We have been actively showing our Shelties now for over 10 years in both Conformation and Obedience. Although we would never claim to be experts, we feel we have gained a deep understanding of how this all works. As we have matured, kennel blindness has become less of an obstacle to understanding the true mechanics of judging technique.
Everyone has his or her own style, likes and dislikes. I assure you that I would like certain traits in a Sheltie that the next breeder would not. Why should a judge be any different? Judging is subjective and a judge's background plays a large role in the type of dog they will like. So it is only natural after a breeder follows judges for many years that they will come to know and gravitate towards the judges that like their type of dog. By the same token we stop wasting entry fees on those judges that do not like our type of dog.
Why then on one given day will a judge put your dog up for Best of Breed over specials and then two weeks later the same dog can not get out of the classes? How much of a part does politics really play in whom wins? To be sure there are some things going on out there that are just not right. But by and large, I have come to believe that most judges do a very good job.
For sure the handler that grooms and shows dogs week in and week out is going to do a better job on average than the part time breeder handler does. So why is it a surprise when they get a high percentage of the wins? I have watched the top handlers in the ring. In general, their dogs are better groomed, better trained and better handled. Can we blame a judge for rewarding this? My biggest owner handled victories have come on days when both my dog and myself have really been on. Is this a coincidence?
What about the days when you really have the best dog and you still don't win? Well, the first thing to realize is that maybe your dog was just not the type of dog this judge liked. Therefore in his eyes your dog was not the best dog there. Why are some judges very popular and others never draw? Well I believe the answer to this is many faceted. Certainly personality plays a factor. If a judge is polite, treats your dog well, seems fair, and seems to know what they are doing, this will go a long way. Generally, there is a ringside consensus as to whether everyone can figure out what a particular judge is looking for, be it type, head, movement, structure, or overall dog. If not there is usually a feeling of mistrust. So, consistency plays a big part. The out and out crooks become easy to spot after a while. There are some judges that put up handler 'A' for every award (or some award) at every show that handler 'A' goes to under that judge. Worse yet, you can literally see handler 'A' following that judge all over the country. These wins seem to come no matter what type dog handler 'A' brings to the judge. Is it possible that handler 'A' always has the best dog at every show? I doubt it! These are the judges who, in time, can't draw an entry, and why should they? So we forget these judges and go to the ones who earn and deserve our trust and our entry fees.
As I said before, the majority of judges fall into the 'good' category. But there is one last area that differentiates these judges from one another. Do they really judge the standard? I think that most judges study and know the basics of the standard. Certainly the breeder judge, who specializes, generally knows type better. On the other hand the all-around judge has lots of exposure to structure and movement. With all the different breed standards that the all-around judge must keep up with, is it fair to expect them to know every minute detail of every standard they judge? Maybe, maybe not.
We have a very fine bitch with excellent head detail, lovely eye and expression, good structure and movement, natural ears, good showmanship, etc. Her only definable faults are a narrow chest, and a fitted, plush coat. We have had this bitch with several handlers and received no wins. The only point she ever won was owner handled, in the summer time, totally out of coat. I read the standard. A narrow chest is a fault; along with ribs and brisket it can account for up to 10 points out of 100. I would dock her 5 points here. Under the coat section of the standard, a short coat is a fault, but the standard refers to "mane and frill being abundant and particularly impressive in males". So, how much less is considered acceptable in females who go through seasonal and hormonal cycles that make it virtually impossible to get the kind of coats that are possible on males? Also, the coat part of the standard refers to evaluation of correct double coat, straightness, how the hair lays, how much hair is on the tail, etc. Did you know that with all these factors to consider, the standard only allocates 5 points out of 100 to coat? So, how many points should our shorter-coated bitch that has correct double coat that stands out, is correctly straight not wavy, and long as required on the tail, be docked? By the standard I would say maybe two points. Then why is she being overlooked? Our handlers have told us that the coat has been the issue. The only thing we can figure is that the judges just don't know the points allocations in the standard. Excessive emphasis on coats is forcing breeders and handlers alike to use cheque drops in attempts to get coats to compete. Did you ever read the potential side effects listed on this product? Besides being wrong, I could never consider doing that to one of our dogs.
We have another dog that is gorgeous and he is winning, but not like he should be. His only problem is that he is not particularly keen on 'using' himself. He is balanced. He moves like the wind. He holds his stack. He doesn't shy from the judge. I read the standard. Under temperament it says, "may be reserved towards strangers but not to the point of showing fear or cringing in the ring". Our dog doesn't do these things in the ring. I go to the 'Scale of Points' - nowhere are points allocated to showmanship. Now I understand that all things being equal, showmanship might be a viable tiebreaker. But if our gorgeous, structurally correct, good moving dog with correct Sheltie temperament is the best dog there, then the way I read the standard he deserves the win, not the less correct specimen that stands up and shows. It might be argued that expression is a function of a dog 'using' himself. The 'Scale of Points' says - eyes, ears, and expression are worth 10 points. This dog has a beautiful eye, as good natural ears as you will find anywhere, and our handler has been wonderful in getting expression even though he is not helping her. So, how many points could this part of the standard cost him. I would say 2 points tops.
The whole point of this discussion is that the standard was written for a reason. It was meant to embody the qualities that make our breed unique and special. To reward inferior animals because of ignorance of the standard is to degrade the long-term integrity of the breed. The judges who care have a responsibility to learn the standard and judge by it to their best ability. The political judges, the bad judges, and the judges who simply don't know the standard, or don't judge by it should not be supported with entries. They only do a disservice to our breed. Let's face it, the big winners get used more in propagating the breed. Judging integrity is an important factor in the direction a breed takes.
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· Friends & Pets · Sheltie Tetherball · The Grapevine · Seasonal ·
· Rescue · Sheltie Links · Awards · Contact Us · Site Map ·
© 1999 - 2001 by John E. Rueckert - All Rights Reserved