Hello everyone!
I have been trying to gather information over the past couple months about getting into judging, specifically getting a little ‘r’ for the HJ shows. The intention is to also work on getting carded for judging certain breeds…
I’ve been trying to research and read about the requirements for little ‘r’, but I’m coming up pretty empty handed. I was hoping someone could send me a document or could point me in the right direction.
What age restrictions are put on people wanting to pursue apprenticing to go forward into judging? I thought I saw someone you had to be 21 to get a little ‘r’, but not certain. If that’s the case, could you start sitting in with judges at local shows?
How many years do you have to have as a professional? I’m a younger professional looking to take a step into judging to change my business formula. I’ve learned that I prefer working with myself then the drama programs can bring…
If anyone has any interesting or helpful things about pursuing judging, please let me know! I feel like there’s very limited information out there, besides what is on USEF’s website and the rule book (which can be quite confusing to me). Thank you!
The Equestrian Podcast did an interview with Archie Cox and actually went into quite a lot of detail on how to become a judge. Episode 143. I listen on Spotify but I am sure you can find it free somewhere.
Honestly, the first thing to do before you sink a lot of time or money into the process is to see if you even like the job.
First, go to a show as a spectator, but bring supplies (cards, clipboard, snacks, raincoat) as if you were going to judge. Then sit by the side of the ring and watch all day from the first horse in the first class to the last horse in the last class. Don’t take a break unless the actual judge has a break. Watch every single trip, mark your cards, take it seriously, get an idea of what the job entails, and see how your results compare with the results from the actual judge. Do that a few times.
Then see if you can find a little unrecognized local show in your area and ask them if they need a judge for their walk trot or beginner classes where the stakes are pretty low. Or if they don’t have a beginner ring, see if you can arrange to apprentice with the judge in their main ring, provided the judge agrees to it.
It’s not an easy job. It often involves long days, bad weather, and lots of travel. It’s not for everyone. The procedure to get a card is fairly lengthy and expensive, so make sure you actually like it before you jump in with both feet.
Bolding is mine. You are young and want to change your “business formula” by becoming a judge? You don’t like the “drama” that education and “programs” can bring?
Unfortunately , you will have to deal with a “program” to become an r or an R judge. You may prefer working with yourself (what does that mean in the context of judging?) but the recommendations from professional friends being accepted as judging bona-fides, has been over for quite a while now. You will have to get with the program if you want to be a recognized judge in the USEF or FEI.
Everyone that shows a horse, whether at the highest FEI level or the local schooling show, deserves a competent, educated judge. Not just someone who is interested in finding a shortcut to change their “business formula”.
To properly judge a schooling show , you should have either very many years of experience riding and teaching (with good results) or have at least gone through the L program. That would help to qualify you to judge a schooling show, but will not help you to change your “business formula” to judge anything but schooling shows.
Unless you put in many more years riding and training, or take part in the L program, you will not be qualified to judge a schooling show. ETA the L program is for Dressage judging. My mistake.
If you dislike the “programs” that are required to get an r or an R license you will never become a rated judge. There really are no shortcuts.
I’m not sure if breed shows still have a short cut to judging (they don’t). USEF shows certainly don’t. There is really no shortcut to becoming a judge at a young age.
You seem concerned about having to be 21 to get an r. If you are this young, just take your time. You’ll need to learn for quite awhile longer, from people who teach and judge, and they teach through the “program”. No way around it. Good luck and I hope you keep working towards you goal.
This is not limited information. It is what is required to become a judge. https://www.usef.org/compete/resources-forms/licensed-officials/become-licensed
drama is when you are at a rated local show where everyone thinks their horse should have won …the judge .might need an armed escort to go home
-way back in the 1960s I saw a working hunter class where the judge refused to place any horse First, they started with second place… they said these horses were all terribly behaved
I am not a hunter judge, but I am a licensed Eventing TD. In my experience, both becoming a licensed official, and working as one, are NOT “working with myself”, and they very much involve “the drama that programs can bring”. As an official, you have to balance the interests of the USEF, the show managers, and the exhibitors, and that can DEFINITELY generate a lot of drama.
OP, you’ve gotten some good advice here on becoming a judge, especially from MHM who recommended you sit ringside at several shows as if you are the judge, beginning to end, to see if it’s something you actually want to do.
But once you are technically qualified, the other side of judging is getting hired. You need to be able to network and have your name established before any show manager will hire you. You need established people in the industry who are willing to vouch for you and/or a competitive record of your own (if not riding then teaching and training) to demonstrate that you know what you’re doing. In my opinion, at your young age, that’s where your focus should be.
lol