CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX. 



JUDGING SWINE SHOWS. 



There are many good Judges; men who not only know 

 the correct type and conformation of show animals of the 

 various breeds, but are men above reproach and can 

 always be relied on to be absolutely square and honest in 

 their decisions. The matter of selecting the best three or 

 five animals, as the rules in the premium list require, is 

 no small task. 



The first thing the Judge must do when he steps into 

 the arena is to forget all friends and know no man. He 

 must judge the hogs only and let no personal feelings en- 

 ter his mind. If his brother or son should be showing in 

 the ring he should be a man of strong enough character to 

 turn down their animals, if not worthy, just as quickly as 

 though shown or owned by an entire stranger. 



The Judge should not attempt to pass on the animal 

 unless he has in his mind a true picture of what the animal 

 of that age and that breed should be. Of course no animal, 

 even a show animal, is perfect. 



After carefully examining each animal of the class under 

 view, and finally deciding which, in his opinion, is the best, 

 let him pass this without further attention and consider 

 which is the second best. It is usually much easier to find 

 the first prize animal than the third, fourth or fifth, but 

 after the judge compares points, conditions, general type 

 and conformation, and has his mind made up, let him line 

 these animals up as first, second, third, fourth and fifth as 

 the case may be, for the clerk to take the entry number 

 and write the proper names and the award in the book. 

 Then he should by all means be ready to compare these 

 animals in the presence of the bystanders, explaining why 

 he gave this one first over that one and so on. It is sur- 

 prising to a Judge sometimes to find what great satisfac- 



