Question.. Attended a Specialty Show this weekend. The Steward of this show had a bitch entered and won WB day 1 and Reserve WB on day 2. Is it a Conflict of interest or against the rules to have a dog entered in the show. This is what I read from the AKC guidelines , please correct me if I'm wrong.
The first principle stewards must have in mind is
that they have been selected to help the judge and
not to advise. The steward must carefully refrain
from discussing or seeming to discuss the dogs or
exhibitors with the judge, and should not, under
any circumstances, show or give the appearance of
showing the catalog to a judge. Stewards should not
take or seem to take any part in judging.
Two stewards should be assigned to each ring when
the entry is large. One experienced steward is
sufficient when the entry is small.
No person should steward for a judge under whom
they have an entry, or under whom, in the course of
the day’s judging, such entry may become eligible
to compete.

At a specialty, the judges and the stewards and the exhibitors usually all know one another and each others dogs anyway. If not personally, through LQ, FB, and other means. It's kind of hard to have this kind of show held in a bubble.

Why not add a rule that Specialties should only feature LOCAL exhibitors. I am tired of all the lab folks from other parts of the country coming to ours and winning everything.

:)

I was there yesterday. She wasn't a steward. Didn't show her own dogs and no conflict! By the way, the bitch was very nice and deserved the wins.

AnnaH- How do you know what show I am talking about.. Sounds a little fishy

Justice, It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who you are talking about since you said, and I quote, "The Steward of this show had a bitch entered and won WB day 1 and Reserve WB on day 2". Duh!

Well she responded that owner of the WB was NOT a Steward. So the one I was at was the only speciality in the USA over the weekend? I was not trying to stir trouble. I was just asking a question. I did not even have a bitch entered nor did I say the bitch did not deserve to win. I was looking for an honest answer.