German FEI 5* judge and world renowned judge educator, Katrina Wüst, was the keynote speaker at the 2015 British Dressage Judges Convention on Wednesday 25 March 2015 at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, in Great Britain.
A new format for the convention, using photographs, video replay and text, gave delegates a fresh understanding of the responsibilities of judges and the necessity to be quick of mind, flexible and accepting that reality is not always as close as we would like to the ideals set out in the Rules and FEI Handbook.
Katrina has a red line for judging below which what is presented is not acceptable, when a movement and/or the quality of a pace just doesn’t fulfil the criteria. Minor hiccups are different from training issues. She took us through the Scales of Training – the criteria which allow for independent review, standard setting, precision and definition. Judges have three tasks: technical education, instruction and guardianship of the principles of dressage with particular regard to horse welfare.
Judging is simple – is there consistent rhythm in the horse’s way of going, or not? Without rhythm there is nothing. Practical dissemination of the rules and definitions is ‘more like a cooking recipe’ than rigid application. The clear differences required that make up a mark should be pointed out as they are often indicators of the quality of what has happened and what is about to happen so it is wise not to be too quick in giving a mark until the entire movement, including transitions, is completed. The length of the horse’s frame should reflect the changes in tempo and collection/extension without interfering with the forwardness.
If the rider’s hands block the hind leg activity, this adversely affects the quality of the work, the horse’s ability to come under the centre of gravity and inhibits self-carriage. Thus exaggerated front leg movement not matched by the hind legs and the freedom of the shoulders is the result. A flat line over the back to the rein indicates that the horse is not using the hind legs effectively; there is no uphill tendency.
Contact problems must be considered in fairness to those horses who don’t demonstrate such training issues. Watching a horse’s expression and body language explains everything!
Katrina showed and explained good and bad movements from novice to grand prix and the marks she would give. For instance, lateral work should be correctly positioned with a clear ending, with precise placing to the markers and on the line. Severe disobedience affects the movement mark, the submission and rider collectives; these two latter marks are often related as are the first two collectives.
Text by British Dressage - Photo © Astrid Appels
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