Judge’s Seminar for Gypsy Vanners Led by Hipsley

Announcing a judge’s re-certification and applicant’s educational two day seminar sponsored by the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society(GVHS) in Dallas, Texas. The seminar will be held on February 25-26, 2023 at the Hilton DFW Lakes in Grapevine, just 5 minutes from the DFW International Airport.

The seminar instructor will be Wayne G Hipsley, BSc, MSc, an internationally recognized multi-licensed judge who has conducted judge and exhibitor education seminars and clinics for the GVHS over the past 12 years. He brings to the seminar a wealth of knowledge on the history and traditions of the breed from his travels in the United Kingdom and Europe, where he has seen firsthand the origins of this unique breed.

Hipsley has consolidated many topics covered at the seminar starting with the foundation of this developing breed and expanding to the current status of today, all to build a strong understanding of the breed standard. Some of the topics being presented are: Breed History, Breed Standards, Show Rules and Regulations, Professionalism, and Video Judging.

With over 35 recognized and approved horse shows in the US in 2022, the ever growing demand for comprehensive show rules and regulations are a vital area for the judges to understand, and differentiate between the rules for other breeds and disciplines. Hipsley places a strong emphasis upon adherence to the breed standards for this unique breed and its differences from the traditional breeds in their show rules and regulations.

Like most developing breeds, amateurs and youth play a very important role in the ranks of competitors. During the seminar, Hipsley will discuss everything from judge ringcraft to judging all types of performance classes from Ranch Pleasure to Hunter Hack. Whether the exhibitor is an accomplished rider or novice in the show ring, in-hand, undersaddle and driving classes are offered, requiring judges to have a broad base of knowledge for officiating.

With the aid of PowerPoint and video presentations, the seminar brings life to the presentations and necessary information to become a successful judge. Hipsley’s style of presentation is engaging, providing insights from over 45 years as a licensed judge, and exposure to many styles of judging from other parts of the world. Through Hipsley’s experiences, he can provide insights into not only the Gypsy Vanner Horses in the United Kingdom, including those in Australia, Colombia and New Zealand.

The judges’ seminar encourages input from exhibitor attendees.  One of the primary goals is to unify all judges to work to seek a single standard regardless of the class for individual work as Suitability for Dressage or Hunter Undersaddle, Western Pleasure and Pleasure Driving. Through video performances, Hipsley provides background to judges using formalized score sheets and discusses appropriate notes for multi-exhibitor classes.

And there is even a brief discussion on the professionalism expected of licensed judges along with some aspects of the ‘business’ as a professional judge.

For more information about attending and obtaining a judge’s application contact Barbara Snyder, Executive Director, at 888-520-9777, ext 2.

About – Wayne G Hipsley, BSc, MSc, Hipsley and Associates, International Consultants and Educators. Wayne is a full-time equestrian professional who has been a licensed horse show judge for over 45 years, judging many different breeds of horses, from Miniatures to Draft and Warmbloods and lots in between. He has judged and participated in evaluations of horses in 17 foreign countries, which provides him with a unique understanding and appreciation for adherence to the standards for a breed. Wayne has authored many educational manuals for judging horses and ponies starting with a Cooperative Extension bulletin while teaching equine studies at the University of Massachusetts. He has coached highly successful intercollegiate horse judging teams, and worked with potential judges of many different ages and backgrounds, starting with the fundamentals and reaching beyond to advanced levels. Wayne enjoys teaching and helping people learn new topics and developing skills to be better horsemen and horsewomen.

Contact: Wayne G. Hipsley, BSc, MSc
Hipsley and Associates, Lexington, KY
HipsleyandAssocs@aol.com (859)621-6995

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