Judging Contests 101
Running a Successful 4-H Judging
Contest
Kevin Kline, PhD
University of Illinois
Objectives of 4-H Horse Judging Contests
• Teach life skills
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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
3
Q
U
I
Z
2
4
Official placing & cuts
Yearling QH Fillies:
3–1–4–2
4
2
3
Scoring 4-Her placing cards - examples
Official: 3 – 1 – 4 – 2
Cuts:
4
1. 4-Her placing: 1 – 3 – 2 – 4
2
3
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 example
Always 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
2
4
A. Which QH yearling filly had the longest back & shortest hip?
#2
B. Which QH yearling filly had the best balance and heaviest muscle?
C. Which QH yearling filly had the least feminine head?
#3
#4
D. Which QH yearling filly’s neck was cleanest blending into the shoulder?
E. Which QH yearling filly was palomino in color?
#1
F. Which QH yearling filly was lightest muscled and sickle hocked?
#2
#3
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