RCP2014#72 – New Classes Ladies/Gentlemen Driving

2014 RCP #
72
Summary
New Classes Ladies/Gentlemen Driving
Date Received
01Jun13
Proponent
Pleasure Driving Committee
Change Date
Next Rulebook
Status
Closed for comments: 01Sep13
PDC – Recommended:31July13
Activity
Initial Posting: 01Jun13

Suggested Additions

Ladies Driving Class

  1. Entries are judged primarily on the suitability of the turnout for a lady with emphasis on manners.
  2. To be shown both ways of the arena at a working walk, slow trot, working
    trot, and strong trot.
  3. Must rein back without resistance and stand quietly at any  location in the arena.
  4. To be judged 50% on manners, elegance and suitability of the turnout for a lady, 25% on skill of the driver,
    25% on Overall Impression.

Gentlemen’s Driving Class

  1. Entries are judged primarily on the suitability of the turnout for a gentleman with emphasis on manners.
  2. To be shown both ways of the arena at a walk, slow trot, working trot and strong trot. May show a degree of boldness but not excessive speed.
  3. Must rein back without resistance and stand quietly at any  location in the arena.
  4. To be judged 50% on manners and suitability of the turnout for a gentleman, 25% on skill of the driver,
    25% on Overall Impression.

Reason for change

Add criteria for new classes; “working” struck, revised by PDC after comment period.

5 Response(s)

  1. MichaelRidge says :

    August 3, 2013

    These are certainly better class specifications than those proposed last year, but I still don’t think they capture the essence of what lady’s and gentleman’s classes have been in the past. [Note: To be consistent, the class titles should be either “ladies” and “gentlemen” or “lady’s” and “gentleman’s”].

    A horse for a lady should certainly be well-mannered as well as refined and elegant in appearance to complement the carriage. Performance was also important. Descriptions of the classes from the past include phrases like — “Mrs. VanderXYZ entered the ring at a spanking trot . . .” and “Mrs. RackaABC had her little mare at a smart trot that the larger horses could not match”. The class specification should include some description of the way the horse performs; I think of terms like delicate, sparkling, graceful, stylish and neat.

    A gentleman’s horse should also be well-mannered and be a handsome horse with sufficient size and bulk to look appropriate to the larger, heavier vehicles that were commonly driven by men in the past. The class specification does include boldness as a possible quality of the performance, but I think there are more ways to describe what is expected; like polished, sharp, workmanlike, stylish and finely finished.

    I want to add to paragraph 4 of each specification: “To be judged 50% on manners, performance . . .”

    I want to add this sentence to paragraph 2 of the lady’s specification: The horse should be stylish and neat at all gaits.

    I want to add this sentence to paragraph 2 of the gentleman’s specification before “May show a degree of boldness . . .”: The horse should be sharp and workmanlike at all gaits.

  2. MikeRider says :

    August 5, 2013

    Working walk – it’s listed in the Ladies Driving Class – but I don’t seem to find that as a defined gait in pleasure driving or general rules. I don’t think you can include a gait in the class description that isn’t clearly defined elsewhere in the rules.

  3. MichaelRidge says :

    August 6, 2013

    I agree with Mike, you can’t include a gait unless it is defined.

  4. Price says :

    August 13, 2013

    I don’t like that the whole thing is sexist. I don’t mind having a Lady to drive, or gent to drive but most “ladies” I know could drive any of the men’s horses.

  5. rules says :

    August 30, 2013

    On behalf of Audrey Bostwick:

    Yes

Comments are closed.