There is often confusion regarding Horse Shows and Horse Evaluations.  They are both very different, one is not a substitute for the other, and both are valuable tools for the Gypsy Vanner Horse Breeder. 
     A horse show is a competitive event usually held on one or two days.  A judge is looking at all the horses in the ring and comparing them to each other.  The breed standard is the guide but other things can affect the outcome.  The horse that fits the breed standard the best in the line may not win, if not presented well, or maybe it doesn't behave well and stand still long enough for the judge to see how good it really is.  Classes move quickly and a judge only has a few seconds to look at each horse.  They do not have time to look at every detail on every horse, especially some hidden problems that can lurk under the hair or in the mouth.  So it's always possible the best horse will not win the blue that day!  Even so Horse Shows are a great way to promote your farm and your stock.  As a marketing tool for your stallion, or to sell your young stock it provides a fun and competitive way to showcase them to potential buyers and the public.
       A GVHS Horse Evaluation (sometimes referred to as an inspection) is also a valuable tool for breeders, and for the smaller farm, the mare owner who wants to breed their mare.  The evaluation process provides a system of scores done by independent trained evaluators with decades of experience.  Two evaluators provide scores on over 50 points of conformation and movement of the horse compared against the breed standard.   This is very important....compared against the breed standard,  NOT compared to any other horse at the event as is done at a show.   These scores can then be used to make smart breeding and purchasing decisions.  For instance if your mare is weak, has a low score, in a particular area, then you will want to choose a stallion that is strong, with a high score, in that same area of conformation or movement in order to improve in the resulting foal.  The goal of any breeding program should be to improve each generation and that can only be done by being aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the horses being bred.  Because all owners tend to be emotional when looking at their own horses, outside independent, objective evaluation is very important.  
       A breeder should use both of these tools, but they do not overlap.  An evaluation starts with the breed standard which is a perfect score of 100, and its very rare for a living animal to come near perfection in scoring anywhere near that high, but the only thing they are competing against in an evaluation is the breed standard.   In the show ring you may, or may not, see the "best" horse wearing the blue ribbon, they are competing and compared to each other, it's the best one in the ring at that moment.  
      The GVHS sponsors and supports many Shows, and also provides Breeders Seminars and Horse Evaluations.   Be sure and utilize these valuable events when you have the opportunity 
 

     That means you only support them if they support us.  IT'S US V Them.

     Let me start off by saying how much of a pleasure and honor it was to be asked to judge the First Annual Northeast Feathered Horse Classic held July 2-4, 2010 at the Westmoreland Fairgrounds in Greensburg, PA.
     I would like congratulate Gail Shrine of Dixie Plantation Equestrian Events for putting on a wonderful show! She had an efficient and courteous assistant staff, and I would also like to recognize all them for their amazing help, from the Ring Steward and Paddock Master to the Office Assistant and Announcer.
      Of course no show is complete without the exhibitors! I would like to say a special thank you to all the exhibitors who took the time to travel to this new event, prepare and showed their wonderful horses!
     In the Halter classes there were several exceptional horses exhibited. Most everyone was presented very well groomed, clean and in good condition. My Champions for each sex were the best examples shown that day. They each were very balanced, conformationally correct and had nice feathering, I was really impressed with my Supreme Champion who came from the Gypsy Mares-Weanling & Yearling class. I look forward to seeing this filly in the future.
     The Western classes were a joy to judge as all the horses were moving with forward motion, heads and necks were not artificially set low (with some higher than others) and overall just wonderful moving horses. In the Trail classes there were a couple of Disqualifications due to going off pattern, not following the correct line of travel, or riding with two hands in a curb bit. There were also a few exceptional patterns performed in the Trail Class. I hope to see more exhibitors show in either the Obstacles in Hand or Trail classes in the future. In the Western Equitation Classes, it was difficult to judge due to the wonderful riders that exhibited in these classes!!!
     The English classes finished off the show with the some of the same horses showing their versatility and their ability to change from slow and collected to lengthening and forward moving while their riders were still maintaining light contact with the horses' mouth.
     Thank you all for making this show a great experience! I hope that everyone had a safe journey home and for those who had stopped me after the show with questions, I hope that you were able to learn something new.
     I hope this will be the first of many for the Northeast Feathered Horse Classic, and I look forward to being considered for judging future shows.

Sincerely
Julie C Steinmetz-Usoff
Jacksonville, Florida