The thing is, the mini’s breed had absolutely nothing to do with it. Balance and structural correctness are the most important criteria in a halter class. Even in an AQHA class.
I think you are focusing too much on the breed of the horse and not enough on the requirements of the class. The type of class dictates what will place. In a ranch pleasure class, the horse should move out and be light in the bridle. It should turn smoothly as if it were turning a cow. It should have a ground covering stride and look comfortable. Can a non aqha win at an open show, of course if it demonstrates the fundamentals of the class. A friend had a very nicely trained arabian that beat a reining aqha in a ranch class. The aqha horse was a bit naughty and hung a lead. Her horse was quiet and moved well. He represented the fundamentals of the class regardless of his breed.
As Montanas Girl stated, she pinned a mini because he was built correctly, not because he was being judged as a mini. Look at the rules of the class and then determine where your horse fits best.
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In reality I believe we would place classes similarly. What I am trying to convey is just what you have said that one should be finding the best horse in a mixed class. My contention is in order to do that in a class of mixed breeds you have to take breed standards/character into account. Not apply the same breed standard to every horse in the class. If you apply one breed standard to every horse in the class you would risk bottoming the best “one of” breeds for being off type. Say the best horse in the class is an Arab- you should not heavily fault a higher neck set and dished face and leave him off the line in an open halter class. Judging is all about give and take, faulting and granting.
I think part of the disconnect here is that the above paragraph is intuitive to many on this board. And it surely is to some but I am going to suggest that much of what some of us think is intuitive is actually learned because of good mentors in the horse industry.
I was ruminating on one of the above posts about gaited horses and just needing to find the consistent one and I think it is the same, some people can intuitively spot cadences and rhythms and see their differences, others need to be taught. In order to be taught one has to learn breed standards.
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Neither of these things are faults per the AQHA rule book, so of course they wouldn’t be faulted. A short, flat croup WOULD be faulted (but good Ranch type Arabs are usually longer and rounder there than the halter types in their breed). Heck, talk to QH halter breeders and many of them will rave about the lovely “babydoll heads” on their horses.
I don’t disagree with the result you’re going for. But I disagree that breed plays any role. You’re looking for the best horse in the class per the class/discipline standards, not any particular breed standard, unless you’re at a breed show. Even though most open shows use AQHA rules and standards, a close examination of those standards will reveal that there’s actually very little breed-specific language in them. There’s a huge difference between standards and current fashions; I think you might be conflating the two a bit, and that is the disconnect between your perspective and what several of the rest of us are saying.
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It isn’t going to matter if the judge knows your horse’s breeding or not. The judge is looking for a particular type of movement and carriage in a western pleasure class. It doesn’t matter if it’s an AQHA/APHA, mustang, or mule…if they can perform to the standards expected in that division (and I’ve seen a mule that could compete with any AQHA/APHA, stunning), they’re going to place. If they don’t, they won’t. I have an Appy that is western pleasure bred on his dam’s side and halter bred on his sire’s side. He’s a fun horse to ride, my trail buddy. He’s done hunter under saddle, regular working hunter, and low-level dressage. He can also do low and slow well enough to maybe place in some smaller open WP classes, but he’s still not going to go in there and beat true western pleasure horses. He’d do better in working/ranch rail classes. But we don’t show anymore. We just hang out and trail ride.
The point being, the judge doesn’t care how my horse is bred. He could be a grade horse, a mustang cross, or some exotic breed from the far sides of the globe, it doesn’t matter. If he doesn’t go like a good western pleasure horse, he’s not going to beat them. Nor should he.
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