cuddybuddy69
Single Pony
Beam Me Up Scotty,There Is No Intelligent Life Here
Posts: 44
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Post by cuddybuddy69 on Jan 8, 2008 16:13:38 GMT
Over the past 18-19 years or so that I have been involved with a number of events ,covering various disciplines I feel personally that far too many folk are increasingly taking things far far too seriously,the fun side of being at a show is vanishing,and a too competitive element is taking over.Therefore when I am at a show ,I do ever so much try and put it to the fun element again.For my first example I want you to imagine being at an event where it is a mix of showing classes in the morning and show jumping in the afternoon.I had been invited along to serve in the capacity of Ring Steward,and I had been given charge of 4 Veterinary Students from the local vet school to show them what was involved,as they were going to be holding a show at the vet college.The judge for the day was the then Vice president of the Scottish Branch BSJA.For one of the classes,I had sent a runner in to tell the judge there was a late entry for it.Unkown to both my runner ,the judge,competitors and of course audience,the ''late entry '' was not a live horse,but was in fact a life sized fibre glass pony ,13.2 hh which had been modelled on a late RDA[Riding For The Disabled] pony,and was on wheels.I had brushed down its mane and tail..made from real horse hair,had a head collar and lead rope on it.Alas by the time I got it into the arena,the wheel base came off as soon as we hit the sand..did that stop me? Er noo,I got the 4 students to help carry it in,plonked it down in the line up.Yes the judge did say;''Ya bugger I'll get you back for this one day''..{He hasn't yet lol}..I told him the name of my pony,age etc,what he ''did'',and when our turn came the 5 of us lifted it out to centre arena,did a few figures of 8,cirlces,half cirlces,serpentines,change of pace ,all the time me holding onto the lead rope.The judge asked;''why the rope ?''.In all seriousness I replied;''Well I dinnae want him to run away''.the audience reaction was a mixture of laughter and slence from the more ''serious side'' lol..anyway the outcome of this ? Well the firbre glass pony looked ever so cool with his second place rosette adorning his head.In the afternoon we returned complete with saddle and teddy bearjockey to take part in the show jumping ..our plan to run up at the jump ,chuck the pony over,the rest of the team to catch him,then repeat the process.We got turned down..aww..lets hear you say aww poor pony..The judges reason for turning down the teddy/pony team..''If the first half of the show's performance was anything to go by and seeing them at the practice jump,you guys would probably end up winning the blooming thing''.Soo I took it as a compliment lol..and yes it is a true story.somewhere in my collection there is a couple of photos of him wearing his rosette...
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Post by wally on Jan 8, 2008 17:14:44 GMT
Hmm, you have a good point. I have seen them spend ages trying to find a level surface to measure a pony on that might....just might have been a tad over 42 inches! The vet measured it at 42 on the nail. But the fuss they kicked up because it won a class! Did you get a clean bill of health for your late entry from the vet students?
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jazz
Single Horse
Faradale Jasmine
Posts: 183
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Post by jazz on Jan 8, 2008 19:03:28 GMT
LOL, I'd love to have seen that. What a shame you couldn't go in the show jumping
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Post by rabatsa on Jan 8, 2008 22:02:03 GMT
Your teddy bear might have been disqualified for having outside assistance ;D I would have loved to have seen it.
Once at a goat show where there were a lot of big name judges, and quite a bit of muttering about the one doing the actual judging placing faces and not goats, one very respected judge took in a goat he had taken to give to someone as a future driving goat. This smart beastie was a castrated male and was placed first in a class for females!!! There was one very red faced judge when his error was pointed out to him, especially as he had been asked several times if he had had a good look at the goats. ;D ;D ;D
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cuddybuddy69
Single Pony
Beam Me Up Scotty,There Is No Intelligent Life Here
Posts: 44
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Post by cuddybuddy69 on Jan 9, 2008 11:45:40 GMT
I remember that goat story too,and yes ..the vet students did pass the pony,but then they like everyone else were caught on the hop as it was purely a spur of the moment thing ..it had not been planned,but the sight of that plastic pony standing there when I went into the shed to get some extra sawdust for line marking was just too too tempting lol
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Blossom
Pony Pair
Kilmannan Blossom, dales pony
Posts: 361
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Post by Blossom on Jan 11, 2008 4:03:34 GMT
I would have LOVED to have seen that with the plastic pony!! And especially with his little teddy bear jockey (I make teddy bears ) How cool he got his own rosie!!! ;D And I agree, what's the point if you can't have a bit of fun? If its all dread and dead serious, might as well be having dental work done....where's the joy in that?
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cuddybuddy69
Single Pony
Beam Me Up Scotty,There Is No Intelligent Life Here
Posts: 44
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Post by cuddybuddy69 on Jan 11, 2008 9:10:06 GMT
When I find it again I will try and put up a picture of the plastic pony wearing his rosette,which according to one of the girls who worked at the place was ;''more than he won when he was alive.''.....AWWWW...lol..but the kids loved him .And at least on that occassion ,he brought a smile to folks faces once more.As for what I did at a combined Horse Show/dog Show ,well that is another story for another time lol....
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Blossom
Pony Pair
Kilmannan Blossom, dales pony
Posts: 361
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Post by Blossom on Jan 11, 2008 14:18:30 GMT
I've just reread your story with my hubby, and I can't tell you how hard its made me laugh ~ absolutely hysterical! I can just picture the audience and the other contestants.
Awwhhhh....bless, better late than never on the rosette. And I'd love to see pics if you can find them. ;D
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cuddybuddy69
Single Pony
Beam Me Up Scotty,There Is No Intelligent Life Here
Posts: 44
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Post by cuddybuddy69 on Jan 11, 2008 14:50:17 GMT
Well making folk laugh or at least to take things not so serious at these events is my aim ..obviously not doing anything that endangers life,but to get rid of the ever increasing '' competitiveness'' Like for instance as I have indicated I took part in another which had a dog show attached..and guess who entered the arena with ''Robo Dog'' walking alongside him,tail wagging ,ears flapping ,barking away oh yeah and not forgetting the eyes lighting up..to the audience voices saying;''Oh gawd he's at it again''.Unfortunately ,Robo Dog did not fare as well as Plastic Pony..and it was NOT my fault it got into a fight with an Alsatian,and I got told to either keep it under control or get out lol.I am wondering though if perhaps next time round I should take the remote control Dalek into the dog show..hmmmm
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Post by wally on Jan 11, 2008 15:12:34 GMT
I sometimes do a bit of dressage (ridden) judging for the local riding club. They all go around po faced and look like they have a brookstick shoved some where, and sadly the other person who I had to judge with needed to lighten up and have a bit of a laugh! So to get the kids to chill out a bit, totally un anounced I told them it was fun time and that they got to choose a pony for us, the judges, to do the test on. The other judge looked like she'd swallowed a potty and was most dischuffed at my bombshell. So the little tykes went and got an aged fly old Highland gelding with more upstairs than most people and they made her do it on a Shetland pony. On my every canter transition Old Guss knew I would be able to cope with a little buck here and there (something he'd never do with learners) then did a MASSIVE shy at B so I ended up at X without knowing how I got there, by the time I'd finished the test I was clinging on around his neck weak with laughter. The other judge thought she was Jenny Loriston-Clarke! but either way we had a bit of fun.
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cuddybuddy69
Single Pony
Beam Me Up Scotty,There Is No Intelligent Life Here
Posts: 44
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Post by cuddybuddy69 on Jan 11, 2008 15:24:31 GMT
That's exactly the kind of thing I am on about ..keep up the good work
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Post by wally on Jan 11, 2008 16:32:26 GMT
Trouble is, if I act the giddy goat there's a lot get very sniffy about it!
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Blossom
Pony Pair
Kilmannan Blossom, dales pony
Posts: 361
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Post by Blossom on Jan 11, 2008 20:49:17 GMT
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cuddybuddy69
Single Pony
Beam Me Up Scotty,There Is No Intelligent Life Here
Posts: 44
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Post by cuddybuddy69 on Jan 14, 2008 11:56:27 GMT
Ah but wally,if folk try get all uppity when I add some fun to a show,I ignore them ,because i ain't doing it for them lol..like the time I was asked could i judge as part of my repertoire at one show the Fancy Dress Class..and walked out the judges tent wearing my full Star Trek Uniform,complete with Borg Headpiece,Tricoder and Phaser hanging off my belt..naturally there were those who tutted from amongst the audience..but as I said;''Show me where it says the judges CAnnot be in Fancy Dress too .''
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Post by dollyanna on Jan 15, 2008 19:00:19 GMT
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