Talking Showmanship with Carly Veldman Parks

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136 – November/December, 2016

BY ERICA GREATHOUSE

The AQHA rulebook defines Showmanship as a class “designed to evaluate the exhibitor’s ability to execute, in concert with a well-groomed and well-conditioned horse, a set of maneuvers prescribed by the judge with precision and smoothness while exhibiting poise and confidence, and maintaining a balanced, functional and fundamentally correct body position.”

Furthermore, in order to be at the top of the class in Showmanship, a horse and exhibitor pair must be very well-practiced, prepared, and poised as they take on intricate patterns designed to test their ability to work as a team. In order to gain some clarity on what judges are looking for in Showmanship, we reached out to our readers on social media to submit their questions. AQHA, APHA, and NSBA accredited judge and horse trainer, Carly Veldman Parks, was more than happy to help by providing the answers.

Question #1: What are you looking for in your first impression of a horse/exhibitor?

Answer: “I want to see an exhibitor look confident, put together, and a horse that’s clean, well-groomed, and set up at the cone, ready to go on time. The exhibitor should look poised and ready to execute the pattern with a pleasant expression, and the horse should look calm but alert.”

Question #2: What type of attire do you prefer seeing in Showmanship?

Answer: “An exhibitor’s attire should be neat and fit properly. I think everyone’s style is different and that’s acceptable, as long as it suits the individual and makes him/her feel confident. Personal style is fine, as long as clothing fits well, boots are clean, the hat is shaped properly, pants are the correct length, and the exhibitor’s hair is tidy. Additionally, it’s important for a female exhibitor to have her makeup applied nicely, but not overdone.”

Question #3: What should the exhibitor’s expression be like during his/her pattern?

Answer: “An exhibitor’s expression should be natural but also very friendly. I think it’s good to have a smile when making eye contact, but it should be natural and not glued on throughout the pattern. Parts of the pattern that require more concentration don’t require a smile because the exhibitor is focusing on executing difficult maneuvers. In that situation, a smile would be unnatural. When making eye contact with the judge, exhibitors should not be afraid to show personality and confidence, especially when walking up to the judge before the setup and inspection.”

Click here to read the complete article
136 – November/December, 2016