Hi,
I will one day want to start on the road of judging.Is there anything i should be doing now to prepare for the time i decide to.Obviously knowing and learning all about my breed is the most important thing....which will come with time!
Should i be on the look out for seminars etc.What are the requirements for a C list judge?

Thanks
Mel

Hi Mel , have you been in touch with your breed club? I would think they should able to help to a certain extent

Melody :)

mmmm, feel a debate coming on.... so how would one become a judge of malamutes?

jay

Ha! I can answer that one. Go to the next breed seminar and the breed assessment afterwards. If you get enough questions right, they send you a form to fill in applying to go on the judges list. Then if you are lucky you may be selected to judge. I went last year, and will be going to the next seminar as it was fascinating. Very good speakers, and some very interesting people to learn from. Maybe I'll see you there :D
Jean

hi, thanks for the reply... I was basically taking the provebial due to the judging at crufts!!!

Have been to quite a few shows before we got Freya, and dident see that many judges who had much to do with mals in the first place.

We may well see you at the next breed seminar, or a club event, we still need to send or application off, its signed, and teh cheques with it, but keep forgetting to send it, although we're not sure who to send it too, or if the cheques correctly made payable to now.

Jay

I have no problems with the Judging at Crufts ...in fact the matter came up at the AGM. Under the circumstances I felt the Judge did as well as she could , given that she was being urged to hurry up by the stewards and she was trying hard to give each dog its time which , given her situation (made late by the previous judge) was difficult.

If you think *that* was bad I wouldn't like to be with you when you enter a Companion Dog Show and have a judge who thinks you have a Siberian Husky at the end of your lead ..and proceeds to judge it as such

Melody :)

By having knowledge of every breed but mals :D They judge the face at the end of the lead, don't they???? Apart from when they're selecting Windberg mals, of course, they must have a wealth of malamute knowledge :D :D

According to some people on this board , every judge is honest and never judges faces.
i have seen the oppersite side to this but as i have been labeled a novice , i don't know any better.

Peanuts

Every judge should be honest and never judge faces.

Judges are, however, human. They make honest mistakes, and they can be dishonest. After a while you learn the good ones from the rotten eggs.

:)

Read as many books as you can, concentrate on conformation and movement, listen to as many people around the rings without trying to appear too nosey. I did a general certificate in canine studies followed by a judging diploma and even now feel that I have much to learn. I had my first appointment in 1987 and although I do judge fairly regularly I am still only at 'B' list. At the end of the day if you go with own feelings and put up the dog you really feel is the best - regardless of who is on the end of the lead, whether of not you are showing under them next week and whether or not it is the current top winner, you will feel that you have done a good job. Remember dogs that win, eventually are the continuance of the breed and if they are not built correctly and have the correct temperament, you will not be doing the breed a favour. The judge in general only has one pal - the BOB winner.