Introduction to Part III
Welcome back to this in-depth discussion about judging Artist Resins and Customs in Halter and Workmanship according to LSQ standards. In Part I we discussed The Essentials, the mandatory points to evaluate and in Part II, we explored The Optionals, those factors with more fudge factor room for our personal judgment calls. So in this Part III, we'll wrap up with some final thoughts and a discussion about a dichotomy in our judging landscape to help set the stage. So let's get to it!...
Additional Thoughts
The state of our judging practices is chaos. At present there’s no consensus on judging standards or expectations, so each judge uses an individual set of standards with no accountability to a governing body or even a set curriculum. Until this changes, if it ever does, live showing can be unpredictable, even with a high quality piece and respected judges. Therefore, only purchase those pieces you absolutely love completely rather than those you believe will win because otherwise your experience can be frustrating and stressful. So even if your beloved model never wins, you’ll still enjoy it, which is the whole point, right? Just always remember that LSQ is no guarantee of live show success, so be sure you love your pieces for what they are, not what you think they’ll do for you in the ring.
You should also be aware of some rather pervasive LSQ myths such as the following;
- Beware—not all live show champions are LSQ due to the confusion as to what constitutes the criteria, even among judges.
- There’s not much correlation between a model’s price its LSQ status because plenty of expensive models aren't as LSQ as some less expensive models.
- Advertising a model as LSQ doesn't make it so, so don’t take that claim at face value. Research who did the piece and when, ask about care or repairs done to it, ask about return policies and if there was a show record, ask how it placed, and under what judges and when. If in doubt, seek advice from knowledgeable peers experienced in such matters.
- If a model is advertised as NAN Qualified, Multi NAN Qualified, or having won any NAN cards, don’t interpret these claims as a guarantee of LSQ. There are NAN qualified models that aren't LSQ, so take care.
- Although many artists claim to create LSQ work, again, don’t take this claim at face value. There’s little correlation between an artist’s claims, guarantees, or popularity and LSQ work. Do your research and evaluate each piece on its own terms.
- Popular molds aren’t necessarily LSQ so be careful. Use your own judgment, trust your instincts, and seek advice if warranted.
- Newer works aren’t necessarily more LSQ than older works. Granted, while skills can grow over time, LSQ is a standard independent of artistic development or trends.
- The belief that a LSQ piece has to catch one’s eye, or be pretty or flashy to be successful in the showring is misguided. The truth is that The Essentials are a fixed standard and consistent to all models, and a responsible judge won’t be duped by “pretty horse syndrome."
- You'll often hear people boast about the effort and time that went into a piece’s creation, implying that it must be superior and therefore LSQ. But the truth is that while it does take a lot of time and effort to create a LSQ model, it can take that same amount of energy to create one that isn’t, so be careful.
- LSQ is the same for all scales. Nope! While each piece should adhere to the criteria, generally the smaller the scale, the harder this becomes, particularly on minis and micros. Indeed, the smallest scales present a unique challenge simply due to their size. For example, getting the scale of anatomical features or painted aspects right is much harder than on a larger piece so implying things is often the better route. Precision also becomes more difficult as does meticulous prepping since seams and molding relics tend to obscure much more of the sculpture. So pay extra attention to minis and micros. If they adhere to the LSQ criteria as best they can, they should be difficult to identify as a mini or micro in a good photo, and hold their own against larger pieces on the table.
- A Custom doesn’t require a certain degree of alteration to be more LSQ. Now while some mistakenly believe that a more altered Custom is automatically more LSQ, the truth is that LSQ status hinges entirely on the quality of The Essentials and The Optionals, not on the degree of alteration. So what qualifies a Custom as this or that type? Well, here’s a good baseline, as follows:
- Drastic: If an experienced person cannot recognize the original mold(s) because the entire original has been changed. In short: The entire original is altered “down to the studs.”
- Extreme: So much of the original mold(s) is redone that an experienced person can only recognize some parts. In short: Most of the original is altered.
- Moderate: An experienced person can still recognize the original mold(s), but there have been significant alterations. In short: Some of the original is altered.
- Minor (or “Simple Custom”): One mold is used, which is still recognizable to an experienced person, but only small alterations have been made. In short: Only a little bit of the original is altered.
- Repaint (or “Simple Custom”): One mold is used and has only been repainted. However, it should have all molding remnants and distortions removed and perhaps some minor alterations for realism. In short: The original has been repainted, with alterations only to improve realism, leaving the initial intent of the original mold intact.
- Haired: When the original sculpted mane and tail have been removed and replaced with hair.
As for reserved rights, it’s important to accept and honor that certain artists reserve specific legal artistic rights that protect their creative works, whether finished or as blank bodies. Such rights are usually based on the intellectual property laws of Copyright law and the Visual Artists Rights Act (or “VARA”). These reserved rights need to be accounted for on a per artist basis before making any purchase and/or customized alterations. So only handle pieces that are aligned to your own sensibilities and goals in order to have a happier experience and to respect the reserved rights of any given artist.
ABC versus BCC Judging
There are two basic schools of thought at work in our judging pool in regards to what criteria should be most weighted when placing a class. This is ABC judging, or anatomy, biomechanics, and color genetics judging or BCC judging, or breed type, conformation, and color registry judging. These exist on opposite ends of the spectrum, being in direct dichotomy to each other. In the past, BCC judging was the norm, but as the '90s introduced the concept of technical viability — anatomy — that flipped to make ABC judging the more dominant form. This is because ABC judging evaluates that actual foundation of realism whereas BCC judging considers what’s preferred in either structure or type, two different sides of the same coin.
That being the case, at present, the piece that excels in the ABCs will tend to find more success in the modern showring than one founded on the BCCs. This means two things: First, educate yourself on both the ABCs and the BCCs to decide which school you personally follow and, two, research judges first to tease out which school they follow to decide if their priorities align with yours for the best results.
Most of all though, understand that nearly every piece exists on a spectrum between these two schools, presenting a continual challenge in creative choices, buying choices, and placing choices. And it’s okay to shift between priorities with different pieces because, ultimately, we should be collecting what we love most, right? Just keep in mind though that if your collection doesn’t place well under a certain judge, it’s probably not because of bias or ignorance, it’s most likely a school of judging incompatible with your own collecting priorities.
Closing Thoughts
Despite confusion and differing opinions, live show quality is certainly a tangible and discernible quality. Indeed, none of the LSQ points outlined in this guideline are arbitrary. They are proven qualities that increase the chance of show ring success based on over thirty-five years of practical experience in creating LSQ pieces and judging them along with countless discussions with highly skilled artists, insightful exhibitors, savvy collectors, and knowledgeable judges. They also aren’t impossible goals to reach since many artists create LSQ pieces on a consistent basis. Subsequently, this guideline should be thought of a set of goals to reach when creating, purchasing, or judging an equine collectible. This guideline isn’t a suggestion then, it’s an actual goalpost to clear.
Just always remember that every exhibitor and judge has a different idea regarding LSQ quality because there simply exists no standardized judging criteria at present. Therefore, researching judges before showing under them, to establish if their criteria match yours, increases your chances of success. Plus every piece exists on a spectrum of these qualities, and so each piece should be evaluated in balance with what’s also present on the table. On top of that, everyone is in a different stage of understanding these qualifications, and people are learning more all the time. Wrap it all up then, and this means a judge is using their own interpretation of their own criteria as they understand it at that moment to evaluate your entry, and that interpretation may be very different from your own. So don’t become angry, offended, or indulge conspiratorial theories if your piece doesn’t place according to your expectations. It’s more likely the unpredictably of applied criteria in live showing at work. So always remember that — at present — judging is merely a series of independently educated opinions and nothing more.
Yet nevertheless, it takes time and experience to create or identify LSQ factors, and some folks are definitely better at it than others. So study, practice, ask questions, and observe to hone your eye. And it’s always a good idea to attend many shows and study the work of others up close, and compare them against each other and against your own sensibilities. Without a doubt, it’s important to study truly great work in person to build a mental library of goals and insights. And if in doubt, always seek advice from knowledgeable, experienced peers. If you’re an artist, this study is particularly important in order to create the LSQ work that wins. If you’re an exhibitor, it’s critical to know these standards to make wise purchasing decisions and showing choices. Then if you’re a collector, it’s need-to-know information to build prestigious collections. And if you’re a judge, this is vital information in order to make sound placings that build a credible reputation. It’s all just that important!
Absolutely, the ability to objectively identify Live Show Quality is the single most important skill to learn for successful participation as an artist, exhibitor, judge, and collector. It’s also the most potent ingredient for enjoying model horse showing by better aligning your expectations. Overall then, coming to understand the discernible qualities of LSQ helps to improve your choices and therefore your experience in this vibrant and diverse community.
Conclusion
Clearly judging Artist Resins and Customs in Halter and Workmanship takes a lot more than just picking which one you think is best on a first impression. There's a tremendous amount to weigh and juggle! No wonder it's so taxing and challenging! But with a bit of insight and structure, and a better idea of what to weigh and how, it's all doable while still keeping your sanity. Because truth be told, the level of quality out there now is astounding and oh-so inspiring, it's easy to be swept away by the beauty of it all! And that's okay! It's a good thing to be bowled over by the awesomeness, so wallow in it! But when it comes down to decision-making time, we've got to have our feet on the ground in order to make the most balanced decisions we can muster at that moment. So in that spirit, take what you will from these guidelines and apply them to see how things stack up, to test your know-how, and to discover wonderful new aspects of our art form you maybe didn't notice before. There's a lot of wonderfulness to take in out there and if the Guidelines help you appreciate more of it, mission accomplished!
“Without art, the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable.”
— George Bernard Shaw
Note: This series is available as a free PDF download here.
