Judging Contests 101Running a Successful 4-H Judging

Contest

Kevin Kline, PhD

University of Illinois

Objectives of 4-H Horse Judging Contests

• Teach life skills– Observation– Organization– Logic– Critical thinking– Decision making

• Gain knowledge for future vocation/avocation

• Enjoy competition!

Offer a mini-clinic before the contest to help 4-Hers recognize good/bad qualities of horses

Halter Basics

Balanced Horse Unbalanced Horse

Performance Basics High Quality Western Pleasure Horse

Make the contest a learning experience!

• Simulate real life shows (youth/open)

• Use horses of show quality

• Keep breed/type, sex and age together in halter & similar training levels in performance classes

• Match horses in a class that sort logically– Outstanding top horse, close middle pair, bottom horse– Close top pair, close bottom pair– Clear differences between all 4 horses

• Let experienced judge choose classes– Don’t make officials sort out messy classes

Score the contest correctly

• Use volunteers trained in scoring– Hormel cards– Computer program– By hand (It’s easy!)

• Use the correct cuts to reflect differences in horse quality and 4-Her performance

What are cuts?

• Point values assigned to relative quality differences between a pair of horses

• Assigned to top, middle, bottom pairs of

4-horse classes

• Points deducted for incorrect placement of pair

One point Cut Horses are extremely similar; no obvious reason

why one should be placed over the other; or both horses have numerous faults and none supersedes the others; placing is strictly a matter of personal preference; placing varies among the official judges.

Two Point Cut Horses are very close, but one horse has one or

two qualitative or quantitative advantage; the majority of official judges would not switch the pair, but half of the contestants could logically switch the pair.

Three Point Cut Horses of similar quality, but there is some logical placing in

favor of one horse; either one horse has several advantages or one has several faults; all official judges would agree on the placing; no more than one third of contestants would be expected to switch the pair.

Four Point Cut Horses are not of similar quality; one horse has several decided

advantages based on many points; all experts would quickly see the placing; no guesswork or personal preference required to make placing; no more than 10% of the contestants would be expected to switch the pair.

Five Point Cut Large numbers of extreme differences between the horses;

placing is obvious to everyone on first, quick observation; careful study not required for the placing; pair consists of an inferior horse vs. a consistent winner; only very novice, uninformed contestants would switch the pair.

Six Point Cut Horses not even comparable; differences reflective of a champion quality horse or performance vs. a horse or performance that is not of show quality.

1 2

3 4

QUIZ

Official placing & cutsYearling QH Fillies:

3 – 1 – 4 – 2 4 2 3

Scoring 4-Her placing cards - examplesOfficial: 3 – 1 – 4 – 2 Cuts: 4 2 3

1. 4-Her placing: 1 – 3 – 2 – 4 Scoring: 50 possible - 4, - 3 = 43

2. 4-Her placing: 4 – 3 – 2 – 1

Scoring: Did she place 3/1? – yes

Did she place 3/4? – no : lose 4 + 2 = 6

Did she place 3/2? – yes

Did she place 1/4? – no : lose 2

Did she place 1/2? – no : lose 2 + 3 = 5

Did she place 4/2? – yes

Final class score: 50 possible minus 6 + 2 + 5 = 37

Scoring 4-Her placing cards – another exampleAlways ask/answer 6 questions re: placing

Official: 3 – 1 – 4 – 2 Cuts: 4 2 3

4-Her placing: 2 – 1 – 3 – 4

1. Did she place 3/1 – No : minus 4

2. Did she place 3/4 - yes

3. Did she place 3/2 – No : minus 4 + 2 + 3 = 9

4. Did she place 1/4 - yes

5. Did she place 1/2 – No : minus 2 + 3 = 5

6. Did she place 4/2 – No : minus 3

Final class score: 50 possible minus 4 + 9 + 5 + 3 = 29

Marking/Scoring Question Cards

4-H member circles only one number representing the horse number that is the answer to the question – usually 5 pts each, 10 Q’s

Example questions from QH yearling fillies

3 1 4 2

A. Which QH yearling filly had the longest back & shortest hip? #2

B. Which QH yearling filly had the best balance and heaviest muscle? #3

C. Which QH yearling filly had the least feminine head? #4

D. Which QH yearling filly’s neck was cleanest blending into the shoulder? #3

E. Which QH yearling filly was palomino in color? #1

F. Which QH yearling filly was lightest muscled and sickle hocked? #2

Volunteers are essential!

• Horse handlers

• Group leaders– Help keep order among contestants – no talking!– Collect cards– Ensure safety of contestants

• Experienced judge or judges committee

• Clear voiced announcer familiar w/contests

• Score keepers– Score the placing & question cards– Sort cards into class & team groupings