Understanding the Judge’s Score Sheet

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156 – November/December, 2014

 

By Doreen Shumpert

All horse show competitors have been there. We’ve thought, “Why did I place fifth instead of first? Why did their pattern beat mine?” Perhaps, you were pleasantly surprised to be a class winner, yet you still realized there was room for improvement and wanted to know where to start.

Viewing a judge’s score sheet can help answer all of these questions. However, they can often be a little confusing and hard to understand. For clarification, we asked the American Quarter Horse Association Director of Judges Alex Ross and top national/international judges Karen Banister of Brighton, Colorado and Kelly Boles-Chapman of Battle Creek, Michigan to answer a few common questions about class scoring and to offer insights on how to put that information to use in your preparation for the next horse show.

EC: Score sheets can be confusing. We know the requirements differ among classes, but can you explain, in general, how maneuver scores are assessed?

Alex Ross: “Maneuver scores are assessed differently in every class. For instance, in Western Riding, the majority of the class is judged on the horse’s ability to change leads with emphasis on the quality of the lead change. When evaluating the lead change, the judge rewards horses that are quality movers that guide well and exhibit good manners and good expression.”

“Obviously, the maneuvers for a Working Cow Horse class or Horsemanship class would be totally different. Exhibitors should read and understand the rules of attire, equipment, and other general rules for every class they exhibit in. If they understand how they will be judged, they are more likely to show by the rules and be rewarded for their performance. Many exhibitors find it beneficial to attend the judges’ educational seminars to hear the instruction judges are given for individual classes.”

Karen Banister: “Briefly stated, maneuver scores are snapshots in time of what the judge saw and expressed numerically. It’s judging what was seen; it isn’t a personal critique of you.”

“Often, I get the impression people think judges are ‘judging them’ in a very personal way, when in fact we are only describing what we saw in that small fraction of time. I can’t tell you how many times I have groaned as a horse and rider completed a maneuver poorly, after I had really liked them as a potential winner. But, with the performance at that moment, they wouldn’t win that time.”

“Smoothness, consistency, and a good partnership with your horse always produces a better outcome and a higher score, all things equal. I have awarded a win many times to a horse that wasn’t the ‘fanciest’ in the class, but simply made the best presentation possible while the ‘fancier’ horse made mistakes or had penalties.”

Kelly Boles-Chapman: “Pattern maneuvers are broken down into various segments on the score sheet. Each maneuver is assessed by the judge to be above average [indicated by a +]; average [indicated by a √]; or below average [indicated by a -].”

“I’m completely supportive of utilizing a tool where exhibitors are consistently scored, where they can review how their performance was evaluated, and hopefully learn how they can improve on their performance. That said, I think the score sheet is something that’s still evolving to be able to more accurately reflect a method for exhibitor feedback, as well as being a platform on which to score a class.”

“A few challenges in the format still exist, in my opinion. For example, all maneuvers don’t have the same degree of difficulty, so perhaps the number of ‘pluses,’ ‘checks,’ and ‘minuses’ can be compared between exhibitor scores. For example, one run may have three ‘pluses’ and four ‘checks,’ yet it may place below a run with four ‘pluses’ and three ‘checks.’ Additionally, one of the major things I look for in these classes is the natural feel and ability of the rider and how they display this in getting the best performance from their horse. I still work this into the basis for my scoring of the class.”

EC: In general, how are penalties assessed?

Alex Ross: “Again, penalties are relative to the class and are clearly defined in the rulebook. Judges are duty-bound to call penalties when they occur. Most score sheets have a box for each maneuver score and a second box for the penalty [if any] that may occur with that maneuver score.”

“There are times a horse may have a positive maneuver score with a penalty for that maneuver. For instance, in Trail, a horse may incur a penalty 1 for a hit of the pole but have quality movement, good expression, and other positive attributes over the lope-over poles that earn them a plus ½ or plus 1 on the maneuver score.”

Karen Banister: “Penalties are given as a punishment to the horse that commits an error that’s known and recognized by the equine experts as an undesirable action.

“However, a penalty doesn’t always mean you can’t win; it simply reduces your potential score. A very good horse may have a penalty and still win over a penalty-free horse simply because he completed the rest of the class with higher maneuver scores or quality of presentation.”

Kelly Boles-Chapman: “If the exhibitor makes an error during a particular maneuver, it’s categorized as minor, major, or severe, and that’s reflected in the overall score. Also, what I mentioned for assessing scores [above] relates here as well.”

EC: In your opinion, how can exhibitors learn from requesting and studying a judge’s score sheet, and is it a good way to gain insight into why they placed as they did?

Alex Ross: “Absolutely. The main reason AQHA requires judges and show management to post score sheets is to give feedback to the exhibitors. An example would be on the Horsemanship score sheet. Let’s say an exhibitor had a score of 68 and did not earn a high placing in the class. They reviewed the score sheet and found the judge had marked their Overall Form & Presentation [OF&P] box with a VG [very good], which is to be scored in the 80s. Along with that, their maneuver scores were average or above.”

“However, in the last maneuver, the exhibitor had a break of gait at the lope for one stride [marked by a large M]. This is a major penalty and is to be dropped two levels by the judge. So now, instead of having an 88, the score is a 68. But, the exhibitor can see they were considered a very good rider and would have earned a high placing if not for the major fault. All of this information is available in the rules of each class.”

Karen Banister: “Requesting a score sheet is good, as long as you know how to interpret it. Learn that, and empower your future! An exhibitor can either ask for a copy or take a photo of it with their phone.”

“Look at the following. What is the point spread between you and the winner? If it involves penalties, find out what you must do to eliminate them. Secondly, if it wasn’t just penalties, but maneuver scores, determine what area needs the greatest improvement and ask the judge [through the ring steward, at the end of the day] what you could do to improve your score. Examples would be that your horse needs additional training, you need additional training, the style presented wasn’t correct, or the technique wasn’t correct.”

Kelly Boles-Chapman: “As a general rule, yes. On scored classes such as Western Riding and Trail, score sheets can help the exhibitor navigate how their run was evaluated. To do this, however, the exhibitor must be familiar with the rulebook. It’s one of the least-read resources we have. I’m always surprised at the response from exhibitors and parents who are unaware of how a class is scored. It’s like knowing the rules in any sport. For example, you should know the rules in volleyball before you play, so that you know what the penalties are. By knowing the rules, it begins to make more sense when you see that in Trail, for example, it’s a three-point penalty when you break gait at a lope or a one-point penalty every time your horse hits a log.”

“Horsemanship, Showmanship, and Equitation now are consistently judged utilizing a score sheet with clear parameters defined in the rulebook for what earns credit and what constitutes severe, major, and minor faults.”

“Show management and judges are accustomed to having scribes assist with documenting the score sheet as the judge narrates a score for each maneuver and penalties, as noted in Western Riding, Trail, and Reining. This allows the judge to keep their eyes on the horse for the entire run. With the introduction of the formalized score sheet in the pattern classes of Horsemanship, Showmanship and Equitation, there remains an inconsistency of the utilization of scribes for these classes, either by the lack of availability or the relative newness of the process and mutual understanding of how the class is scored.”

“To that end, it may be a bit more difficult for an exhibitor to interpret the score sheets for these classes, as they aren’t necessarily numerically scored for each maneuver. Also, not a great deal of room on the sheet is allowed for comments, and it may be challenging to decipher the score sheet without the judge walking the exhibitor through the score. Get the rulebook that governs the association for the breed in which you show; all are available online or by contacting the association office. You’ll find this is a wealth of information and will help your interpretation and understanding of the score sheet tremendously.”

EC: Some shows provide score sheets online; some don’t.  In your opinion, should they?  Why or why not? Have you encountered any exhibitors who would rather score sheets not be posted online for privacy reasons or similar considerations?

Alex Ross: “Again, I think it is good information to your customer, the exhibitor. But, there are no rules stating score sheets have to be placed online.”

Karen Banister: “I think all shows should provide score sheets on classes that have a printable form for judges to fill out.”

“However, some sheets require a scribe to complete them while the judge is watching the class. If scribes are not available, the judge may not be able to do their best job of judging if they are watching plus filling out forms.

“If you are hoping to see score sheets, please express that to show management when you enter or as soon as possible. Then, they may be able to accommodate your request, especially if they aren’t used to providing that service.”

“I think, both as a judge and showman, score sheets are wonderful tools. Remember, I said they are tools, for progress and improvement, not to beat the judge up with! Sometimes, people view the score sheets as an opportunity to try to find mistakes the judge could have made, as opposed to using them to find consistent patterns of performance to pinpoint areas needing improvement.”

Kelly Boles-Chapman: “If a score sheet is utilized, then absolutely I think it should be provided for the review of the exhibitor. Most places take the score sheet, make a copy, and put it in a notebook near the show office for the exhibitors to review at their convenience. I haven’t worked with any show secretaries who indicate this is a paperwork burden. For those that feel that way, I would simply state that this is part of customer service in operating the type of event where people want to come show.”

“I haven’t heard any feedback on privacy concerns from judges or exhibitors. I would offer, however, that you’ve made the decision to enter an event that’s not viewed just in private by the judge, but by other exhibitors or anyone who attends the event. The exhibitor’s performance has already been made public. The evaluation of the performance, as evaluated by the judge, is an interpretation of that public performance.”

EC: Any final tips or suggestions on how to evaluate a judge’s score sheet, what to learn from it, and how to incorporate it to improve as a competitor?”

Karen Banister: “The most important tip I can give is to read your rulebook! It is written to guide and direct your success [or failure]! If you know it well, as the judge does, you will formulate better questions to help you win and not look silly if you can’t answer your own question!”

Kelly Boles-Chapman: “I think most judges are happy to go over the score sheet with exhibitors at the conclusion of the show or during a break. That may be the best way to interpret the score sheets and for exhibitors to find areas where they can improve their performance and relative skills.”

Many associations have blank score sheets posted online, which can be very helpful in preparing for a class in terms of knowing what will be expected and closely scrutinized. Accessing the score sheets before a class can help you prepare for every little detail expected in the class—and likely give you the competitive edge!

Here are some useful links to online score sheets for various breed associations:

• AQHA: http://www.aqha.com/Resources.aspx (includes Ranch Horse, English, Western, Roping and other pattern classes)

• APHA: http://www.apha.com/association/judges/scoresheets (includes Cutting, Roping, Western, English and pattern classes)

• ApHC: http://www.appaloosa.com/downloadable-forms.htm (includes Games, Jumping, Roping and pattern classes)