It's Friday, I'm a Judge! Breed: Carriage Breeds

Happy Friday and welcome back to the Friday judging clinic! We're back in mini breed land today, and I've got a fun little class today. 

As always, my personal judging history and credentials can be found on my About Me page. 

This week, I wanted to depart a little from using three different molds in the class. Instead, I made a class I've been affectionately calling "Oops! All Djangos!" This scenario is something you're likely to find in a class, as most OF showers tend to gravitate toward the same models. We have a really fun case of how to evaluate breed assignments when all models are on the same playing field ABCs wise. Without further ado, let's take a look at our class! 

Friesian stallion

Friesian:

• Horse that is harmoniously built and properly proportioned
• Noble head with small alert ears, lightly arched neck, and a strong back joining a croup of good length
• Long and sloping shoulder, body with good depth and well sprung ribs
• Feathering on the lower legs, long mane and tail. Preferred color is black. 

Standard courtesy the Friesian Horse Society (https://friesianhorsesociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/2018_Updated_FHS_BBR.pdf)

Horse A: Friesian 

Georgian Grande stallion

Georgian Grande

• Well-proportioned and built uphill
• Feathering is acceptable but not required
• Acceptable heights: 14.2-17 hands
• Acceptable colors: Black, bay, chestnut, gray, palomino, buckskin, pinto, champagne, dun, silver, cremello, perlino

Standard courtesy International Georgian Grande Horse Registry (https://georgiangrande.com/Fun_Photos/Breed%20Standard.html)

Horse B: Friesian Cross

Georgian Grande stallion

Georgian Grande

• Well-proportioned and built uphill
• Feathering is acceptable but not required
• Acceptable heights: 14.2-17 hands
• Acceptable colors: Black, bay, chestnut, gray, palomino, buckskin, pinto, champagne, dun, silver, cremello, perlino

Standard courtesy International Georgian Grande Horse Registry (https://georgiangrande.com/Fun_Photos/Breed%20Standard.html)

Horse C: Django

Think about how you would place this class when the ABCs are on a level playing field. Are you looking at condition? Shading? Their breed assignments? When you're ready, my placings are below the jump. ↓

The Placings:

🥇1st: Horse A - Friesian

In first place, I pinned the Friesian. To my eye, the Django mold is the most accurate Friesian in the entire Breyer lineup, even if it took ten years to get him in black. He's in great condition, with an accurate breed assignment, and minimal factory flaws, making him an easy first place pin in the class.  

🥈2nd: Horse B - Friesian Cross

In second, we have the Friesian Cross. As a Friesian mold, any of the various Friesian crosses work well for the Django mold, because those crosses can have a high percentage of Friesian, and often end up looking like a Friesian of a different color. The mold is functional as a horse - there's nothing wrong with it anatomically or biomechanically. With that in mind, Georgian Grande is an acceptable breed assignment for the Django mold. The model has nice shading in contrast to the flat black of the first place horse. I ultimately ended up pinning the black first because while the two have the same bit of extra plastic on their right hind leg, it's less noticeable on the black versus on the dun. 

🥉3rd: Horse C - Django

In third place, we have Django. Georgian Grande is a perfectly acceptable breed assignment for him, just like for the dun in this class. Django ends up third based on condition - his ears have a factory flaw and are bent. Without the ear flaw, he'd probably be second, as he's a bit more detailed than the regular run dun, giving him the slightest bit of edge over the other horse. 

How did you pin this class? What criteria did you use to make your placings without ABCs in the equation?