21.1 Judges Committee
A Judges Committee will be formed comprising:
- 5 Judges to be elected by the existing approved WES Judges. Elections will be held every year; at each election 2 members shall retire, being those who have served longest in office. Where service periods are equal, the retiring members shall be determined by lot. To be eligible for Judges Committee, Judges must have been an approved WES judge for a minimum period of two years. Elections take place at the judge's seminar on the Friday morning of the seminar weekend.
- Chairperson to be appointed by Judges Committee. This appointment will be reviewed every year. A retiring chairperson may be reappointed.
- A Secretary will be appointed to act as administrator for the Judges Committee.
- A member of the Judges Committee will be invited to all Council meetings when issues in respect of Judging are contained within the agenda.
It will be the duty of the Judges Committee to administer judge's tests, conduct the judge's seminar and review judging performances on recommendation of show representatives or by official protest. The Judges Committee shall make recommendations to WES Council on any action they feel is necessary to improve the quality, integrity and performance of the judging system.
21.2 Selection of Judges
- Judges for all approved WES shows and affiliated shows must be selected from the WES Approved list as effective at the time of approval/affiliation. If a judge is subsequently removed from the list before a show, the Western Equestrian Society shall substitute an approved Judge at no additional cost to the organiser.
- Guest Judges may be approved for selection at an approved or affiliated show provided they hold one of the following Judges Cards: AQHA, APHA, ApHC, AHSA, or any other recognised breed association that administers annual tests or reviews across the whole Western Riding Discipline (i.e. specialist cards are excluded); or European carded judges of any breed western associations of similar standing to WES.
- Designation as a WES Approved Judge is a privilege, not a right, bestowed by the WES Council following recommendation by the Judges Committee.
21.3 Approval
A prospective judge must attend a WES Judges Seminar and upon passing the testing requirements set out by the Judges Committee will be recommended to Council as suitable for consideration for judging privileges.
- The applicant must have been a full WES member for at least two consecutive years before being considered for approval as a WES judge.
- All approved WES Judges must be current WES members. If a judge fails to renew his or her subscription after a period of 2 months they shall be removed from the approved list and will be required to reapply as if they were a new applicant.
The Judge Applicants Test will comprise: written test with an open rule book; video judging; live judging test.
- Judge Applicants will be required to score a mark of 95% or more for the open rule book test plus an overall mark (open rule book test plus live judging) of 88% or more.
- Existing Judges will be required to attend either the WES Judges Seminar, or the International Equine Judges Seminar, or recognised breed judging seminar at least twice every six years and will be subject to the judge's test on the open rule book annually. Testing for existing judges will be different to the judge applicants. This test will be administered at the beginning of November each year. Completed papers are to be received by the Chairman of Judges by December 31st.
- Existing judges that fail to obtain 95% must re-submit to the applicants test the following year at the judging seminar. Failure in both will result in judge's privileges being withdrawn. It is recommended that judges failing their first test DO NOT take bookings for judging until the results of their second test are published.
- Failure to submit the rule book test to the Chairman of Judges by January 1st will result in a failure of test irrespective of their score.
- New applicants approved by Council will be eligible to take up their posts upon approval by Council; however, successful applicants are required to stand alongside existing judges for at least one show before accepting a judge's appointment.
21.4 General Rules
- A horse may not be shown under a judge if that judge has been owner, exhibitor, trainer, or agent of that horse within the previous 14 days or if said horse is ridden by a member of his/her immediate family or by an employee/employer of said judge. If a horse is exhibited not in compliance with this rule the judge should notify the show management of the non-compliance prior to the class being placed. The exhibitor should not be counted as an entry, and the horse shall not be scored in the class. All parties involved including but not limited to the owner, exhibitor, and judge will be held responsible in the event non-compliance occurs. The Judges Committee will investigate the matter and handle in accordance with its findings and consistent with WES disciplinary rules (see section 4).
- Judges must always act in the best interest of the Western Equestrian Society avoiding any circumstances which create a conflict of interest while officiating at any WES event. Conflicts of interest are subject to review by the Judges Committee. In the event it is determined that a judge has acted in an official capacity with a conflict of interest, the judge may be removed from WES Judges' list and may be subject to further disciplinary action for unsportsmanlike conduct.
- Judges shall keep in mind that while judging they are representing the Society. Judges shall dress appropriately in western attire including western hat to favourably represent their position.
- A judge shall conduct himself/herself in a manner fitting and proper to one afforded the honour of officiating at any WES approved or Affiliated event. Any misconduct on the part of the judge at any WES contest such as drinking alcohol immediately prior to or during the contest, the use of abusive language, or any other action unbecoming to one in his/her position either on the grounds or elsewhere during the duration of the show will make him/her subject to a complete and impartial hearing on the cause of the complaint before the appropriate committee.
- A judge who undertakes the obligation to officiate at a WES sanctioned event is responsible to fulfil that commitment. Should he/she be unable to officiate for any reason, he/she is required to arrange for a suitable, qualified replacement. Judges are also required to notify the WES Show Co-ordinator of the change.
- Judges must place down to tenth place (subject to sufficient entries); where there are fewer than ten placings but more entries, the remaining blank spaces on the judge's card should indicate D/Q.
- Scores for all Reining, Trail and Western Riding Classes to be posted.
- The Judge is responsible for tallying the correct number of entries exhibited in each class and recording the correct figure on the Judges Card, entering the correct placings on the Judges Card and signing and dating the card.
- Once a judge has marked his/her card and places for awards made there will be no changing of judge's records EXCEPT when proper documentation or proof shows that a CLERICAL ERROR HAS OCCURRED. This must be done in a reasonable time and NO LATER than one hour of the last class of the day.
- Judges, via their stewards, may ask a competitor to leave the arena for being improperly dressed; for improper showing (not limited to riding different patterns); and for excessive schooling.
- Judges may not judge the same WES Approved or Affiliated show in consecutive years.
- Competitors may direct questions to a Judge only via the ring steward.
- The Judge shall request bridles be dropped in at least one class at the show.
- Minimum payment for an approved Judge is expenses plus £100 per 8-hour day.
- A judge must present in writing any complaint within 10 days of the incident to the Chairman of Judges. The judge is not required to post the £10 grievance fee. The case will be reviewed by the Judges Committee and recommendations made to WES Council to be dealt with in accordance with the disciplinary procedures section of the rule book. Complaints in respect of a Judge will be dealt with as outlined in section 4 of this rule book.