INCOMPETENT AND POOR JUDGING - Page 1

I witnessed some unbelievable and incompetent judging at SATS on Saturday, the dog judge was confused and unable to judge classes if there was more than 3 in a class. The open class was a farce, the judge lost control, and become confused. Dogs way over size and some unsound and eratic movement were winning classes. I thought correct size and movement was an important part of the breed standard. I dont think judges, who have been instructed by the K.C. to look for and not to promote these faults give a toss! A similar scenario happened at WELKS. You may argue it's not the judges fault, they are doing their best! You have to question the committees who are selecting these inferior judges and their motives. The next time a judging appointment is posted through their door requesting them to judge, Please rip it up!!!!!

YEP!! The judging was that bad! There was enough comments after the show, but people just accept it and move onto the next show. So what can be done to improve the quality of our judges, to stop poor judging and other problems, like favours, you judge our show, I'll judge you'res, showing under  close friends, partners, or judges that have had some involvement with their dogs, like training here and in Germany, exhibiters need to be whiter than white, and take the sellection of judges away from committees. In some cases there are only 1 or 2 people sellecting  the judge, I did hear 1 committee member from 1 club selected himself. It's hard enough to get entries for shows without giving people the reason to not enter. I also think judges should be retested on a regular basis to demonstrate their competence, and fit for purpose. 

lol bill the dog judging must of been confussing cause it was sunday not saturday lol bless ya but i do agree with dog judge was a free for all worst ive seen also
jeanette

You're right Netty!! It feels like Sunday today, bank holiday weekend!!!! The point I made about being in one anothers pockets, WHAT does the dog ticket and reserve ticket winners and the judge have in common!!!! they are all on the HOV committee. WHAT does the bitch ticket winner and the judge have in common!!! partners in a dog. Irest my case!!!!

i agree with you bill it would seem that people just accept it and move on to the next show, cheating has always gone on but it is worse now than its ever been and thats because people have ignored it,or maybe dont want to rock the boat in case it affects them and there placings at shows.So what can we do about it, do not appoint the bent judges the incompetent judges tell your committee that they cannot appoint such and such to judge and why,25+ years ago you would get upwards of 50 in a class now you are lucky to get 50 for the whole show, breed clubs are closing down because they cannot get the people to help or entries are so low the show costs them money and as long as this goes on we will never entice the people back into showing.
jimh

Sadly a number of (the few) exhibitors these days will enter under incompetent judges. I call them "lottery Judges" = anyone can win.

"Connections" are the basis of most awards these days. It will inevitably continue in the same way entries will continue falling.

I asked Rhoda today about showing our Omen puppies this summer, she answered "what's the point?"

"what's the point?" sums up the feeling of the vast majority of potential exhibitors, and they are almost totally ignored by those that organise our Shows and select our Judges. The future remains bleak, even for those who think they are successful, for its all in their imagination.

What is being seen today has been there from the time that I first came into the breed forty two years ago. David says that"Connections" are the basis of most awards these days.”  That sums up perfectly the first experience when I that learnt this lesson. I finished third in a class at one of my first shows that was judged by a member of the League Council. After the judging she came to me and said “I liked your dog best BUT (here it comes) you have to do your apprenticeship first“!!!  First and second places went to well known faces.  After this I became very selective in the shows that I attended.  It saved me a lot of expense and heartache.

How do we measure success when entries are so poor?  Sadly, we have to look first at the judge and the winning owners to answer this and only then we can consider the dogs on their merit.  In this period of time the future is indeed bleak.

Where are the experienced and knowledgeable people now? These are the most influential people and now is the time for them to step up and lead the way forward.  Judging standards must also improve and be rigidly applied to ensure that the correct animals only are promoted.

Mackenzie 

Mackenzie, That judge that placed you 3rd showed you the arrogance of an untouchable, I would have been furious and would have had to expose her for her attitude and arrogance.  I dont think some of the incompetent judges of today would have the balls to make a comment like that. The silence from the breed in this country is Deafening, The judge on Sunday was at the best incompetent or worst corrupt. Why do we not hear a cry for change, and to make sure it never happens again. Are the exhibiters so frightened to speak out against such procedures that they might affect their chances at future shows. If that is the case, you will let the incompetent /corrupt judges and exhibiters feel they are untouchable. I think this problem should be on every breed clubs agenda at their next meeting for discussion, to ensure that any incompetent/corrupt judges are never invited to judge at their shows.

let us not forget that the oversea,s judges are not exempt from favour judging in fact some of them are so blatant that it is beyond belief,we all pay the same entry fee, some of us will pay out a lot in fuel to get to a show and back, surely we all deserve an honest appraisal of our dogs from the judge, i know that you can not please everyone all of the time and someone has to be 1st/last etc, i am happy with any placing i get if i see that the judge has given an honest opinion of all the dogs,verbal critiques certainly help when the judge explains his placings because then you can see for yourself (ie these 2 dogs are very similar but i prefered the front reach of the first dog,) now it could be that the judge was the only one that prefered the  front reach of said dog and what he/she really means is this is my pals dog so it was always going to win.there again he/she may be 100% correct but at least you would know wheather to enter under said judge again because lets be honest most people know most people in gsd and some will be close friends but as long as the judging is honest then that should not be a problem,
jim h