JUDGING AT SHOWS 73 



Tricks by Exhibitors. A judge in a hot ring has many little 

 annoyances; for instance, there is the showman (and it is his 

 right) who brings in an animal that possibly drops a little in the 

 back, with possibly an inclination to sag too much, and while the 

 judge is trying to find this out, the showman is continually bump- 

 ing the animal on the nose to keep its head down and its back up. 

 It is also amusing often to find an exhibitor who is continually 

 squatting beside or in front of his animal and patting it, trying 

 to attract the attention of the judge to certain points that he 

 thinks might be overlooked. Let me say to this kind of exhibitor 

 that the judge will find all the good points quickly; what the 

 judge is looking for is the weak ones, and if he knows his business 

 he will find them. 



Really the best showmen, who are not only good winners 

 but good losers, say very little to the judge unless asked a ques- 

 tion, and this id as it should be, for the judge knows that the 

 whole responsibility is on his shoulders and he is willing to take 

 this responsibility without, rather than with, the advice of the 

 owner or showman. 



I always like to have the animal that I am judging walk off 

 naturally and without an attendant. I think this quite import- 

 ant, as it will many times show up defects that an expert showman 

 will completely hide from the judge if the showman is allowed 

 to show that animal all the time. With this idea in mind, I in- 

 variably stand where I can see the animals come into the ring 

 from their pens. 



If you are fortunate enough while showing to win the blue or 

 purple let that joy be confined in your heart; if you are so un- 

 fortunate as to lose let that disappointment also be confined in 

 your heart and try to appear a good loser. It really requires a 

 ''good sport " to be a good showman, and especially to be a good 

 loser. The judge canuot in his decisions consider the desires or 

 hopes of the exhibitor, but; must at all times make the awards 

 according to his judgement and not be influenced by the ringside. 



