ELANRA SAMOYEDS THOUGHTS ON JUDGES |
This page was last updated on: September 12, 2002
Well, naturally, before we air our thoughts, we have to let you know we will always think highly of Mrs Pam Carpenter from Queensland who gave Sheba her very first challenge, Mr R Bridgford of Victoria who gave Sheba her first group award and Mr Vincent Buionello Junior of USA who gave Sheba Her first Best In Specialty Show. These judges gave us faith in our choice for the future. There has been a time when she has been dumped by one of these too, but that's good because Sheba was not doing her best that day and we do like honest judges, and Mrs G Lesh from NSW has such a good memory that she would not give Sheba a Best Of Breed once because she was not performing at her usual standard. But we can't forgive the judge who, while in being judged for Best Of Breed once, commented "I really love your bitch, but it's the dogs that are the showpieces." It's a sin to put up an untypical, unsound dog just because it is flashy. Regardless of how flashy any dog looks it must still be able to perform the task for which it was originally bred and to survive in it's original surroundings. The hound must still be able to hunt, the working dog must still be capable of herding or guarding and the gundog must still be able to retrieve or point. Judges do have a hard time. They are in danger of losing friends solely on their performance in the ring. They are open to verbal abuse from some disgruntled exhibitors. A future, much wanted appointment could depend solely on today's decision. Other judges don't always have good exhibits, but many of them are the worst losers. But, once they enter the ring to judge, they have no friends, only dogs in front of them to judge, and no matter what decision they make someone is going to be upset. Why have we included our thoughts on judges? Because, once in the ring, they are the caretakers of all breeds. Because breeds improve or deteriorate, standards rise or fall because JUDGES allow it to happen. Their judging, their judging alone, allows worthy OR unworthy exhibits to carry the title of Champion. This is why all our bitches have had to compete against our own Sheba, and beat her to earn their titles. Then, and only then, could we be sure that they had truly earned their title of champion, and are worthy to carry on our line. And it has proven to be true. |
