Speaking for myself, it makes no difference to me at all if you show a bitch to me that you plan on breeding to one of my dogs, or if you show one of the dog's **get** to me. I am in the ring to judge the dogs ..period. Of course there are going to be times when I don't put up something one of my dogs sired. For crying out loud, I'VE bred dogs that I'm not wild about too. What people seem to forget is that judging has so many variables. I can LOVE a dog one time, then see that dog a month or two later, and it's a totally different dog. Maybe coat, weight, or attitude on that day...who knows. Same thing as when I look at my own dogs running around the yard. Sometimes I stop what I'm doing and say **oooh..THAT looks nice** and other times I wonder how THAT one snuck into the yard! It's kind of like having what we call **A Good Hair Day** vs *A Bad Hair Day*

What's worse is when a judge has his, or her integrity come into question. Or is confronted (as I have been) by angry exhibitors because of not putting a dog that you felt lacked merit up.

I have many, many friends that show under me. After all, what judge that you know does not have friends showing to them. Many of us have been involved in the breed for 20 -30 -40 years... get over the ** friend thing **..we know the faces, and many times we know the dogs on the end of the lead. It makes NO difference in my placements, and I hope my friends respect me enough to accept my decisions with grace. It isn't easy.

Trust me, we are not out there judging for the **Glory** of the job. Heck, we don't get paid for it (at Specialties at least), and often times, it costs US money to be there (housesitters, parking, etc) We are sequestered at the show and kept away from enjoying the company of our friends for fear of our decisions being **tainted** How ridiculous.

What makes it worthwhile for me to be out in the middle of the ring, is the pleasure that comes from being able to put my hands on some pretty darn nice Labradors that I wouldn't have had the chance to see otherwise.

Please, keep this in mind the next time a judge says **Thank you all for showing to me** We really do mean it, no matter what your placement was.

respectfully,
Jill Ickowski

Well said, Jill. The sequestered part is really crazy making, IMO.

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Replying to:

Speaking for myself, it makes no difference to me at all if you show a bitch to me that you plan on breeding to one of my dogs, or if you show one of the dog's **get** to me. I am in the ring to judge the dogs ..period. Of course there are going to be times when I don't put up something one of my dogs sired. For crying out loud, I'VE bred dogs that I'm not wild about too. What people seem to forget is that judging has so many variables. I can LOVE a dog one time, then see that dog a month or two later, and it's a totally different dog. Maybe coat, weight, or attitude on that day...who knows. Same thing as when I look at my own dogs running around the yard. Sometimes I stop what I'm doing and say **oooh..THAT looks nice** and other times I wonder how THAT one snuck into the yard! It's kind of like having what we call **A Good Hair Day** vs *A Bad Hair Day*

What's worse is when a judge has his, or her integrity come into question. Or is confronted (as I have been) by angry exhibitors because of not putting a dog that you felt lacked merit up.

I have many, many friends that show under me. After all, what judge that you know does not have friends showing to them. Many of us have been involved in the breed for 20 -30 -40 years... get over the ** friend thing **..we know the faces, and many times we know the dogs on the end of the lead. It makes NO difference in my placements, and I hope my friends respect me enough to accept my decisions with grace. It isn't easy.

Trust me, we are not out there judging for the **Glory** of the job. Heck, we don't get paid for it (at Specialties at least), and often times, it costs US money to be there (housesitters, parking, etc) We are sequestered at the show and kept away from enjoying the company of our friends for fear of our decisions being **tainted** How ridiculous.

What makes it worthwhile for me to be out in the middle of the ring, is the pleasure that comes from being able to put my hands on some pretty darn nice Labradors that I wouldn't have had the chance to see otherwise.

Please, keep this in mind the next time a judge says **Thank you all for showing to me** We really do mean it, no matter what your placement was.

respectfully,
Jill Ickowski

Being new in the show world, thank you for this great information.

Thank goodness, a voice of reason.

Hope everone reads your post and then stops hasseling fellow exhibitors over whom they decide to show to.

Well said Jill!

Thanks Jill for your response.

I just wanted to be sure that I wasn't questioning the ethics of the judge, she's a super lady. I just didn't want to put her in a position where she may be questioned about her choices, thats not fair.

I can't really ask her, because then of course, she'd know I was to be there.

Anyhow, I will enter her, and if I win or lose, it was only 25 bucks out and a fun day for us!

If she is your friend ask her. I doubt if friends or quaintences showing to her comes as a big shock. Again, so what if she knows you will be there?

Thank you Jill. So well said and so very true.

Half the time when I am judging I do not know who is on the end of the lead. I am looking at the dog. In a big class I may note the color of clothes someone is wearing as a maker, but like Jill, I just want to see the dogs and get my hands on them.

I do not mind friends showing to me. If they are true friends, they know that I will judge the dog to the best of my ability and place him accordingly.

Jan

This whole concept of sequestering judges just amazes me. If as an exhibitor you want to influence a judge why on earth would you wait until you are at the show site to do it? It isn't like the identity of the judge is kept under wraps until everyone gets there.
In a perfect world all judges would remain unbiased and apolitical. In the real world it just doesn't happen that way.
Kudos to those who remember their real reasons for being in the ring as eloquently stated by Jill, have the courage of their convictions and look to the dog not to the end of the lead when they make their decisions.
Regards
Dawn