THE 2007
ARABIAN BREEDERS’
WORLD CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS
_______
The Judges’ Perspectives on This
Sensational New Start for the Arabian Horse
By Beth Hunziker Mishek

When the Executive Board of the Arabian Horse Breeders’ Alliance committed to hosting
the Breeders’ World Cup Championships in Las Vegas, they were in fact committing
themselves to accomplishing a monumental feat. It was a truly grand vision.
There are more details to the creation and organization of a horse show than many of us
will ever realize. Some details are more critical than others because they are the most
visible to everyone and are essential for a positive result for the overall show. One of the
best examples of this is the selection of the judges. It is they who set the tone for the
show in terms of professionalism, integrity, diversity and demeanor.

There was much discussion in regards to the panel of judges for the first AHBA
Breeders’ World Cup. The board realized that they must try to create a dream team of
judges. In order to be considered, they must have reputations for the highest level of
integrity; they must have extensive international experience and an unquestionable
commitment to the Arabian horse breed. A list was compiled and we set about contacting
the judges to check their availability and willingness to participate.
As the letters of acceptance came in from the judges, the excitement began to build. The
team came together and the dream became a reality. Everything the board had hoped for
in terms of quality, experience, expertise and integrity all came together in an ensemble
of extraordinarily gifted and dedicated professionals, true horsemen and women with a
burning love for the Arabian horse.

The day before the show began; the judges were gathered together in order to review the
parameters of the show and to provide an opportunity for questions and discussion. It was
immediately apparent that everyone was very serious about their responsibilities. They
were explicit about their commitment to doing the very best job possible and to ensure
that their tasks contributed to the overall success of the show.

Based on the comments from the exhibitors, trainers, handlers, spectators and show
organizers, the overwhelming majority felt that the judges did indeed contribute
tremendously to the success of the show. They are to be congratulated and thanked for all
of their efforts.

The following are the comments and suggestions from our distinguished panel of judges
about the 2007 AHBA Breeders’ World Cup….

Judge Bruce McCrea brought his extensive international expertise to the Breeders’ World
Cup. As a highly respected American horseman who has lived and worked in Saudi
Arabia for the past 13 years, he has a unique perspective and understanding of the US
show ring as well as those in Europe and the Middle East. McCrea earned his PhD. in
agricultural technology which he applies in his role as the Manager of the King Abdul
Aziz Arabian Horse Center, the head of the government’s Arabian horse program and
Saudi Arabia’s registration authority. With his years of experience and reputation for
integrity, it was no surprised that McCrea’s name was one of the first to be considered for
judging the important inaugural Breeders’ World Cup.

Judge McCrea offered these insights and comments about the show.
“I have been judging in the United States since 1976 and my first ECAHO show was the
World Championships in 1994. I have judged most of the major shows around the World,
including the national championships of 14 different countries. So I was very happy to
hear that this group was promoting a new concept for the USA. From the start it sounded
like they were really committed to doing things right.

I was very impressed with the whole show. The organizers, management, and the support
staff had every detail covered. From the gala through the championships, it was a first
class event.

I thought the quality of the horses was great! We had some very competitive classes. All
of the championships were strong, but the fillies were especially outstanding. It was one
of the best classes I have ever judged. Most of the American handlers did a good job with
the new format. A few need to practice trotting their horses and to run a little better.
Maybe this will spark new fitness awareness.

There were many highlights during the week; the gala, the entertainment, several really
outstanding classes, etc. But the best highlight for me was the positive atmosphere of the
show. We had so many people telling us how wonderful the show was.

In my opinion, there really isn’t much to change. I suggest that the show keep the
European judging system and continue to use international and American judges who are
familiar with it. However, I would like to see half point increments used because it allows
more flexibility and a higher degree of accuracy for the judges.

From concept through realization, the organizers and everyone involved with this event
should be very proud. This was a big undertaking and it took guts. The end result was
spectacular! Keep up the good work.”

Judge Richard Petty calls beautiful Santa Barbara, California home. He earned his
Arabian breed judge's card in 1978. Since that time, he has judged the U.S. Nationals three times, the Canadian Nationals once and Scottsdale 6 times. He has judged major shows in Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Uruguay. Add to all of that experience the fact that Petty has his judge’s card in over 10 other breeds and you’ll begin to understand the respect he has earned around the world as a first class judge and a true gentleman. Judge Petty, who oversaw the performance classes of the show, offered these comments.

“I have to say that I was somewhat skeptical about the World Cup Show before I arrived.
I just couldn't imagine how a horse show event like that would work in the United States.
The European judging system??? YIKES!! I know the system seemed to cause confusion
with some of the onlookers, but I think it's because we're not used to it yet. We're such
creatures of habit you know.

The organizational efforts put into the show were extraordinary. The show ran like a well
oiled machine from beginning to end; from the way the arena was prepared and the way
the horses were presented, to the fantastic music. It was very smart of the organizers to
take advantage of the somewhat Las Vegas carnival atmosphere. I loved it.

I felt the quality of the horses was phenomenal and the trainers presented them with the
dignity these horses deserve. It was nice to see horses in the arena that didn't seem
threatened, with their eyes rolling back in their heads. I commend all the halter boys and
girls who participated in this inaugural show. They set a fine example for future shows.
The highlight of the show for me was to see owners and exhibitors having a good time at
a horse show, for a change. There was an incredible amount of excitement in the air and
it stayed that way throughout the show. I was an innocent bystander as I didn't participate
as a judge for the halter classes, however I did watch every class. I'm pleased to say that I
think the system works.

In closing, I can't imagine any way the show could be improved upon. I was pleased to
be a part of this undoubtedly successful event.”

The lovely and vivacious judge, Silvia Garde-Ehlert of Germany brought her unique style
and professionalism to center ring at the World Cup show. She has judged all the major
shows in Europe, including the National Championships of Poland, Sweden, Belgium,
Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Finland, France, and Germany. She has also judged
the World Championships in Paris, France several times, the Nations Cup in Aachen,
Germany several times, and the European Championships several times as well. Mde.
Garde-Ehlert has also judged the Gold Cup in Dubai as well as shows in Qatar, Sarjah,
Libya and Australia. Judge Garde-Ehlert offered these comments about the very first
Breeders’ World Cup show.

“I was curious about how the spectators would accept or see the "open judging". For me,
I found the idea wonderful. I have many years of experience with this judging system. I think it is exciting and easy to follow, much easier to comprehend than the ranking system.

We saw many very fine and typey Arabian horses. I would not be surprised to see some
of them soon at our best European shows like the Mediterranean Championships in
Menton, France, the Nations Cup in Aachen, Germany or the World Championships in
Paris, France. I am used to the way the American trainers presented their horses. There
was very little difference from what is seen in Europe.

For me, the highlight of the show was the peoples’ excitement! Many spectators spoke to
us after the show. They told us that they loved the way each judge’s scores were shown
for each horse on a big screen. Also, even in the final championships, no judge could give
concealed notes. Another interesting moment was when the judges for each class were
chosen by kind of a tombola, (drawn by chance by a spectator). This was a new
experience for me.

From what I could see, the organization of the event seemed very good. However, I
believe there could be a few technical improvements. With such a high standard of horses
and high demand on the show, judges prefer to give points too, such as 18.5 or 19.5 ... if
necessary.

Other ideas to consider could include more light in the show ring and better illumination
on the horse that is shown. Next, I think the girls who show the numbers look their best
when they all wear the same style of dress, it’s more official. Also, more flowers and flag
decorations would look nice, especially lovely plants on the left and right sides of the
entrance.

Finally, I believe the event should continue on this way! The judging system is fair, clear
and evident for everyone. The place is unique and the city is breathtaking!”
Dr. Nasr Marei is an internationally respected breeder and judge of Arabian
horses. He began judging international Arabian horse shows in 1990. Over the past 17
years he has been invited to judge most of the major international shows including the
World Championships at the Salon du Cheval, the Nations’ Cup, the European
Championships, the Middle East Championships and the Mediterranean Championships.
Other important shows include national and international shows in the UAE, UK,
Australia, South Africa, Morocco, Italy, France, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Belgium,
Germany, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
Spain and the United States.

Dr. Marei’s farm, Al Badeia Stud, is an exotic oasis that is situated in the shadows of the
great pyramids of Egypt. His horses are recognized and admired for their unique style
and great beauty. Dr. Marei has the mind of a scientist and the eye of an artist – the
perfect combination for a judge of the AHBA Breeders’ World Cup. After the show, Dr.
Marei offered these comments about the event.

“When I heard of the idea at its inception, I called Scott Bailey to congratulate him and
asked him to convey to the AHBA Board that I thought this was a great idea. I believe
that we need to have a more universal system for evaluating and judging horses in shows.
It is my view that the European system, although not perfect, is one of the best employed
in the shows today. It is catching every where - in Europe of course, the Middle East,
even in the USA where the Pyramid Society's Egyptian Event is using it.

It is a fair system, clear to every one, educational and engaging for the spectators. People
get involve with the scores and the parameters of each of the judges. It is exciting
because there is emphasis on the movement of the horses. Those were the reasons that I
was so excited that someone was taking an initiative in this direction.

The organization of the show, whether from a technical or social point of view, was
excellent. Also, the way the horses were presented and the speed of the procedure itself
was very professionally done. I personally, and I believe that the other judges felt the
same way, were quite happy and relaxed which allowed us to focus on our job without
any distractions. The ring and the ring master were quite good.

I have judged in almost every country in the world that has Arabian horses, so I knew
what to expect to see as far as horse quality was concerned. I therefore was not surprised
by the quality of the horses entered.

I also knew that the type of horses in the USA can be somewhat different than what I am
used to seeing in Europe and the Middle East. Having said that, I must say that the type
of the horses presented at the show was not so different from the type that I am used to
and like. It is possible that the owners carefully selected their entries so that the horses
would "meet" the criteria of the European judging system and also the taste of the visiting
judges. In a nut shell, I liked what I saw and if all the "American Type" horses are similar
to the ones I saw at the show, then I would say that the differences between the American
and the other's type is getting closer.

As far as the American trainer’s way of showing, it was commendable. They have
adapted pretty smoothly to the European methods of showing. Most did very well.
I would propose the following to them however: run faster... and please, less yanking.
I think that the friendly and open attitude shown by everyone - organizers, horse owners,
breeders, handlers and trainers - was impressive. I felt very relaxed and well-accepted by
the people I met. I also felt that everyone really wanted this experiment to work out and
to be a beginning of a new style of show that would close the gap across the Atlantic.
Personally, I was touched by the warm welcome I had from everyone I talked to whether
I knew them or not. People were approaching me and having very welcoming and
friendly chats.

Again, I felt the show was a great success from both the technical and professional points
of view. With this event, a new era is set in motion and I hope that the momentum will be
maintained. The things that I think could be better for the future are:

a) better lighting in the ring, b) more spectators in the stands, c) more entries in the senior
classes, d) less yanking of the horses in the ring by the trainers/handlers, e) fewer people
in the ring - judges, ring master, a couple of official photographers are the ones that
should be in the ring. The beautiful, actually stunning, ladies that helped as score board
holders should be positioned at the side of the ring or on a special stand at the ringside,
and not in the middle of the ring. I had to try hard to follow the horse's movement
through all the human obstacles standing between me and the moving horses.

A final thought…Shows are important. They set trends and evaluate horses, breeders and
owners. People can get very emotional about winning and losing. Shows can be also very
educational for someone who seeks improvement and evolution. I consider shows as
major events that will help us to breed better horses for the future. That is why the judges,
the show organizers and everyone involved with the event has to be responsible and
appreciate the seriousness of the task at hand and understand the impact that show can
have on the future of the breed. The organizers of this show and the AHBA board of
directors were certainly up to this responsibility.”

Judge Luiz Rocco may have a calm, quiet demeanor, but he is passionate about the
Arabian horse. It is a love affair that has stood the test of time and is still going strong.
Luiz has been a respected breeder in Brazil for many years and he is a very active
member of the Brazilian Breeders’ Association. He was instrumental in developing the
Brazilian Breeders’ Cup more than 10 years ago.

Luiz started judging Arabian horses in 1989 and over the past 18 years he has judged
shows in 10 different countries. Besides the major South American shows, Mr. Rocco
shared that he also had the honour of judging the All Nations Cup, the Wels International
Show, the Middle East Championships and now this first Arabian Breeders’ World Cup.
He shared these thought with us.

“I thought that the show ran exactly as I had expected, which was with a high degree of
professionalism in all aspects. The organization “imported” many good ideas from the
European shows, not only the judging system, but other details like the exciting music
and atmosphere. The equestrian center and the hotel were very convenient for an event
like this and the city was perfect with many opportunities for entertaining after the
classes, not only the casinos and shows, but also the great restaurants.

From a judge’s point of view, the show was very well organized. It was at the same level
of the most important ones around the world. The organizers and volunteers played a
major role in the success of the show. We especially noticed the excellent efforts of the
ringmaster and the people who worked behind the gate.

The American handlers had to show their horses in a different way in order to get good
points in the area of movement. This allowed the horses to show more clearly their
beauty and let them exhibit a natural motion not frequently seen at the other shows.

I felt that the spirit of friendship between all the persons involved with the event created a
very nice atmosphere. Also the presence of so many people from different nations gave
the feel of a truly international show.

One area that I think could be improved was the point system. I think the points scale
should be from zero to ten, with half points. This way it will be more comfortable to give
a 5 or 5.5 to legs, for example, if they are not good and it creates more room to work in
all areas of evaluation. We use this scale at the Brazilian Breeder’s Cup event and it
works very well.

Finally, I think the spirit of all the breeders involved on this project should be noticed. It
was a huge work to create it starting only with a dream. I think in the future people will
remember this effort, the same way when we read about the first Scottsdale shows. A lot
of important breeders united for a new concept, a new way to bring the Arabian horse to a
new dimension.”

Judge Cindy Reich brought her own extensive experience and professionalism to the
AHBA Breeders’ World Cup. Cindy has lived and worked in Europe and the United
States handling some of the most important stallions in the breed including Menes. She
currently lives in Colorado where she works at CSU in the Equine division.

Cindy has had her USAE/AHA judge's card in the Arabian division for 30 years. She has
judged National shows in Sweden, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Venezuela and USA.
Cindy began her career by judging livestock at the age of nine. She judged livestock and
horses in 4-H for 10 years, and was a member of Colorado State University Livestock
Judging Team and Horse Judging team. She also coached two National Champion Youth
Judging teams. Cindy admits to being very analytical – you have to be in order to judge
livestock. Much of her analytical style of judging transferred to her judging of horses.
Cindy is all business in the ring, but she was very warm hearted and willing to share her
thoughts about the Breeders’ World Cup show.

“I loved the idea of having a European style show in the U.S. I also liked the idea of
inviting foreign judges to judge the show. This is something that has been overlooked for
too many years here in America. Judges from the U.S. are invited all over the world to
judge, yet we rarely return the favor. It is no secret that I have lobbied for years for more
transparency in the judging arena, and using the score card system is a first step in having
some accountability in center ring. For the record, though, I'd still like to see judges talk
the classes, but I'll take this first step. I think it was a bold step forward and I was looking
forward to judging the show for months in advance!

From a judge's standpoint, I think the organization was outstanding, particularly for a first
effort. Any time you do something for the first time, there are bound to be some
problems, but there were very few. The attention to detail was superb.

The quality of the horses was exceptional. I thought it was very, very deep, particularly in
the yearling filly class and in the two-year-old stallion class.

Unfortunately, it seemed that many of the trainers had not worked on a softer
presentation on the stand-up and reverted to a hard stance. I had hoped for a more natural
stand-up. The same could be said of the trotting phase of their presentation. The trainers
that did their homework and got out away from their horses for a good trot phase really
stood out. Too many handlers could only get one pass at a trot before the horse broke
and was jerked back--that didn't improve the chances of getting more trot. Also, while the
use of whips with bags didn't bother me, most of the people manning the bags over-did it,
resulting in horses bolting forward rather than trotting. More work at home at the trot
would help a lot.

There were many show highlights - when the first fillies came into the ring to great
excitement... Seeing lots of people in the stands cheering for the horses, cheering scores -
showing excitement! The recognition given to Wayne Newton, who has been such an
ambassador for the Arabian breed as well as such an astute breeder...Seeing the incredible
quality of horses in both the front and back line in the championships classes...the
opening ceremonies on Championship day. But I would have to say my favorite memory
of the show was the Senior Champion mare, *Athenaa, reaching up during her win photo
to investigate the huge feather headdress of the showgirl in the photo… the mare was not
intimidated at all, but was truly curious as to what that was!!! Great moment!

I really liked having the crowd come into the ring with the stallions...it was really nice to
see the audience interact with the horses and owners, trainers, etc. The champagne was a
nice touch as well!! And the gala party was wonderful--it was nice that the judges were
encouraged to go--as opposed to the former AHA policy of 'guilty until proven innocent'
and being isolated from owners, trainers, etc. We are adult enough to go to a party the
night before but be all business the next day at the show. Thanks for recognizing that.
Depending on the number of entries, we may have to have an earlier start in order to not
run over the time limit. However, having a more relaxed schedule and early evenings as
is usual in European shows was wonderful! Also in the future, it might be nice to have
the judges use electronic keypads so that they could enter the scores directly from center
ring and the scores could go up on the screen immediately after each horse--there were
some errors between the cards going to the stand and what was held up by the score girls.
This would eliminate these errors.

We may want to re-think how the Championships are judged. The method used kept the
horses in the ring a long time and had them show for a long time. Also, it was difficult to
keep them all in the ring and work them for movement. However these are all things that
can be easily rectified. All in all, I think for the first show of its kind, it was absolutely
fabulous!

I want to congratulate the AHBA on their foresight and bravery in taking this show from
concept to reality in a year's time. It lived up to its promise and it will only get bigger and
better next year!!”

Doug Dahmen joined judges Cindy Reich and Richard Petty in representing the United
States at the Breeders’ World Cup. With more than 30 years working with Arabian
horses, Dahmen has bred, trained and shown horses all over the world. In addition, Doug
has judged at most of the major international shows including Canadian Nationals,
Scottsdale All Arabian, Salon du Cheval’s World Championships, All Nation’s Cup, the
British Nationals, U.K. International, The Elran Cup, Austria International, The Avare
Show in Brazil, Brazilian Interstate Show, South Australia Championships, Qatar
International Show and the Saudi Arabian National Show. Doug has judged at many of
these shows on numerous occasions. Even after all these years of dedication Doug is
more committed than ever to positive, proactive efforts to promote the Arabian horse and
the Breeders’ World Cup was the perfect opportunity to put those ideals into action.
Doug shared his views about the show.

“At the 2005 U.S. Nationals, I went to the first public meeting regarding the possibility of
a show like this in America. I, like many other breeders and exhibitors, have been more
and more dissatisfied with AHA treatment of the Purebred Breeding classes, and the
relegation of breeders to third class status with no power in this breed organization. So I
was hugely in favor of the idea of this show.

Having participated as an exhibitor or judge in many shows in the last 30 years (19 of
those as a judge), I would say it was one of the most amazingly organized shows I have
ever participated at. Everything, down to the last detail, regarding the judges was
outstanding and first rate. This also appeared to be the case with the trainers and
exhibitors as well. Even more amazing was the fact that it was the very first attempt to
create an international event of this scale and magnitude.

I thought that the quality of the horses was outstanding, and a truly international
collection. It was obvious people brought their best horses. Many of the horses already
had great titles to their credit. It was very flattering to us judges, but also a heavy
responsibility for us to do our utmost best.

It was inspiring to see the American trainers rise to the occasion and present their horses
in an exemplary manner. That really gave this structure of showing credibility. I thought
they deserved great accolades.

There were only a couple of things I would change to try to make the show run even
better. First, is to have the tabulation during the Championships take place in the ring,
like it’s done in Europe. This would shorten the time and the horses would not have to
show for quite so long.

Next, I would ask that the scoring system be used the way it is in Europe. From 10-20
with half points available from 17 and up. The half points are very helpful in judging fine
differences in close individuals at the upper end. Discard the worded score card that we
were given to use. We do not need to call horses poor in any category, in order to place
the class. The scores explain it. If a 14 is given in feet and legs, it is clear that in a judge’s
opinion that this entry has a significant problem in this category. It is a psychological
point - a lower score identifies a problem, but treats the pride of an exhibitor with more
kindness than labeling their horse with the word, “poor”, or “below average”. We need
to be as positive as possible in our judging if we want people to come back to the shows.

The highlight of the week for me was the sense of enthusiasm and excitement that
permeated the show, from the Gala dinner to the closing moments. I felt like this show
performed CPR on our breeding classes! In my opinion, it was the most significant event
in the last 25 years in this breed!