368 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



this is as it should be, and if so, why it should be, is something worthy of 

 the consideration of all. If it is not right just where should the reform begin 

 —with the show management, with the judge, with the exhibitor or through 

 concerted action? So far as the International management is concerned, it 

 can consistently say it has made its play and it is now up to the judge and 

 the exhibitor. 



There is another matter the judge has to contend with and that is shall 

 one animal be credited up with the advantages derived from skillful hand- 

 ling dn the ring and another animal charged up with a lack of it? I shall 

 never cease to admire the consummate skill with which some animals are 

 shown — defects largely canceled, weak covered up and strong points kept 

 ever in view. The animal that can not gracefully stand relaxation somehow 

 will not stand still at certain times — well chosen times — and the necessary 

 ' 'gingering up" is secured out of the mix up. Other entries receive the 

 necessary application of the skillfully worked "Jack screw" at the hands of 

 a showman with an unconscious air whose mind is apparently on things 

 ethereal rather than things worldy. In contrast to all this is the untrained 

 animal unskillfully shown that is by no means doing itself justice. It seems 

 a bit hard to take an overshown animal from the exhibitor and "settle" it 

 before making an award, and it looks like a mark of partiality to hold back 

 an award until an untrained animal is, after patient endeavor, made to 

 square away and show right. To do either of these things throws a judge 

 open to some criticism from the standpoint of the exhibitor of one or more 

 animals in the ring, and yet some will say that the judge should pass upon 

 the cattle rather than the skill with which they are shown. I sometimes 

 think there should be two sets of awards, one for the herdsmen and one for 

 the cattle. 



There is, then, an endless series of problems, of complications, of combi- 

 nations of each and both that confront the judge and add to the "white 

 man's burden" in passing on the big rings that appear at the larger shows. 

 Careful and presistent study on the part of all will be required to reduce 

 these to the minimum. Probably many will remain unsettled and unad- 

 justed. These I presume will be utilized in the future as in the past as a 

 topic of ringside discussions and as a space-filler in the columns of our live 

 stock journals. In this way they serve a useful purpose and we could 

 scarcely do without them. They go with the business. 



