Yes, Vet deemed horse not fit to compete. That could be initiated by the rider/trainer or could be after a jog.
In response to Mardi’s post - I don’t think people plan to scratch at the last minute. Sometimes a horse has soundness issues, sometime all heck breaks loose in the warm up. Or in the case of DAD … A hurricane blows in and you think better of trying to risk your horse’s soundness.
Those are valid reasons to scratch. I’m referring to people - trainers, riders - who scratch because they don’t feel like riding that day, or they scratch before the show starts because they didn’t have a perfect ride at home a day or so before, and so the horse stays home.
It happens so often around here that I no longer make plans to watch friends show, because half the time when I get there, they’ve scratched. Maybe it’s a west coast thing. 
Yesterday at the horse trials the show office told me this:
Scratch:
- Before the competition starts.
- This entry will NOT be included in the official results.
Withdraw:
- After the competition starts.
- This entry WILL be included in the official results as “W”.
They said it is from the moment of the opening of the competition itself, regardless of when you compete. If the show starts and then you inform the office, you withdraw. If the show hasn’t started yet, it’s a scratch.
I don’t know if that’s a rule or USEF definition, but they were very clear about which entries would be included in the class results and which not. The “W”'s were in the results list in every class they had entered. The “S”'s were not.
I know for dressage, USEF requires you to report scratches. Don’t know if it different for eventing.
[QUOTE=yaya;8345220]
I know for dressage, USEF requires you to report scratches. Don’t know if it different for eventing.[/QUOTE]
They do report them to the USEA. They don’t include them in the final published results.
From what the show office peeps had to say, it is an important distinction for just that reason. If an observer is just looking at the results they see the people who probably showed up on the show grounds but didn’t show, the W’s. But total entries would include the scratches who didn’t get their entry fees returned and those aren’t listed in the public results.
Of course a few never call in that they aren’t coming. I didn’t think to ask how they count the no-show no-call’s who aren’t discovered missing until they don’t come for their first class.
[QUOTE=Silverbridge;8343978]
I wouldn’t assume “we” all complain about the high cost of showing, when scratching based on logistics or readiness factors is used in this way.
Personally I would not complain (publicly) about the costs. I was over fifty before I ever entered a dressage show, and at this point (my second show season of my life) I have goals. Sometimes entering two classes a day but being prepared to drop one of them is the most logical way to do the entry, in order to show our best in one of the classes, or to get a qualifying mark.
Up to now I’ve always been able to go ahead and do both based on fitness and the time the tests were scheduled. The entry is complete four to eight weeks ahead of the show. The times aren’t known until two days to a week prior to the start, and things can happen during those preparation weeks that indicate the plan was an overreach (like rider time off the horse for a medical reason, or unexpected heat waves, or heavy storms, etc)
At this point I accept that it costs what it costs and that having the option to drop out of a paid entry is part of the process. The GMO still gets the money.
Also it’s not like there are recognized shows every weekend in my State. I can’t just turn around and enter somewhere else to get the scores. This Fall, for example, there are only two. So I need to sign up, weeks ahead, for the classes I’d ideally like to ride and then evaluate options after the day sheets come out.
Maybe it’s wrong but that’s the way that works for me.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Mardi;8345205]Those are valid reasons to scratch. I’m referring to people - trainers, riders - who scratch because they don’t feel like riding that day, or they scratch before the show starts because they didn’t have a perfect ride at home a day or so before, and so the horse stays home.
It happens so often around here that I no longer make plans to watch friends show, because half the time when I get there, they’ve scratched. Maybe it’s a west coast thing. :)[/QUOTE]
I had one scratch at a show where I got on my mare and discovered she was LAME. She’d cast herself in the stall the night before, and leading her out I couldn’t tell, but a few walk steps said “something’s wrong!” We moved a little bit to make sure it wasn’t just a twinge in a muscle where movement might help (when I would have still scratched, but gotten off and hand walked), but she was obviously lame, so scratch last minute it was.
I scratched her from one class at our last show because it was at elevation and I was getting sick from the altitude. Our previous two classes had been great in different ways, so she didn’t need additional schooling, either. Had she needed the schooling I would have pushed myself and ridden, but since she’s young and in her first year showing, scoring personal highs with good obedience two classes in a row (the night before and that morning) was enough, and she didn’t need any more work anyway.
In summary, to me, fees are a sunk cost. I make the right decision for myself and my horse.
wow…you guys are overthinking.
WD and scratch mean the same thing. In scoring or rules…there is no such thing as a “scratch”…as that is just a slang riding term.
WD is what you do anytime prior to your test–for whatever reason you want (lame horse, just don’t feel like riding in the crappy weather, just don’t feel like riding for any reason etc.). If it is before the competition starts…there is no recording. If it is after the completion starts, it will be listed as an WD. It means nothing other than you didn’t compete for what ever reason.
If you are riding in your test…an pull up and excuse yourself…that is Retiring (so will be an R on the score sheet). If you are excused by the judge…that is elimination. (You can be excused by a judge if your horse is lame or for certain disobediences). You can also be eliminated if you have too many errors.
If I scratch in advance, I tell the show office. If I am already at the warm up ring, and decide to scratch, I tell the ring steward.
There are millions of legitimate reasons to scratch, the biggest of which is when the horse is not ready to get into the show ring. Many times horses perform well at home, but can’t handle the pressure at the show. You never know until you are there. For the sake of the horses, it is a show of good horsemanship if you don’t force the issue.
[QUOTE=bornfreenowexpensive;8345378]
wow…you guys are overthinking.
WD and scratch mean the same thing. In scoring or rules…there is no such thing as a “scratch”…as that is just a slang riding term.[/QUOTE]
If they were the same thing, then the same show (as in the case of Dressage at Devon, which prompted the question) wouldn’t use the word “scratch” for some classes and “withdrew” for others, when reporting the results of the classes.
Obviously they mean something different, since both terms are used in the results listings.
[QUOTE=Silverbridge;8345728]
If they were the same thing, then the same show (as in the case of Dressage at Devon, which prompted the question) wouldn’t use the word “scratch” for some classes and “withdrew” for others, when reporting the results of the classes.
Obviously they mean something different, since both terms are used in the results listings.[/QUOTE]
No there is no difference. It is just a scoring recording short hand…and no meaningful distinction.
If you search the rules…the USEF rules say Withdraws (scratches) …just like that …and FEI uses Withdraw. They mean the same thing. And just say they are to be recorded. This generally has to do with the fact that you are supposed to get back the drug fees if you don’t compete. But the show can note either WD or scratched…and it means the same thing.
So the appearance of the word “scratch” on some test results and “withdrew” on others is dependent on whichever word the person uploading the data felt like using at the time?
The response to the OP’s question was that “withdrew” is used for CDI classes and if you check the results that appears to be correct.
http://www.foxvillage.com/fvdshowresults/(S(vwffwh55bgkyqp45a2wx52un))/ClassList.aspx?sh=3607&st=2
Fourth Level, Test 2, “Open”-- “scratch”
http://www.foxvillage.com/fvdshowresults/(S(vwffwh55bgkyqp45a2wx52un))/Class.aspx?sh=3607&cl=3
Intermediaire 1, AA, CDI Class – “Withdrew”
http://www.foxvillage.com/fvdshowresults/(S(vwffwh55bgkyqp45a2wx52un))/Class.aspx?sh=3607&cl=39
You’re saying, no, that’s all just arbitrary and coincidental?
[QUOTE=Silverbridge;8345742]
So the appearance of the word “scratch” on some test results and “withdrew” on others is dependent on whichever word the person uploading the data felt like using at the time?
The response to the OP’s question was that “withdrew” is used for CDI classes and if you check the results that appears to be correct.
http://www.foxvillage.com/fvdshowresults/(S(vwffwh55bgkyqp45a2wx52un))/ClassList.aspx?sh=3607&st=2
Fourth Level, Test 2, “Open”-- “scratch”
http://www.foxvillage.com/fvdshowresults/(S(vwffwh55bgkyqp45a2wx52un))/Class.aspx?sh=3607&cl=3
Intermediaire 1, AA, CDI Class – “Withdrew”
http://www.foxvillage.com/fvdshowresults/(S(vwffwh55bgkyqp45a2wx52un))/Class.aspx?sh=3607&cl=39
You’re saying, no, that’s all just arbitrary and coincidental?[/QUOTE]
correct. Look up the rules. To me the correct term is WD (under either FEI or USEF) but really even under the rules it doesn’t matter what word is used and it was whatever word the person inputting the results of the class used (or their computer program). It means the same darn thing and really doesn’t mean a thing other than that rider didn’t compete in that test/class.
I think people will find that among different groups of scorers the words are used differently. And the words do have a definite distinction among some scorers - but perhaps not with others.
