Judge's Comments:
Division O: Novice OF or CM Halter Division:   Both the Grand and Reserve Novice Halter Horses were good enough to be shown and probably win the Open Division.   The PS Appaloosa Palouse was a great photo with much detail in the paint job and a great eye against a very nice background that brought out the color of the horse.   The Reserve Bay QH Mare had wonderful shading ranging from golden bay through red bay and then to dark bay.   The eye even shows an iris and a sclera.   The Honorable Mention for the OF Breyer Black Tobiano Paint Gelding was bestowed because it is very difficult to get a good photo of a black horse.   The owner managed to get cheek bars and eye detail in her photo.  Plus the horse is very photogenic.   Photo would have been better if it wasn't cropped quite so close to nose and tail.   The other Honorable Mention went to a PS Arabian stallion with tons of shading as a golden chestnut.  This photo also was certianly good enough to show in open division and place very well.   Good job everyone!

Division P: Novice OF or CM Performance Division:   A few points to help make your performance entries more competitive.   Turn you western saddle stirrups as if there were a rider sitting in the saddle.   You do this by slightly wetting your stirrup flaps just above where the stirrup is fitted onto the fender.   Then using a pencil; slide it into both stirrups which you twist inward and let the saddle sit on it's back for a day or two with the penicl left in there.   When you take the pencil out the stirrups should twist back but only to the point the side of the stirrups are now viewed toward the camera lens.   When setting up your western entry be sure to check that your breast collar "v" strap is tight back to the first cinch in between the front legs.   It should not hang loose.   Keep cheek straps away from the eye by using a little of sticky wax to hold it in place.   Check that your excess throat latch strap is tightly lying down over area that is already buckled.   The excess blight should not be blowing in the wind.   Photograph your horses with the lens of the camera aimed at the center of the barrel of the subject.   You will either have to be sitting or kneeling down to get that angle.   That way the model will be in correct scale to the camera lens and not give off a stunted or the opposite, a gangily look.   Keep the horse on a straight side profile as much as possible and your horse's head will not look distorted.   Do not take photos of your horses in live grass. The grass is out of scale to a model horse and looks it in your photos.   Use railroad sculpt for grass on a model board or take photos in dirt, dry coffee grounds, dry tea grounds, etc.   Bits shanks always turn back toward the horse.   If you lay the bar (or mouthpiece) in the palm of your hand you will see exactly at what angle a real bit shank points to. That's the old way of telling rather a bit maker knows his stuff.   You hang the bit in your hand and it will tell you how it is weighted and how it will hang in your horse's mouth.  

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