From The Chronicle Of The Horse:

An in-depth look at the 1997 Eisers & Pessoa / AHSA Medal Finals class, from start to finish, this videotape seeks to educate young riders about what to expect from the day-long spectacle at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show that is the Medal finals.

The tape follows judges Cynthia Hankins and Ronnie Beard through the course design to the judging of the final testing. Glimpses of the extensive preparation the trainers and riders make for the class appear on the tape, with a real sense of the day's atmosphere.

Hankins narrates the evaluation of many of the rounds the judges viewed that day. She highlights the strengths and weaknesses of many different riders, explaining how she and Beard made their decisions. The tape is effective in isolating the problem areas of a round, and discussing them, rather than making the viewer wade through many rounds to understand the lesson.

The tape plays good and bad performances off one another, emphasizing what works and what doesn't. Hankins' narration illuminates the judges' perspective, clarifying what they look for and what they can't forgive.

By editing carefully and providing good narration, the producers transform a long day of showing into an educational forum. Junior riders who aspire to show at the medal finals will know what to expect when they finally achieve their goal.

Even riders who have ridden at the finals will appreciate the insight this tape provides, since they so rarely get to hear the judges' comments. Viewers can learn much by sitting and observing more than 200 rounds at the show, but it's much less painful, and more educational, to watch this videotape.

-- October 30, 1998 Issue of The Chronicle Of The Horse