Well, what if the judge has had contact with the officers...as far as breeding? I know that someone has mentioned this before...in the whole scope of all of it it's hard to get someone that hasn't had some sort of contact.
Irregardless of being a club officer, I think if you have an involvement with a judge where they KNOW you, know your dog at sight, you need to be careful about using your discretion on showing.
If you are in this long enough, you will know a lot of judges. They will be the breeder judges. If I did not show to any of the breeder judges I have become friendly with over the years, I would have to pretty much show only to all rounders. Aside from showing to judges I don't particularly respect, all rounders generally do not get big enough entries for majors. Plus I have used studs belonging to many judges. While not showing to judges like this may sound like a good idea, it quite simply is not reasonable.
Not sure I understand that comment, Nancy. But.... if people who've been in this for a good while were not allowed to enter under judges that they have been friendly with, or known, or bred to their stud dogs, or ever had a meal with, or been seen standing at ringside chatting with... well, you would have specialties with judges, with entries comprised on 2-5 year newbies and I hate to say it - the quality of dogs entered (if not the quantity) would suffer greatly. Personally, I think discussions like this one are ridiculously naive, on the face of it.
I would agree with the person that said it's hard enough to get members to help and be officers. Why would you want to "reward" them but not letting them show at the specialty??? Our officers have no contact with the judges. As far as showing to judges you know, again it's a naive statement. If you've been in this long enough, you know people who are or have become judges. As long as you don't have a "business" relationship (aside from using stud dogs), co-own dogs or have traveled with someone, you should not be barred from showing to that person.
