The Judges:

Purebred Led & Ridden - Naomi Vance-Webb (International Judge UK/Portugal) 

"I have owned horses, or been involved with them for most of my life. My first Iberian (PRE) was Diverti Mundo, a quirky 9 year old gelding that I bought in about 1988/89 and I was hooked on the PRE from that moment on. He taught me a lot, and we did everything together including horseball, dressage, quadrille displays and lovely hacking on the New Forest, usually in piaffe or passage!

Around 1999/2000 I wanted to start breeding so purchased some youngsters from Antonio Diosdado Galan (one of the founders of the Royal School in Jerez). These 3 original horses all became UK National Show Champions, FAROL XXIX, NAPOLITANA XVII and MOLINERA XXXV. I’ve been breeding PRE’s since then on a small scale, with the aim always being to produce and breed a horse that could win in the show ring, AND do a job.

Over the 20 years of our showing history, my stud farm won more National Championship titles than any other in the history of the UK, including several with my own homebred youngsters. We were the first to bring the coveted Calificado status horses into the UK and at one point our stud boasted a total of 4. All this has been achieved owning no more than 10-20 horses at any one time, and with a very careful selection and breeding programme.

Having spent several years as a Director of BAPSH Limited (2010 - 2013 approx), I then established GBPRE as the affiliated ANCCE PRE Association for all competitions and Calificado gradings in the UK at the end of 2015/early 2016, with help from my colleague and friend, Karen Manzi and my other co-directors, and this continues to go from strength to strength. GBPRE hosted the first ever Calificado Tribunal (TRC) in the UK in 2019 which was very well attended and with excellent results for our UK bred horses."

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Partbred Led & Ridden - Adrienne Staples (International Judge UK)

Adrienne has owned horses since she was 10 years old and has been involved with the Spanish Horse, riding, breeding and judging for thirty years.  In the former part of her riding career she was a successful show jumping and eventing rider before dressage became her main focus in her early thirties.  It was this switch that brought her in to contact with Iberian Horses, meeting a new friend who owned one of the early partbreds imported into New Zealand. From this developed a passion for the PRE and an interest in classical training.  She and her husband Don stood three PRE stallions and produced many successful offspring.

Adrienne has travelled widely in Spain and Portugal visiting studs, trainers and judges to further her knowledge.  She no longer competes but still rides two of her three purebred geldings and trains just for fun.

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Hack & Hunter Led & Ridden - Julie McLean (NSW)

Ms Julia McLean from NSW is a very sought after judge with a wealth of experience.

Julia serves on the ANSA (Australian National Saddlehorse Association), Equestrian Australia Show Horse and AHSA (Arabian Horse Society of Australia) Judges Panels.

As a competitor she has enjoyed personal success at the highest levels of competition with awards including Winner Aloha Challenge at NCHS, Reserve Champion of Champions EAST COAST Arabian Championships, Top Five East Coast Cup and Champion Awards at the Australian Arabian Championships and National Championships.

Julia participates in the Horse Community as a major contributor in the creation and continuing development of the ANSA Judges Program and member of the National Management Committee, Sponsor and supporter of numerous events across Dressage, Eventing and Showing. She and her husband are the owners of Event Horses competing in Australia and the UK.

Judging Highlights include ANSA National Titles Shows, Sydney Royal Easter Show, The Royal Melbourne Horse Show, Royal Canberra Show, Andalusian National and State Championships and the Blair Castle International Horse Trials Hunter Show, Scotland UK .

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Horse & Handler, Costume & Lunging - Kim Parks (NSW)

“Like most young girls all I ever wanted to do was be with horses. I was lucky enough to have parents that indulged my passion.

In the early 70's the now "Stoneleigh Stud" was purchased at Cobbitty NSW.We owned many “perfect ponies” surprisingly I lived through every one of them, learnt a lot the hard way until in 1976 when my love for the Andalusian breed began. My mother Bev Parks, met Ray Williams, one of the founders of the AHAA and the owner of the El Caballo Blanco, stud and entertainment centre in Perth WA, where he started a cross breeding programme that would introduce, in the long term, the Australian Andalusian.

In 1977 Mr Williams built another El Caballo Blanco Catherine field NSW. I was to be the first-ever employee at NSW ECB From this my love, involvement and knowledge of this beautiful breed, grew.1981 I was lucky enough to be chosen to head up the venture to move 32 of his beautiful horses Buena Park California USA where he opened The Kingdom of Dancing Stallions and to see and experience hands, on the wonderful diversity, beautiful nature and natural calm of this incredible breed.

I returned to Australia in 1982 where, my now wife, Michelle, were able to make a living out of training these beautiful horses and their riders. For the next 15 or so, successfully involved in competing/promoting these wonderful horses. I always entered in every class that was available and gave it my all.

Because of our beautiful horses, Gallina, Diamond Girl and Manuka Montoya, I had the privilege of being the holder of the coveted Bodeguero trophy on many occasions, along with the pride of owning/campaigning 3 state and National champions titles that were achieved simultaneously and numerous times.

My competition days are behind me. I will always remember them fondly and cherish the “hands-on” knowledge and experience gained through the years, attributes I call on when I have the opportunity to participate as a Judge. I consider it an honour to be asked to continue my involvement with this regal breed and across the years, I have had the pleasure of doing so, on many occasions. Too many to list them all, hundreds of local shows, 6 State Championships, Perth Nationals and 2 x Sydney Royal Easter shows.

As of 2020 We still live on our property in Cobbitty NSW with two geriatrics down the back, one of which is Gallina's grandson.”

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The Workouts: 

Purebred -  

The judges comments for the Purebred led classes.

“I will judge the horses very much in line with ANCEE rules/judging criteria. I will prepare my own score sheets, very much in line with ANCCE sheets so I will be marking each section of the horse for confirmation (head, neck, shoulder/front, back and lumber region, hindquarters, forelegs and hind legs). As a purist, I will be looking for correctness following the breed standard. There wont be any multiplying or 25/75 percentages being applied as per ANCCEE as it is too complicated for this method of showing. Simple marks out of 10 for each element of the horse’s make up.”

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“ For the movement section for weanlings and yearlings, I do not expect them to be trotted or cantered in circles but I would like to see a clear forward moving walk and a regular trot in straight lines.”

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“The older horses, 2yrs and over, I would like to see a walk and trot in straight lines and a canter on a circle, 3-4 circles each rein.”

“Movement will be marked out of 10 in each pace.”

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What is the judge looking for in regards to presentation and conformation?

“For conformation, horses are to be stood as square as possible and videoed from both sides, front and back. I would like to see straight legs, as unblemished as possible. A slightly convex or straight profile. Loose manes for males. Traditionally trimmed manes for females and tails according to their ages however, marks will not be deducted for untrimmed mares BUT no plaited manes unless in ridden classes.”

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What the judge is looking for in the ridden classes.

“I'm looking for quality, activity and correctness in each pace so no need to do anything fancy in the lower levels. In adult/advanced age groups, show simple changes on each rein together with some collected and extended paces, also each rein.”

After discussing the workouts with Naomi a decision was made to use the official Preliminary 1A and Novice 2A dressage tests. The workouts will NOT be judged as a dressage test but as Naomi’s expectations above.