QUESTION FOR ALL SHOWSIGHT READERS Is enough training and emphasis given to the mentoring of new judges? What can be done to ensure they have the tools they need? Thank you to everyone who offered opinions on this month’s topic. The following is a selection of the responses. Want to voice your opinion to the fancy? Follow ShowSight’s Facebook page for the monthly question prompt!
YES!
Yes. The problem is that many of the aspiring judges don’t make the time to take advantage of it all. Also once approved they never have to have any continuing education. –Kari Hill Yes. Most breeders in specific breeds offer mentoring through their national and regional clubs. Make sure that the clubs know that this is a part of their function and the club needs to be receptive to requests for assistance from new judges. –Anonymous I would say overall yes but I think it would greatly improve judging if judges were required to actually see and possibly experience a dog/breed performing the task it was bred for— watch a hunting trial appropriate for the particular breed, go on a dogsled ride, watch a water and draft tests, etc. Dogs that especially have poor movement are being rewarded in the ring when they could not stand up to actually performing the job they were bred for. Also require them to attend, maybe more than once, Pat Hasting’s seminar. –Anonymous I think it is safe to say that most new judges have been mentored by someone, or several someone’s. That does not necessarily mean they know how to evaluate dogs. Having an eye for a dog is learned by breeding dogs, being honest about your own dogs and never settling for finishable, instead of really spectacular. –Anonymous Yes. You can’t mentor having an eye for a dog. A person either understands structure and movement or they don’t. No amount of mentoring will help. Once a person studies a standard, understands the disqualifications and has taken a Judges Seminar on a breed, they should know enough to be able to distinguish between a good and bad specimen of a breed. –Anonymous Yes. There are numerous opportunities in most breeds for new judges to become knowledgeable. Time and effort are required to obtain the needed knowledge. Unfortu- nately, many judges are more interested in obtaining new breeds than becoming better judges of their current breeds. –Bonnie Linnell Clarke
The mentoring pro- gram is good. What I feel needs to be added is a requirement for the appli- cant to attend a working event if available for the breed. For example, field trails for gun dogs, lure coursing for sight Hounds and water trails for water dogs, etc. By attending
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these events the standards become alive and one has a bet- ter understanding why specific aspects are in the standards. –Richard Hilderman Yes. As a field rep I saw many new judges. Many could have benefited from more mentoring in how to make judging decisions. Mentoring from experienced judges would be valu- able. Annie Clark was a great one to teach judging decisions. Find this type of judge to talk with. I would turn the question around and restate as, “Are new judges seeking out enough (and proper) mentoring.” As an ancient proverb teaches: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink. I believe many judges do seek out mentoring and work hard at understanding the nuances of a breed; but unfortunately, there are many that seem to be on a paper chase and seem less concerned about true learning. Finally, learning shouldn’t stop when a judge becomes approved for a new breed. In real- ity, that’s when the true learning will start. –Kurt Anderson “THERE ARE NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES IN MOST BREEDS FOR NEW JUDGES TO BECOME KNOWLEDGEABLE.”
100 • S how S ight M agazine , J anuary 2017
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