I’m not really a fan, but I still see them in the hunter ring all the time. Though I do know of a few judges that hate them, fwiw.
I’m a super freaky Arab loving bling maniac and I think Kippy belts, etc., are so passe. Yeahhh…nope.
Now, a little bling on the glove up by the wrist or perhaps a small detail of it on the shirt, why yes! Oh my yes!
I love blingy belts. I figure that they are mostly hidden under jackets, so they are not too “in your face”. I don’t care that they are 2009…
Oh, I like them everywhere but in the hunter or jumper ring. Or any horse show ring I suppose. Western might be okay-they all look like multi-colored disco balls anyway.
If I was not so chunky I would sport a bling belt all over town in my civies.
[QUOTE=ynl063w;7235246]
I’m wondering how this worked too. Did the judge leave his or her seat after the offending rider’s round and deliver the message in person, or did he/she send a messenger? Maybe the message was sent to the announcer, and it was a site-wide notification?[/QUOTE]
snort I’m imagining DEATH TO ALL THOSE WHO DARE TO WEAR BLINGY BELTS!!! over the show loudspeaker, followed up with dire warnings to relegate those who do not follow fashion trends every last step of the way to be relegated to some dire fate like, I dunno, being mocked on the bulletin boards. 
(but I do agree that a blingy belt + shad is not an attractive look. I won’t mock you for being “out of style” because I don’t like to see my inner child so blatantly on public display, but I will mention I don’t think it ever did the riders any favor. In my opinion. I also wouldn’t really care if you did it, other than to note I won’t. )
[QUOTE=mroades;7234226]
I have sat with judges in the last year that have asked for riders not to return with their blingy belts on…just food for thought[/QUOTE]
So were these judges like, actually watching the HORSES?
Because I’m pretty sure that’s supposed to be the part that matters.
someone asked what the judges thought, I told them what I knew about what some judges thought about them, that was REALLY unecessary
Sorry, but you’re constantly going on about how the judges don’t care about apparel (matching tack, jacket colors, etc) because it’s the horse that matters.
Consequently - if judges are then paying that much attention to the rider’s BELT, which is under their jacket, to the extent of not asking a rider to return because they dislike the belt (which isn’t against the rules), I have to wonder exactly how much watching of the horse is going on.
The only time I would even begin to find that acceptable would be in eq where it’s a bit more formal, but even then, I’d have a hard time considering that “inappropriate attire” if everything else is up to snuff. Or maybe sidesaddle.
[QUOTE=mroades;7236308]
someone asked what the judges thought, I told them what I knew about what some judges thought about them, that was REALLY unecessary[/QUOTE]
I just thought your comment was interesting and wanted more details. I still would like to know how the judge notified the offenders. What is so unnecessary about that?
It was in a derby so it was a shadbelly, on a child, not hidden at all, and very blingy. Judge called to the in gate person, and told him to tell the trainer of the child that if she made the second round would she please do so without the blingy belt. He felt it was non traditional and he didn’t like it. An opinion, but the opinion that was getting paid for that day.
At the judges clinic this year all three panelists said that they hated them, again fwiw. It behooves a competitor to pay attention to a judges likes and dislikes, yes?
You weren’t particularly clear on it being a derby or with a shad. That being said, it was a child in a shadbelly, which is already non-traditional. So why harp on the belt? Strikes me as a bit peculiar.
It may behoove a competitor to pay attention to what the judge likes, but it also behooves a judge to abide by the rulebook. You could maybe call it under inappropriate attire if we’re talking a formal attire class, but it seems highly bizarre behavior to call out one child competitor and tell them to change their clothes. Especially since the larger sin was a child in a shadbelly.
The rulebook does not cover belts.
I will pass that along to the big R judge who has been judging for 25 years and has judged indoors.
It was as distracting as any other unconventional equipment in my opinion. It did not affect her first round score, he just said he would like to have her return in more appropriate attire should she make the second round.
Its not really that much different than them having to make a rule to eliminate the black stirrups in the equ.
I never knew people were so passionate about blingy belts!
When I was younger I always wanted to show in one, but my trainer would’ve killed me (you can bet I wore that thing everywhere else though!) She must have eventually rubbed off on me, because now I have an aversion to any kind of bling. Downside of the hunter ring I guess!
I’m really unconcerned about the “caliber” of the judge in question, but whether or not his or her focus is in the correct place. If a judge is so glaringly distracted by a BELT that he needs to ring the in-gate person, they may not be focusing where they need to be focusing.
It was as distracting as any other unconventional equipment in my opinion. It did not affect her first round score, he just said he would like to have her return in more appropriate attire should she make the second round.
More appropriate attire would have been telling a child not to wear adult formal wear. That being said, it still tells me he wasn’t watching the horse. Even in a shad, about half of it is covered by the tails. So either this rider was egregious in a way I can’t even begin to imagine, or, strangely, the judge is spending a large amount of time focused on her waist.
Its not really that much different than them having to make a rule to eliminate the black stirrups in the equ.
Uh, last I checked, eliminating the black stirrups in the eq made it so that a judge could better see what a rider’s leg was doing and therefore served an actual purpose. A bling belt in the hunter ring has nothing to do with performance, and the judge is supposed to be looking at the horse.
I’m for it. Maybe not full on western bling belt, but I did wear this one to my last show with no jacket and on the zip where my side zip is. It’s a Tailored Sportman belt
But I also will never, ever do hunter hair. EVER. I actually like my ears and want to look like a human, thank you very much.
[QUOTE=shadowanne;7236510]
I’m for it. Maybe not full on western bling belt, but I did wear this one to my last show with no jacket and on the zip where my side zip is. It’s a Tailored Sportman belt
But I also will never, ever do hunter hair. EVER. I actually like my ears and want to look like a human, thank you very much.[/QUOTE]
LOVE that belt!
I think some of the exception to the blingy belt with the shadbelly is the fact that the shadbellies do not fit correctly or are being worn with low, low rise britches. If you see the shirt below the vest, your pants are too low, or your coat is too short, or both. FWIW, when I was schooling at Harrisburg the lights caught the bling on someone else’s belt. I looked up only to realize that it was a very BNR. I do not think her shiny belt has held her back.
I like them. Especially for jumpers, but never with a shadbelly. I know I look good in it. So therefore I wear a blingy belt (not all cow girlish) because all the girls at my barn loved it and started wearing them after I did. They are pretty and since no one sees them under your coat, no big deal. I get lots of compliments after I take off my coat.
Preface - I like blingy belts. ( I can’t wear them because they draw attention to my puffy mid section). I don’t like them in shads, I don’t like kids in shads. For whatever reason the judge in mrds’ post didn’t like them on that competitor… I don’t think that calls the judge into question particularly… I am imagining a cranky, old school judge (may be off base).
[QUOTE=sopha;7236698]
I think some of the exception to the blingy belt with the shadbelly is the fact that the shadbellies do not fit correctly or are being worn with low, low rise britches. If you see the shirt below the vest, your pants are too low, or your coat is too short, or both. FWIW, when I was schooling at Harrisburg the lights caught the bling on someone else’s belt. I looked up only to realize that it was a very BNR. I do not think her shiny belt has held her back.[/QUOTE]
You must tell us who BNR is now!
It will further enable bling belt supporters!
