POINTER
THB3d on Pointers JUDGING I t was late on Sunday evening and I had just returned from a show where I saw some incredible dogs being judged… well, incredibly!! My four-legged girls were all tucked in for the night when the phone rang. It was my friend, Joyce Mumford, who implored, “You’ve got to help me!!” “With what?” says me, somewhat perplexed. “I need you to write an article on how to judge Pointers and I need it… now!” I said that it was late and that I had driven a long way and I was somewhat fuzzier than normal so, of course, I replied OK. She is my friend, after all, and she needed help… now! So here I sit, pencil in hand, late on a Wednesday evening, and I have finally realized that I don’t have a clue on how to write an article to tell you how to judge Pointers. I will, however, try to tell you how I judge Pointers. A good Pointer, when he enters your ring, has a bit of an attitude—a little bit of arrogance—with his head held high and his nostrils large and flared. A good Pointer is moderate in size; not too big and over- done (males 25"-28" and females 23"-26" at the shoulder), and not too refined. From the tip of his somewhat upturned nose to the tip of his shortish tail, he fits. He has good balance. He is in proportion. I judge good Pointers on the premise that shorter is always preferable to lon- ger—EVERYWHERE. Shorter-backed is better than too long. Shorter loin is much better than too long. Shorter ears are way better than too long, and they should be somewhat pointed—never round—with thin, thin (almost see-through) soft leather. Not Foxhound-like—not ever! Our standard says that the tail is: “Heavier at the base, tapering to a fine point. Length no greater than to hock.” I find this to be fairly self- explanatory. You would be amazed at those who miss this point. It does not mean that the tail must come to the hock. It means what it says, “... no greater than to hock.” Again, a shorter, or bee-sting, tail is better than a long tail and it will likely be straighter. Long gives a multitude of problems. They hang, as in an unhappy Bloodhound or, as they are often set on too high or level, they curl or worse, stick straight up at twelve o’clock. All are equally offensive.
BY TOM BRADLEY
280 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, SPRING EDITION
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