Flossy is well known to many on the British Dressage Forum as a teller of interesting stories and perhaps the odd joke or two. We have selected a few tales for your pleasure.

Judges training the progress

Senior Trainer decided that the time has come that he will make an effort to understand where the judges are coming from, after 40 odd years in the business of guessing and predicting an out come of a dressage test the crystal ball system of working out who is going to win a class is no longer a viable proposition A more reliable system must be employed.

He decided to take part in one of the FEI judges training courses and learn from the source.

The last time he took part in an FEI judges course was a long long time ago before he was even a Junior Trainer , it was in the Mecca of dressage Warendorf , before Gloucester in the uk took over this position, Guided by Heinz pollay the Gold medallist from the 1936 Olympics , and what an experience it was for Senior Trainer that in those days was not even a Junior Trainer , seated among the who's who of dressage of those times, watching the cream of German dressage riders of the day.

Senior Trainer, that in those days was not even a Junior Trainer , did not disclose to any body that until that day he has never seen a half pass or a flying change, as it was pre internet era piaffe passage were only some thing one read about.

Every judge candidate was provided with set of large numbered cards and as riders performed a movement a mark had to be displayed, no changing of minds or altering your score was allowed, once every card was visible every one waited in trepidation for Mr H Pollay to reveal his awarded mark for that particular movement, ANY BODY WITH A SCORE OF MORE OR LESS THEN ONE MARK from Mr Pollay's mark had to provide in front of every one a very convincing explanation , an un convincing candidate was removed off the premises by Gestapo looking like personal and never allowed to enter an FEI event again. Senior Trainer that in those days was not even a Junior trainer sat in complete owe of the place, the riders and the company. The first rider in was a very famous lady rider of the time that was married to some one even more famous then her , all this was unknown to Senior Trainer that was not even a Junior Trainer then.

Senior Trainer that was not even a Junior Trainer then could not recognize the movement at first , was it the classical down hill slalom ? , a movement from a bending race with out the poles? ,or was it a perfect canter zig zag?, and the rider halted at X , it dawned on him , it was a non pony club entree halt , the number 4 card miraculously appeared in his hand , from the corner of his eye he could see the marks given by the who's who of dressage that knew very well who was who in dressage , 8, 9 ,8 etc. there was no mind changing no card swapping, where are the Gestapo looking like people ,” very well my FEI career was very short but I am young enough to do something else” , he thought to himself . Mr Pollay's look was as burning as an inferno , his voice bellowed .”younger man why a 4” Senior Trainer that was not even a Junior Trainer then , stuttered sheepishly “she was all over the place, I have seen better entries in THE UK in a pony club trial ” (remember that before Charlotte was even born), Mr Pollay's quietly raised his hand and revealed his mark A 4 and all around like the tower of Babylon voices were heard “ WEE, CEE, YA , CORRECTO etc. etc. etc. in every language of the globe. The Gestapo look a like squad were very busy that afternoon.

How different that training day was from the one he attended to day, a very relaxed atmosphere with many candidates slapping each other on the shoulder , including the judge trainer, as friends do after a long separation.

The first movement to be evaluated by the group of trainees was the extended trot, a big bay horse, ridden by a pretty blond, executed it to perfection with long floating strides the horse devoured the diagonal , unfortunately on the last stride a slight, hardly noticed skip and a shuffle and the horse was back in a perfect rhythm.

The leading judge asked “ ladies and gentleman what mark for this ?”

No cards this time, every one in turns calling their marks “ 8. 7. few 9s”

The leading judge “ ladies and gentleman have you not seen the loss of regularity on the one stride at the end, do I have to remind you? REGULARITY , REGULARITY , REGULARITY , the foundation of the scale of training ! FIVE it is “ no Gestapo looking like personal only BD tea girl with some biscuits .

The test progressed and the same horse performing the the last extended trot before the final halt, unfortunately on the last stride a slight, hardly noticed skip and a shuffle and a perfect halt.

The leading judge asked “ ladies and gentleman what mark for this ?” and every body in Unisom “Five! Five! FIVE!!! “

The leading judge “Can you explain why? it seems a bit harsh for me”

“ We have seen the loss of regularity on the one stride at the end, REGULARITY , REGULARITY , REGULARITY , the foundation of the scale of training FIVE it is “ they al shouted together.

“Ladies ,Ladies and gentleman “ the lead judge addressed them “ dressage is not a bout penalizing, see the good, for one stride? be generous, encouraging , positive I think an eight is more appropriate”

The leading judge turned to one candidate and asked for her opinion “ I will award it an eight or more ,it was very good” she said , “you are obsoletely right “ the leading judge confirmed.

The gentleman in the group turned to the leading judge and commentated “I thought the horse fell on the shoulder and dropped the pole, he was actually behind the vertical most of the time and the irregular stride at the end I think a 6 is the best mark possible “

“well noticed, well noticed “ the leading judge replied “You are obsoletely right “

At that moment the Senior Trainer turned to the leading judge and said “excuse me but how can they both be right”

There was a very long silence while the leading judge was looking at his notes and the FEI rule book and then he said “ YOU ARE ALSO RIGHT”

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