April 22nd - May 6th
You enter the ring and a hush is cast over the rumoring crowd.
"Welcome,"
says the judge, his voice booming over the intercom. You, along with
your horse and several other competitors, lift expectant eyes to the panel. There is
a familiar must in the air. The smell of potential victory. You are brimming with confidence.
your horse and several other competitors, lift expectant eyes to the panel. There is
a familiar must in the air. The smell of potential victory. You are brimming with confidence.
"- to Uniqueness Quantification."
A prolonged silence ensues, the crowd growing restless. You hear the
shuffling of people in the stands, horses's hooves pawing against the hard ground,
tails swishing to and fro. Minutes pass and the judges whisper something to one another.
shuffling of people in the stands, horses's hooves pawing against the hard ground,
tails swishing to and fro. Minutes pass and the judges whisper something to one another.
"You are being judged now."
Almost instantly, your back stiffens. Like hairs on the back of one's neck, uniformly,
your opponents stand erect, too. You are all at attention like overwrought soldiers. One by one,
the judges instruct you to lead your horse to the center of the ring, pause for a moment's time, and
then return to your designated spot in line. You can almost feel the judge's eyes bore through your skin,
despite it being your horse (and others) who are being judged. Their scrupulous gazes are wrought with prudence.
your opponents stand erect, too. You are all at attention like overwrought soldiers. One by one,
the judges instruct you to lead your horse to the center of the ring, pause for a moment's time, and
then return to your designated spot in line. You can almost feel the judge's eyes bore through your skin,
despite it being your horse (and others) who are being judged. Their scrupulous gazes are wrought with prudence.
"There is one and only one,"
the judge repeats, his voice hauntingly monotone. For ten minutes, there is nothing
but silence and the occasional murmur from the opinionated drove of equestrians in the coterie.
Almost subconsciously, your hands tighten around your horse's reins. Its nostrils flare and it bobs its head.
He/she, too, is growing impatient. Again, the judges amass. Words are exchanged and papers are handed back and
forth from one another, scrawled on, then meticulously looked over. They exchange glances as well as nods before the judge
who has done most of the announcing takes the microphone in his hands again, leaning only slightly slightly forward. He clears his throat.
but silence and the occasional murmur from the opinionated drove of equestrians in the coterie.
Almost subconsciously, your hands tighten around your horse's reins. Its nostrils flare and it bobs its head.
He/she, too, is growing impatient. Again, the judges amass. Words are exchanged and papers are handed back and
forth from one another, scrawled on, then meticulously looked over. They exchange glances as well as nods before the judge
who has done most of the announcing takes the microphone in his hands again, leaning only slightly slightly forward. He clears his throat.
"It is unanimous. This year's winner of Uniqueness Quantification is..."
This is Shale Creek's first ever event, and it was created in hopes of encouraging more mixed-breeds to register with the AGHR. However, ANY breed can enter UQ. In this event, horses are judged according to "uniqueness" (by this, I mean markings). The horse that the judges decide is the most unlike any they've seen before will win. There is also a second and third place rank. Any horse who places fourth is worthy of "honorable mention". Simply because this is a promotional event for the AGHR (the mixed/grade horse registry I run) mixed-breed horses WILL have precedence over purebreds, but that doesn't mean purebreds have any less chance of winning.
Rules:
- Pictures can NOT be photo-shopped for any purpose other than cleaning up manes/tails/minor shadow errors/etc. I want the marking(s) to be naturally occurring, that way it is fair for everyone who enters (by naturally occurring, I mean your has horse to be born with the marking(s) or it has to have been created in CAP, not in any sort of photo-editing program).
- Fancy poses or "frankensteining" will not earn you extra points. However, I would like the entries to look nice, because they will be featured on this page.
- Much like a halter show, I would like the horse being lead in the picture. However, I would rather the handler not be included in the photo.
- The picture should be taken in an indoor ring of some sort to create a kind of uniformity between the pictures. Lighting must be good. No deceiving shadows cast on the body.
- No horse is excluded from the event UNLESS they are unrealistically colored/conformed. You know what a horse looks like. Please don't try to enter your Sims 3 rendition of My Little Pony. Foals are allowed.
- At least two photos are required: a left and right side-view of your horse. A third head-shot is optional. For the contestant picture here on this page, I would like for it to be a full body side-view of either side of your horse (the contestant shot can count as one of your two pictures being used for judging).
- No saddles please. I don't want the body covered. Halters only.
- Mane must be pulled or braided in order to allow the judges to clearly see any markings that may be on the neck or forehead.
- You can enter as many horses as you like, but only one of your entries can place.
Ranks and prizes:
1st
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2nd
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3rd
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4th
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To enter:
Horse's show-name:
Horse's gender:
Horse's breed(s):
Site/stable name:
Handler's name:
Submission (at least two pictures required):
Comment (state what exactly it is about your horse you think is unique):
Horse's gender:
Horse's breed(s):
Site/stable name:
Handler's name:
Submission (at least two pictures required):
Comment (state what exactly it is about your horse you think is unique):