Saw this on Facebook. This does seem like a ridiculous rule. Thought I should share here to get the word out.
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I just posted the same thing! Great minds. I’ll delete mine.
Why was this change proposed?
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I just came here to post this, too.
I can’t fathom the reasoning behind it. It is all USEF disciplines, btw. I wonder if it’s an unintended consequence creeping in from somewhere else?
Nuts. I like judges as clinicians.
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This is insane.
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Wait a minute, WHAT???
I am no longer a member or a rider but this is the most ridiculous thing. Are you saying that this is going to be a general rule? That NO judge can be a teacher or clinician and ever judge a former client / student.
Anyone can submit a rule change and it is put forward for comment.
I cannot imagine TPTB would actually vote in this rule. They know they would lose all of their top judges across the board.
It is, however, important that members give voice.
And if this is a change in general rules then this topic thread needs to be in the open forum where everyone in the HJ Eventing and Western forums can be made aware of it
You wonder sometimes if these people have ever actually participated in the sports they govern.
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Item E is pretty odd too… my trainer travels to train with a top level judge. I’ve never met the woman, she’s never been to our barn, we wouldn’t know each other if we met on the street.
I can’t show under her because of that tenuous connection? Daft, utterly daft.
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What is with j? You can’t appear before a judge with a horse unless it’s either being shown by the breeder or it was sold through a public auction?
Who writes these rules? They are terribly unclear.
Here’s the link to the place on the, IMO, incredibly poorly designed USEF website with the rule changes and the buttons to comment
https://www.usef.org/…/rules-regulations/rule-changes
Here’s my comment in case anyone would like to reuse any portion:
The proposed rule change to permanently preclude showing to a judge who has ever taught a rider effectively reduces the opportunity for quality instruction to many with an ultimate result of decreasing the overall skill of riding. Additionally, it will force existing judges who also teach to choose between the two; most are likely to choose teaching thereby reducing the number of available judges. I strongly urge that it NOT be accepted.
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That the powers that be even consider such worth putting out there for comments shows everyone how lacking they are to be running the show.
Is lack of common sense that … common any more?
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I wonder if the proposed new wording is to prevent someone from changing trainers temporarily for 30 days and then going back to them after they judged a specific show.
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Possibly, but fixing a small problem works best when you address the problem itself, not make sweeping changes, I think.
Judging and judges are almost sacred.
Judges have a very hard job, demands a passion and sacrifices for meager pay for all they do.
They are an essential part of showing.
Hard to think judging is a place to regulate but very gently, no big surprises.
Then, no dog in this fight, proposed reported changes seem hasty looking from the sidelines. 
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Do you have to be an active member to comment? I can’t see the “comment” button. I haven’t renewed this year due to injury, and since I’m unsure the horse will return to work, not planning on renewing until ready to show. But clearly this rule is a terrible idea!
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Here is Kristi Wysocki’s passionate post on this:
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We had this situation pop up in our area. The night before the show, our judge had a heart attack. We had a judge in the area who could step in last minute, but because she had ridden in the same clinic a lot of the competitors had ridden in a week or two before the show, (so they had all been taught by the same person), an emergency exception was needed from USEF to allow her to judge so the show could go on.
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That one really makes no sense. The word judge doesn’t appear anywhere. Is it really supposed to mean only auction horses can compete?
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“A rider whose parent, guardian, or instructor has had any financial transaction with the sale, lease, board, or training with the jduge”
So if my trainer purchased a horse from the judge, I can’t ride under the judge. EVER. Even more specific, it’s “any financial connection”
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I think it’s hysterical. I didn’t know USEF was suicidal. I wouldn’t waste one second fighting it. Let them pass it and then watch them try to enforce it. Watch shows die because no one will judge them.
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