Judging Etiquette?

[LynneB]

At the show before last, Pheobe won her class, but at the last show, the judge did not ask her age and did not even look at her in the final line up. Needless to say she was not even shortlisted. I do expect the same chance as everyone else.

[Jane S]

At the show before last, Pheobe won her class, but at the last show, the judge did not ask her age and did not even look at her in the final line up. Needless to say she was not even shortlisted. I do expect the same chance as everyone else.

That's showing for you, lots of ups and downs, you can win one week and be unplaced the next, it happens to everyone. Not every judge asks the age (most do, if only to break the ice but it's not a requirement) and not all judges are polite - you learn to avoid the ones that aren't.

[JaspersMum]

We've only shown a few years but have kept a note of our judges from the start along with how many were in the class, how we were placed.  Then a few have comments from "never show under again" to those with gold stars.  Not all relate to how we were placed, some are just down to being given a fair chance.

If it's any consolation the same applies across many (if not all) breeds!  Good Luck and hope to see you at a show soon. 

[LynneB]

At the show before last, Pheobe won her class, but at the last show, the judge did not ask her age and did not even look at her in the final line up. Needless to say she was not even shortlisted. I do expect the same chance as everyone else.

That's showing for you, lots of ups and downs, you can win one week and be unplaced the next, it happens to everyone. Not every judge asks the age (most do, if only to break the ice but it's not a requirement) and not all judges are polite - you learn to avoid the ones that aren't.

I would have thought that the first thing they ask is age, it helps them to judge fairly bearing in mind the age of the dog. But maybe that's just me (as a trainee judge)

[Brimbeck(Dyllan)]

Well I'm a nobody, with a dog with a CC it can happen.
Some judges are fab, the others well don't go under them again!
Sounds like you came across a poor one and silly them for making it so obvious!

[sueneil]

Jane's comments are spot on. Judging is a privilege in my view.Every dog deserves equal treatment and evert exhibitor should be treated with equal courtesy. I recall many moons ago when I was stewarding our breed,the judge informed me he knew he had a top winner in the entry and suggested I might point it out as he mighnt recognise the dog. Needless to say my advice was that he needed to judge all the dogs according to the standard- there was no way I would point it out!! Has judging moved on? Well I guess it's like everything that involves people- some good and some best committed to the little blabk book of "never again"

[Jane S]

I would have thought that the first thing they ask is age, it helps them to judge fairly bearing in mind the age of the dog. But maybe that's just me (as a trainee judge)

How does it help you to judge fairly, just curious? I do usually ask the age but not necessarily in every class (it's obviously more relevant in puppy classes than the higher classes)

[Jane S]

Has judging moved on? Well I guess it's like everything that involves people- some good and some best committed to the little blabk book of "never again"

Aint that the truth

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

This reminds me, one of the men at our ringcraft class had said that his saluki only ever gets beaten by one dog...the crufts winner...

He was saying the crufts saluki never did very well until the owner asked a young lad of 12 to show him and now voila he won crufts and everything else....

[Nicola]

If it's any consolation (probably not much ) field trials are pretty similar. Simon (Caoimhe's trainer) is one of the 'big names' in trialling and there are judges that it's just not worth expecting anything under. There's always going to be an element of 'who you know' in any judging sport, I think that's just life and human nature and you have to roll with the punches. Caoimhe ran in another trial 2 or 3 days after she had her first Open win, according to Simon she ran even better in the 2nd trial than in the one she won and made the best retrieve of the day (and if he says that then it's true, he's by far the harshest critic of his dogs and will tell me if she doesn't perform at her best) but what did she get? A ticket (certificate of merit) - if she'd won she would have become a FTCh that day - but that's trialling for you, highs and lows! If nothing else it's taught me to be very pragmatic

Trialling also has the added frustrations of only having a relatively very short season in which it takes place, and you have to go into a draw for pretty much every competition you enter as obviously there's only a limited number of places (maximum of 18 in a Cocker trial) and they're always oversubscribed so even getting a run is difficult enough let alone winning - all part of the fun though

[JaspersMum]

This reminds me, one of the men at our ringcraft class had said that his saluki only ever gets beaten by one dog...the crufts winner...

He was saying the crufts saluki never did very well until the owner asked a young lad of 12 to show him and now voila he won crufts and everything else....

Like everything else, that works both ways as often DD Meg as a Junior handler has been overlooked as a junior as have many of her friends.  This year has seen a real turn round with Juniors in the Groups at some of the biggest championships but that in part is a drive by the Kennel club to promote junior handlers as up and coming judges.  We struggled to even find breeders willing to sell us a pup as Meg was a Junior handler.

Luke has been extremely lucky to have the success with the Saluki but I wouldn't necessarily put it down to giving a cute kid with dog 

[Jane S]

There's always going to be an element of 'who you know' in any judging sport, I think that's just life and human nature and you have to roll with the punches.

Absolutely - I actually think it's the same in any competitive activity where there's any kind of subjective evaluation, from ballroom dancing to flower arranging It's comforting to hear it's the same in field trials though - and yes you just have to accept that sometimes (not all the time) things will happen which aren't fair so you just have a quick moan and then forget about it and look forward to the next time. People who show dogs and are endlessly negative and bitter about how "crooked" and "facey" it all is would probably find a non-competitive hobby a lot more relaxing as they surely can't be enjoying themselves showing their dogs

[sarah phillips]

I'm new to showing - took the hobby up 2 1/2 years ago. There's no doubt I've had mixed experiences and on a few occassions have felt overlooked but I've also had some lovely experiences too.

I'm more confident in the ring now and feel I handle my dog to better advantage than I used to. As a result I have started to be placed on occassion.

If we have a disappointing day, when the judge shows no interest, I put it down as experience and try to enjoy the day out regardless. For me it's a hobby but I recognise that for others it's more important than that and maybe that can cloud their judgement ocassionally - like others have said human nature 

[Cayley]

In agility the fastest dog that's clear wins and you wouldn't think it would be based on opinions at all, turns out you can say if my dog had gone clear he would have won. People talk about how a dog who consistantly gets faults but fast times is better than a consistent dog that is clear most of the time  .

[jennyspin]

I enjoy showing because, irrelevant as to where (or if) I am placed I get to spend time with my dogs. Really looking forward to Sunday because of that...it just a shame the OH has to come too...will have to keep him on a short lead!