Zero Tolerance to Abuse

There has been a 100% response from all of our member clubs to support this initiative.

Your Sunday out at a show, is supposed to be a day of pleasure for you and all other people at the show, dont spoil it for yourself or anyone else

We are all aware that sometimes a decision in the ring goes against you, however it is what happens afterwards that we all find totally unacceptable and we intend to stamp this out. Please don't be the first to find out if we mean business or not, after all by the time we can get the Stewards together, it could be up to 8 weeks later and you will have missed most of the season.

A very well known rider once said to me "You will always have more bad days than good days when you are involved with horses", sound advice, and advice to bear in mind. It will help you keep sane.

Our Advice to You

if you dont agree with a decision made by a Judge, always approach the Ring Steward first, they will quite possibly know why the judge made the decision they did. If not, then do approach the judge, but do wait until they have finished the class they are judging, and please, at all times keep your cool, dont let yourself get wound up by the many "expert" judges around the ringside.

After all, if the ringside judges are that good, why are they not out there in the middle.

If you then dont get an answer you are satisfied with, go back to your box or trailer, sit for a few minutes and think about it, then if you are still not happy, go to the secretary, remember to be polite and if you can, smile, you will get more help and sympathy from the secretary if you do. She or He will then do their best to resolve the problem.

Please Note Though

In Showing Classes - it is the Judges opinion of what he or she sees put forward on the day, they cannot possibly watch every animal 100% of the time, and because they do not agree with your opinion does not make them a bad judge

Judges are human, and like everyone else, can make mistakes

The Judges Decision is final, do not expect them to change their opinion unless there is a blatant breach of the rules, and dont expect the secretary to overturn results either

In Showjumping Classes, if you think a Judge has missed a fence down or a refusal, do tell the Ring Steward, and if you have to go and see the Judge, do wait until the competitor in the ring has finished their round before communicating. In showjumping, if the judge has made a genuine error, it is possible to correct the scores.

Please read the MARC Rule below, and from us all, have a very good summer

Rule 12B

1)    The Midland Association of Riding Clubs have adopted a Zero Tolerance approach to the type of abuse as in Rules 12a & 12b. Any club should report any such abuse to the Association. The Association will then report this fact to all the clubs and shows signed up to support the Zero Tolerance Initiative, the member, rider, competitor, owner will then be automatically suspended from all events organized by these clubs. The matter will then be referred to the Stewards Committee in the normal manner. The member, rider, competitor or owner will remain suspended until such time as the Stewards Committee have resolved the issue

Update - February 09

So far, 3 competitors, parents and families have been banned from competing at any MARC organised event or any show affiliated to MARC. That is over 40 shows in the area they cannot go to, clinics, demonstrations and championships they cannot attend. Dont let the 4th one be you