At the start of the new year, the equestrian calendar is often packed with national seminars and clinics for officials, predominantly our stewards and judges, to prepare everyone for the year ahead.
The Gauteng Dressage Council hosted a Judges’ Seminar and Workshop from January 18 to 20. We caught up with Sam Foley, one of the participants in the three-day seminar and workshop, to learn more about her experience and give you a first-hand insight into the course.
HQ: Can you tell us about yourself and your riding career so far?
Sam: Hi, I’m Sam Foley. I’m an Open Grand Prix dressage rider in South Africa. I’ve been riding my entire life since I was very young, so over 30 years, and it’s my passion. I love dressage; I love the sport, but most importantly, I love the horse.
It all started because my parents were good friends with an equestrian couple who bred Hanoverians, and they went for lunch with them. They put me on one of their Hanoverians, even though I was only about two and a half or three years old, and I loved It and didn’t want to get off. They quickly realised that I was hooked and told my parents that they were sure I would be a horse rider one day, so they better start taking me for lessons. And then, slowly but surely, I went for lessons in a lunge arena at Broadacres Stables with Simon Burns, who I think owned it back in the day, and I got walked around on a pony named Rebel, and that’s how it began.
I have ridden to Grand Prix dressage level and competed internationally. I’ve done some Showing, such as Open Showing, and I used to jump as a Junior. Right now, I’m riding Lucas 911 in Grand Prix; Damon 50 has just been upgraded to Elementary, and Sira Queen has just been upgraded to Medium.
HQ: What made you decide to do the Judges’ Course?
Sam: I wanted to give back to my sport in a functional and progressive way, and I also wanted to learn more and become more knowledgeable about what I do and why I do it. I also think it’s interesting and will benefit and aid my riding. So, that was my main focus on doing the Judges’ Course.
I ultimately plan to be a judge. Obviously, it won’t be easy with my riding, so I have to either ride at a show or judge, but it’s pretty nice to be able to do both. Some of our shows are multiple days, so I could judge one day and ride the other, so I think I could make it work. Our country definitely needs some more judges, so I’d love to get involved.
I plan to take it further and one day travel as a judge to various countries and judge CDIs (International Dressage Competitions). That would just be incredible and really would open my horizons.
HQ: What was your experience of the Judges’ Course?
Sam: I haven’t studied in years, and it made me realise how much mental stamina one needs to judge for a full day. I cannot believe how much I didn’t know or even think about in terms of the riding. The information supporting what we do and the reason behind it is fascinating. I felt that the course was a lot harder than I expected, and it was jam-packed with a lot of information, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would recommend it not only to people who want to be judges but to riders as well and to coaches, especially because I really learned a lot in terms of the polish and finishing of each movement and what the judges are looking for.
HQ: Do you know how to become a dressage judge? If so, could you explain it to us?
Sam: So, basically, because I’m a Grand Prix rider and I’ve ridden past Prix St. George, I’ve been fast-tracked, which is quite nice. The fast track is part of a movement to encourage the progression and advancement of judges so that we get more up-and-coming judges in the country, which is what we need and will be valuable to our sport.
The process of becoming a judge would usually be that the judge would write their exam, which is something that I will write next week. For this, there’s a lot you need to know, but you must also have a good knowledge of the FEI rule handbook and the DSA handbook rules for 2025. You obviously have to learn the definitions and the purpose of various movements and regulations. It’s a three-hour online, open-book exam, and then once you do that, you have to do three shadow judging sessions. In other words, you sit and judge a rider, and the main judge, the mentor judge, will compare your scores to her scores and see your difference. You’re allowed a slight difference in scores from the main judge; otherwise, you are not on the correct threshold of the judging code.
Once you’ve done your three shadows, you must do at least three sit-ins per grade. Sit-ins involve scribing, listening, hearing what the judge says per movement, and asking relevant questions. Then, of course, each grade has an exam you write first. As you go along, you repeat the process for each level.
However, being fast-tracked, I could complete Prelim, Novice, and Elementary in one go. I have just completed one shadowing, so I have two more to do after I write the exam next week. Then, I’ll have to complete my three sit-ins. Once all this is done, I will be a Prelim, Novice, and Elementary judge. So, that’s what it takes to become a judge.
HQ: From what you learnt, has it been valuable to you as a rider, and will you be able to implement it?
Sam: Yes, of course. It’s been extremely valuable to me as a rider. I’m excited to try and put everything I’ve learned into practice. We go into the ring to get higher marks, and hopefully, these things stay in my mind while I put them into practical use, and my scores increase accordingly. It was a great experience, and I really hope that everything has sunk in!
HQ: We wish you all the best in your exams and look forward to seeing you in the ring and the judges’ box this year!