Judging

[dawn]

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How many years do you think that someone should be in the breed before they are allowed judge it?

 

[stonefox]

Dawn,

Think that would probably make a good topic for a poll!

Kat.

 

[dawn]

To add to the above question



Do you think that before you judge a breed you should have to pass an assesment and/or attend workshops or seminars on the particular breed you are to judge?

 

[Karen]

Do you mean any judging Dawn or Ch shows?

It sometimes makes me laugh that people get asked quite early on in their showing career to judge an exemption show where there are dozens of different breeds before they are asked to do there own.

 

[aslan]

Don't your judges have to pass exams (written and hands-on) before they can judge? :0

Here they do!

 

[Millie]

Hi Aslan,

We do now have to take an exam and assement to be able to be consided for awarding C.Cs in the breed. This can be taken at any time in whippets, I have done it and passed both even though I am not as yet on any breed judging list, as a new comer in the breed, 4 years, I'm still serving my apprentiship. But I have been in Rough Collies for 16 years, have a Champion, another young bitch with 1 CC and a res and a yearling with 2 res CCs , I'm on several breed club B list but still cannot take the exam etc because the breed council require you to have had your hands on 500 collies first. I think this just sums up the mess the KC rules are making. Some breeds will be running out of judges all together soon.

 

[dessie]

What is even more crazy is that we have 10 (??) breed clubs all of which have vastly different criteria for their judging lists AND a Breed Council who don't seem to want to be involved.

Some breed clubs seem to have a very professional and clued up approach to the whole judging list business and others don't seem to have the foggiest and talk (as my mother would say) as their belly guides them. I have applied to one breed club, plus recently submitted my updated CV, and, to date, have not received ANY communication whatsoever. When I approach the secretary I just get a load of waffle and incorrect information (and I know it is incorrect as my husband sits on the ESS Consortium, which is like our Breed Council, is a past breed club secretary (now Chairman) and awards CCs) which I find infuriating and patronising but still nothing in writing, so I don't ACTUALLY know which of their lists, if any, I am on!!!

 

[dawn]

Hi karen

I was mean any type of judging.

 

[Karen]

I think about four years seems fair, some people are in a real hurry to judge and others never seem to want to. I think also that newcomers sometimes think they know all there is to know about the breeds conformation but IMO only know it in its separate parts and not what the whole picture should be. This leads to fault judging and knocking dogs from ringside because of one thing that they can see from there. Did this myself before I judged, I used to see this dog win with what I thought was a dish face (pointer head) and only saw this bad head. First time I judged he came under me and yes perfect head really bad markings!!

I do agree that the judges list thing is absurd with wildly differing criteria and one thing I have noticed is that once a person gives tickets a few of them never want anyone else to and some of these people sit on committees and are making up the requirments for club lists.

 

[lokeren]

I think around 5 years is a good time to watch and learn about your breed as well as having some fun! I was very lucky and had a very good mentor when I was first approached to judge. He gave me some very sound advice which I have found very valuable over the years. It is do to "your messing about" (he means selecting your winners) in your mind and when you have made your decision be positive in placing your dogs. Above all handle all the exhibits especially puppies with the same care as you would want your own to be handled.

Since the JWP changed the rules on judging, many people have found that suddenly all the experience they had gained before the introduction of exams and assessments is no good at all, which means they have to start again from scratch. To give an example, my first appointment was as a substitute judge when the person scheduled couldn't attend due to illness. This was 4 AV Hound classes. I was fortunate, I had done a fair few matches, that were well attended in those days, plus I had my mentor who would sit with me at the ringside and we would discuss the virtues of each dog and see if we agreed with the judge and why we chose different placings. These were valuable lessons for me and I think saved me probably a good 10 years if I were to learn it on my own. Nowadays, all those various hound and toy classes count for very little on my judging CV and the introduction of the new rules made that experience worthless.

I had better get off my soap box! I wonder if any out there agrees with me?