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Judges Comments

I was at a show a few years ago when I found myself in the ring with a woman who is a judge. Well known for that matter. Today she was showing her dog. As we left the ring she looked at me and said "you need to tell your friend she has her new dog out with the wrong person" I didn't think much of it at the moment but I told my friend what she said and of course it turned in to a nightmare. Friend didn't believe me and judge denied she said it. They typical scenario lol.
I was used as the messenger and I was upset about that BUT what really made me upset was..........I thought judges were supposed to be looking at the end of the leash (the end near the dog)!!!!!
The handler is very good at handling although not well liked by other people. So, that leads me to my concern.
If a JUDGE would say this out loud how can anyone who is not well thought of or well known ever win???? Does this mean they could have the very best dog best handling but if they are not part of the "in" group they won't win?

Re: Judges Comments

Welcome to the world of show politics. It is what it is, and will never change. Sad but true with some judges. Not all.

Re: Judges Comments

Sad, and just so much of it these days. We wonder why small numbers but you look at judges and know who is political/friends, and say why bother to enter. You can guess the outcome. Do they think we don't see and talk about it as far as "real ethics" go. Yes, there has always been that in shows. Too bad it is not the "sport" we fell in love with. It is the worst we have seen now.

Re: Judges Comments

It is a very sad situation as it is now, even over here when you go to enter a show and see who is judging its like nope won't bother we know who is going to be put up. You are right, this is why numbers are falling and I paid the same entry as the next person but its not a level playing field. I was showing recently ( all breeds show) and for what ever reason was watching the working group judging. A exhibitor standing behind us was giving a quiet running commentary on who was going to be put up and she got all the group correct, it was a judge putting up other judges. The problem I see with this apart from the obvious is that people then start to believe that the dogs they are seeing winning are correct for that breed, yes some are but more often than not they aren't. This is why I believe you are now having this big argument about your breed standard, because some judges are putting up heavy in coat bone and substance with heads like Rotties dogs, people are breeding that particular dog to win under those judges. Now I can not comment on the dogs that won at Westminster because I do believe that you need to see the dog in person to comment, but I have gone back and had a look at these winners past dogs and they certainly had more length of leg and not so over done in years gone by. Why now are they breeding what they are, because they win. If Judges at the very least stayed within the breed standard for judging then they would start breeding back towards what they should be. Yes sorry this is a bit off the OP topic, and there again I can't comment on handlers as we are not allowed professional paid handlers, which I actually think is a good thing.

Re: Judges Comments

Is it because the person is not well liked or do they not do the dog justice?

I talked to a well-known breeder judge years ago and she gave WB, BP at a huge specialty to a breeder she absolutely did not like, but she said in all fairness, as much as it killed her to so, she could not deny her puppy.

To newbies, it may appear a handler is doing a good job, but to a seasoned breeder/judge, perhaps another handler could get more out of the dog. It also helps to know how judges like dogs presented to them and watch the previous classes to see how dogs are being shown to the judge and what they prefer. Some judge like the dogs hand stacked and others prefer free baited. A handler must be versatile, flexible and paying attention.

Yes, there are politics, but it's also an easy excuse as to why you didn't win.

Re: Judges Comments

Maybe we think we know what dogs will be put up by certain breeder judges because it just so happens that that's what that judge likes, not who that judge likes. If you've been in this sport long enough, you will definitely know who likes what. It stands to reason that maybe those who breed similar styles admire each others dogs and it's never a surprise when a judge happens to put up a dog that resembles what they may be breeding or a dog who has the qualities that the judge is trying to create in their own kennel. To my mind, it's only political when the judge doesn't have a clue and then looks at faces. But don't stay home. You'll never know how well you'll do, who else will be there, which dogs will be there and what the judge will have to choose from if you stay home. The only thing you'll definitely know is that your dog won't get looked at if you're not in the ring.

Re: Judges Comments

"But don't stay home. You'll never know how well you'll do, who else will be there, which dogs will be there and what the judge will have to choose from if you stay home. The only thing you'll definitely know is that your dog won't get looked at if you're not in the ring."



Mmm-hmm. The other thing you will definitely know is that you are not making points for the judge's friend for whom the fix is in.
The only way most of us can make a statement against the political judges is by withholding our entry dollars.
Sorry. At today's prices, I vote with my dollars and I am not going to waste my time and money on the outside chance that the judge's buddies who follow her from assignment to assignment aren't going to happen to show up this time.
Nice try, though.