Judging Hunters and Equitation WTF? (Want The Facts?) is Now Available
This new book will not only unveil the mystery of judging, but it will also entertain, inspire and help you make the most of your partnership with your horse.
Ink Horse Publishing is pleased to announce the release of Judging Hunters and Equitation WTF? (Want The Facts?) by USEF R-rated judges Julie Winkel and Tricia Booker.
The goal of Judging WTF is to demystify the subjective process of judging hunters, hunter breeding and equitation. Horse shows have been in existence in the United States for more than 150 years, and understanding the judging process begins with knowing how foxhunting and its traditions have translated to our modern show ring hunters as well as the equitation ring.
Judging WTF begins with the history of showing and how the rules and regulations evolved based on foxhunting. The authors explain how and why major and minor faults are scored as they are, the process judges use to mark their cards, score and place horses and riders in their respective classes, and outline how to become a judge. They also identify the ideals judges seek in the hunter and equitation rings, strategies to help you improve your performances in the show ring and an analysis of how major competitions are judged.
Interspersed within the chapters is advice from top judges throughout the country who offer their own helpful hints to score higher, mistakes to avoid and the best ways to impress them. In addition, the book includes “Field Notes” from the authors’ experiences judging, reflections of past competitions and personal stories from the judge’s booth.
“As licensed officials, we’re the spokespersons for our sport. Through writing and producing this book, we have the opportunity to shed a positive light on this sport that we love, as well as paving a golden path for the future through education and a greater understanding of what sometimes seems like a mystery.” — From the Introduction
224 pages – 190 color and black-and-white photos, illustrations, diagrams and charts
PRAISE FROM RIDERS AND TRAINERS
“Get this book and share it with all of your riders and parents of riders. Very well done by Julie Winkel and Tricia Booker. It is so educational and so well written. I love the forward done by Geoff Teall. I could not put it down!” — Bill Schaub, Over The Hill Farm Trainer
“The night before the Finals I am studying up! Standing ovation and congratulations to Julie Winkel and Tricia Booker on a job WELL DONE! If you show in the hunters and equitation, this is a great inside look. Grab a copy!” — Tom Wright, Uphill Farm Trainer
“I received my gorgeous book today. It has beautiful pictures and is so well written. Everyone should order this book. Thank you all that helped with this lovely resource.” — Constance Kilmartin, Amateur Hunter/Jumper Rider
Judging WTF is available and ready for shipping in time for the holidays – www.inkhorsepublishing.com
Please visit www.judgingwtf.com for more information about the book, upcoming book signings, our tack store partners, wholesale purchases and to schedule a Judging WTF Workshop with Julie Winkel and Tricia Booker for 2022.
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Ink Horse Publishing, based in Branchville, New Jersey, is a boutique book production company dedicated to moving ideas to ink. We know there are many people in the horse industry who hold valuable knowledge and who could be instrumental in educating the next generation of horsemen and women. Our goal is to partner with writers who need a hand in bringing their words to the printed page.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
JULIE WINKEL is one of the foremost trainers, judges, clinicians and educators in the country. She’s held her U.S. Equestrian Federation R-rated judging licenses in hunter, hunter breeding and hunter/jumping seat equitation since 1984 and has presided over many of the country’s most prestigious horse shows, such as Devon, the Pennsylvania National, Washington International, the National, Capital Challenge, the USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship, the USEF Pony Finals and the USEF/Sallie B. Wheeler National Hunter Breeding Championships, just to name few. Julie has also designed courses and judged the ASPCA Maclay Finals, the Dover/USEF Medal Finals (on multiple occasions), the Platinum Performance/USEF Talent Search Finals-West and the New England Equitation Championships. She’s one of the first United States Hunter Jumper Association Certified Trainers and has trained and shown hunters and jumpers to the top levels, nationally and internationally. She has many grand prix show jumping wins as well as hunter championships throughout her career and continues to compete today. In addition, Julie is a sought-after clinician who travels the country teaching riding and horsemanship. She wrote the monthly column “Conformation Clinic” for Practical Horseman magazine for more than 10 years and currently contributes to USHJA In Stride, The Chronicle of the Horse, EquestrianCoach.com and many other publications. Julie owns and operates Maplewood Stables Inc., a 200-acre training, showing, sales and breeding facility in Reno, Nevada.
TRICIA BOOKER, a U.S. Equestrian Federation R-rated judge in hunters and hunter/jumping seat equitation, has more than 30 years of judging experience. She’s judged horse shows of all levels throughout the country, including Lake Placid, Old Salem, The Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby, the Northwest Autumn Classic, Thunderbird and the Upperville Colt & Horse Show, to name a few. She owns and operates Cameron Green Media LLC and is an award-winning editor, writer and photographer. As the editor of the United States Hunter Jumper Association’s In Stride magazine (2010 to present) and former editor/staff member of The Chronicle of the Horse (1991-2010), Tricia has traveled the country and world taking photographs and covering equestrian competitions for more than three decades. She’s written thousands of articles for an array of magazines, newspapers and websites and has taken hundreds of thousands of photographs of hunters, jumpers and equitation horses. Her articles and photographs have earned dozens of honors in the American Horse Publications Equine Media Awards, and most recently, she won the “Editorial Event Coverage Single Article” category for 2019 for USHJA In Stride magazine.
Media Contact:
Michelle Bloch
Ink Horse Publishing
24 Dalrymple Rd.
Branchville, NJ 07826
Michelle@inkhorsepublishing.com