Petition Status Jul 25. 2010 | Comments (0)
As of Sunday, July 25, 2010 we have 110 Signatures. There may be 2 or 3 that we can't use as some signed on without listing their actual names. We will notify them to either correct that or withdraw. As you all know for this petition or any petition you must list at least your name; a membership number would also be nice but not necessary.
I am pleased to see the many comments which are generally all in agreement that this new Certification Program is unnecessary for already licensed officials and does nothing but add additional expenses to all of us. Please don't be fooled by the "Only $30 fee as that is as false as pie in the sky. You will all be faced with additional clinic fees, expenses for travel to and from and additionally they want us to apply, be observed by one of 5 or 6 (apparently self appointed) individuals to see if we can do the job. Are they chosen by whom? Is it because a few of them hold FEI Certification? If so what has that to do with this situation; the FEI doesn't even have the same rules as the USEF. Who then evaluated and tested them? People who have been officiating years and years now need to be evaluated, tested and charged in total a lot of money for the ordinary working person who makes very little if anything to officiate at the normal horse show. Who is really going to sign on as a Schooling Supervisor when they already hold licenses to Judge Jumpers or Steward Hunter Jumper Horse Shows. I certainly wouldn't and I don't believe most of you would. So who is making money here and who is spending it? Not a bad role, I am sure the testers are being paid for this critiquing of us already licensed officials. We have to meet their convienence scheduling while for now they are all booked up for the year. Additionally I am already getting Recomendation/Evaluation Forms to be filled out for people applying; even though they already carry Large R's as Stewards with years and years of experience at major horse shows and are well known with excellent reputations; yet they need to be re-evaluated by at least 10 other officials none of which are already certified as Schooling Supervisors. Isn't this a little over the line?
It is our general opinion that this is one of the worst disorganized attempts at trying to accomplish something that most of us have ever seen.
There are much simpler means of accomplishing this; namely Schooling Supervision should become a major part of both the Steward's and Jumper Judges clinics. No one objects to that. Many of us believe that it should always belong in the realm of the Steward or Jumper Judge. There is no need to have a seperate certification program. This would only cause more confusion. Many shows have young people still in the process of learning, not truly evaluated and largely unknown by the show world. This approach would be a disaster.
On or about August 10, 2010 we will conclude this petition and it will be put in presentation form to be sent to each and every member of the Licensed Officials Committee, The USEF and the USHJA with our comments and recommendations.
If anyone has any questions please do not hesitate to contact myself thru this petition or this blog is now open for further comments and recommendations.
Thank you all very much for your support.
Bill Joyce