Successful pony producer turned well-known and respected judge, Stuart Hollings, has his say on ill-qualified judges and the hot topics of the showing season
This season has been a time for reflection and how showing can move forward.
I have never known a year in which there has seemingly been such a widespread undercurrent of disrespect directed towards judges’ decisions. Sadly this has sometimes been justified.
When I was competing, many of the judges were proper horsemen and women and you would gladly have given them your cheque book to source a good show prospect. That is why I do not have any objections to producers and breeders being on judging panels.
My bugbear is when judges have no valid experience of the section they are judging. My brother Nigel’s favourite quote says it al

 Horse & Hound
 Horse & Hound

 Evening Standard Politics
 Evening Standard Politics Britain News
 Britain News The Spectator
 The Spectator iNews Opinion
 iNews Opinion METRO News
 METRO News AlterNet
 AlterNet 5 On Your Side Sports
 5 On Your Side Sports Breitbart News
 Breitbart News