Yes, working from the gate means you are ready and waiting at the first cone (or starting point of pattern) instead of coming out of a line up. When an exhibitor is on pattern the next exhibitor steps up and is ready to go as soon as the judge or ring steward nods. Often times to speed things up you are excused from the ring once you are done and never line up as a group.
Also when it is a multi judged class you will usually “show” to a ring steward and not one if the actual judges. The judged (and sometimes a scribe for each) will be seated/standing behind and off to the side of the person you are showing to…something to practice at home as have see more than one horse object to trotting up to a whole herd of people when they are used to just one person standing!
I’ve been showing in the class since the mid 80’s and in thinking back never realized how much the class and patterns have changed.
