Cynthia
UKC Forum Member
Registered: Jun 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4502 |
"We are not judging statues"
I found this article somewhere. It was about conformation shows, but can be applied to shows in general. It was written by a judge to the exhibitors. I would hope that some would be able to glean some information from it and apply it to their show career.
*******************
We Are Not Judging Statues
by Lisa Dubé Forman •
In my brief five years of judging, I cannot count how many times I have
communicated to exhibitors that I am not judging a statue. I offer this
as relaxing encouragement to them while they attempt to correct their dog's
stance as it is being examined. However, many handlers persist, sometimes
in vain, to replace dog's feet in positions that the dog has already decided
were uncomfortable. Immediately after a correction, many dogs will then
go on to move their other feet. At this point, it is my policy to recommend
to the exhibitor not to bother fidgeting with the dog, as I politely tell
the handler I can feel everything I need to feel, regardless if the dog has
moved its leg or shifted its weight. Simply, I am judging a live animal
and not a statue. Some exhibitors will listen, others persist perhaps because
they perceive the dog's movement as an affront to their handling skills.
For clarity, references to handler is meant to be all-embracing, for any
person showing a dog.
Here on this point, I offer a suggestion to exhibitors. I typically walk
my dogs into their show stack. I usually do not fidget with their feet
unless they are in an exaggerated stance such as "posting." This allows the dog
to feel comfortable with the process of examination, especially the
Sighthound breeds who can be more averse to a stranger's approach and hands-on exam.
Moreover, walking the dog into a stance is much more relaxing as the dog
usually will land and stand over their ground in a comfortable position.
Remember, the sole purpose for dog shows is not a contest as to which dog
can stand still the longest, in some cases in an excessively exaggerated
posture. The purpose of a dog show is to select and adjudicate over the
best of the stock to perpetuate the breed. I will quickly digress here to
expound on my remark about exaggerated postures. One such profile example is
frequently seen in Afghan Hounds, with many of the dog's rear feet
stacked well behind the seat bones of the hindquarters. If you dropped a plumb
line from the Ischial Tuberosity (rear seat bones), it is supposed to touch
the front of the toes of the rear feet, however, due to exaggeration in
stance or construction, that plumb line, in some cases, is far forward of the
rear feet. Commonly, when stacked in such a manner and before the dog can
move, he must first bring the rear legs back up under his pelvis, with some
returning to a normal stance before stepping off. Other dogs, while
standing naturally or even four square, are able to lead off immediately with
their front leg. If such exaggerated stances were correct for the structure of
that breed, then that dog would have no need to bring its rear up and
under him first before he could lead off on a front leg.
Not all exhibitors are skilled and simply fussing. My biggest point of
disagreement while observing some exhibitors is the clumsy effort to
correct a stack by reaching over the back, grabbing the loin and pulling the
dog's hindquarters towards themselves. This action does not achieve a relaxed
stance in which the judge can reflect upon and appreciate a lovely
silhouette. Instead, this grappling produces a dog who was just dragged
into position and who now is flexed and tense. Never mind it is very
uncomfortable for observers – effectively making us cringe – and usually
the handler does not stop there. After they drag the back end of the dog over
to a side profile, they begin wrestling feet into place. This struggle is no
more graceful than the first as the exhibitor pushes and pulls, then
drags feet backwards and forward. Sometimes it is comical as the judge gives up
or is impatient and approaches the dog while the exhibitor is still
wrestling with the feet, head bent down with their buttocks up in the air. A
solution for inexperienced exhibitors is taking five minutes every day to work
with the dog by teaching it to walk forward into a stack. The stack does not
have to be perfect because, again, we are not judging sculpture. Teach or
train the dog on its show lead — not a walking lead so they can differentiate
when they are working — and train the dog to walk slowly forward as they place
their front legs straight up and down with elbows directly under their
shoulder blades, their hocks perpendicular to the ground. When showing,
if one leg is back somewhat, don't fret, leave it. If the dog's stance is
still unacceptable to you, correct it after the judge has completed their exam
and not while the judge is examining the dog. After the judge is finished,
quickly readjust or if it is a body shift then slowly walk the dog
forward one or more steps to the desirable stance. Every judge should allow the
exhibitor the few extra seconds, if the handler chooses to do so, to walk
the dog forward a step to correct a bad stack. This is courteous to do so
since it is the exhibitors hard-earned money paying the judge for the
evaluation, not vice versa. Likewise, walking into a stack is a bonus for
bona-fide judges, those not looking at their wristwatch, as most dogs
tend to relax and settle into themselves quickly. No matter the handler's
choice, just please stop wrestling.
Conformation purebred dog events have been transformed into a showing and
grooming contest. Today we observe many firmly established handling
habits. Exhibitors will place huge emphasis on a dog's stack while on the table
or ramp. If the dog moves, the exhibitor constantly makes corrections, as if
the judge will not be able to feel the placement, angulation and length
of the bones and muscling, or quality of coat if a foot is out of place.
Moreover, exhibitors need to remember that judging does not take place on
these elevated platforms, only examinations. Dogs are only judged on the
ground. If the opposite were true then each of these dogs would be
exhibited on a table or ramp in the ring always. Perhaps this habit has manifested
itself so widely because exhibitors follow the lead of many professional
handlers who have perfected the ability to emphasize perfect, statuesque
stacks. Consider an exhibitors reaction the instant a dog moves their
head to look around while stacked in the lineup. Many have a death grip on the
muzzle. A reminder to everyone in our sport, dogs should not receive
extra consideration for being able to stand still the longest.
Other established and trying habits include handlers overemphasizing
certain breeds abundance of thin, loose skin, wrinkles or folds. Short-coated
breeds are "what you see is what you get." Still, we have exhibitors
over-accentuating by grasping and pulling the skin up and forward. The
judge is not blind and can clearly see and feel the skin's looseness, along
with scapular placement, without the aid of the handler. As an extra factor, I
have heard disapproving comments by spectators. Although we seasoned
fanciers understand this does not hurt the dog, no amount of reassurance
can change some people's minds. Taking into account the purebred dog
controversy in place today, we can do away with such unnecessary elaboration. Another
annoying and dispensable habit during examination are handler's
stretching dog's neck, pulling upwards, almost lifting the dog's front off the
ground and then flipping the ears over both eyes — all in a grandstanding effort
to feature the neck on a smooth or short-coated breed. Speaking plainly, a
judge is quite capable of discerning a proper neck without all this
dramatizing, especially since most are approved to judge heavy-coated and
long-coated breeds. If the judge requires or encourages such elaboration
on a neck then they should reevaluate their role in our sport.
Dog shows were not meant to be a contest of animal or people showmanship.
Our shows were not created or designed to determine who is the more
flamboyant handler, for instance the handler standing out nearly four
feet in front of the dog waving a piece of bait in their free hand. Some
handlers claim that the dog who is posed looking very much like a sculptured
bronze is, indeed, in a natural stance. Occasionally, this may be true and
usually can be determined by directing the handler to move the dog around to the
center of the ring and having them stop without touching the dog. Few
times will the dog land as they were previously stacked. Many times, the dog
will land and stand much more naturally, which a true breed expert will
appreciate moreso than an over-dramatized stance. In truth, show dogs
increasingly now are trained to stop and self-stack in dramatic poses
without interference by the handler. Yet, what I would find most telling
is if we were to see the same dog running and playing in the yard or field
they most likely stop and stand in an entirely different manner contrary to
dog show pageantry.
Aficionado judges appreciate the dog without the glamour and fanfare. An
enhancement to this and what I consider exciting is to find a truly
well-made dog who feels good under your hand who may not be the showiest
entry in the ring but who epitomizes the breed standard. To be able to
"find" a great dog in the show ring is the ultimate reward. My usual
response is to quietly laugh when I read judges interviews or hear their
commentary on dogs they have awarded. I am sure you all are familiar
with, "The dog gave it their all,"; "The dog asked for it and could not be
denied,"; "The dog showed beautifully," ; "The dog was so on," ; "The dog
has attitude." Conversely, "The dog did not perform that well,"; "The dog
could have been more on."
Taking into account these critiques, it is no wonder almost all
exhibitors fret constantly about a misplaced foot, constantly adjusting and
readjusting legs, death grips on the muzzles, stretching out necks, pulling the skin
over the dog's face and so on. These dispiriting comments all highlight
the non-essentials of our sport. Why place more value on the dog flying
around the ring at the end of their lead, many at incorrect speeds? Why do
judges value the dog in an aggrandized, statuesque stance moreso than its
competitor(s) who may fidget but who stands over their ground in a
comfortable, confident manner sans embellishment? Doesn't breed type and
symmetry trounce being overdone and flamboyant? We should all worry about
the general direction in which our sport has developed. It is deeply
concerning and saddening for many veterans. Over the years, our sport has
been steered towards glorifying and worshipping the most highly trained
and unflinching statues. This is a show with live animals, not a statue
exhibition. Though I would not nor am I suggesting a dog should be
penalized for being perfectly trained and very stylishly shown, at the same time a
judge should not bestow additional merit on this dog over its competitors
based upon this ability to attract, in many cases, undue attention.
However, we are very much aware of this or similar preferences by some judges
through their critiques. Absent from reviews are conclusions on a specimen's
structural integrity, the virtues of that dog's priceless breed type
expounding on the near flawless shape, describing the breed's topline and
underline, discussing the prosternum, its fill and relative station and
length of ribbing. Going into detail about the dog's diameter and length
of bone, the breed standard's ideal length, strength and breadth of loin or
the opposite, well-coupled with strong breadth of loin, or remarks on the
symmetry of the dog's conforming length and placement of scapula/humerus
in relation to the femur/tibia, or any mention of superior muscling. On
occasion, we do hear vague comments about headpieces as they are first
discernible and easiest to describe. All the same, the comments provide
little insight such as, "What a lovely head." We do not read instructive
remarks about proper length of planes with degree of desired stop, eye
set and shape, width or shape of skull and muzzle.
Overall, in place of educational particulars, we are provided nebulous,
frivolous comments. This may be due in part to judges' inexperience with
formulating and expressing their opinions, remarks and reactions to the
dogs. Many quality judges with a keen eye instinctively know a good or
great dog when they see one and have trouble conveying why, then there are
other judges who skate by with a quick but insubstantial remark about, "how
spot on" a dog was in the ring. What is the value of saying this? How does
that have anything to do with the breed standard for which the dog is judged?
It is no wonder that our sport is filled with uninstructed, naïve exhibitors
and breeders. If they hear or read a judge's explanations about the
winning dogs and all they are offered are the aforementioned, meaningless
comments, then it should come as no surprise that our sport has devalued. These
comments undermine the importance of, the genuine purpose of our sport,
why and how it began. It does not have to be this way. We judges can effect
change, have a marked influence on breeder and exhibitor priorities
which, in turn, will return focus on breeds' standards of excellence. As I am
very fond of repeating, we need to get back to the basics.
__________________
2012 National Grand Show Champion, World Show Bluetick Female CCH GRCH 'PR' Southern Flame Blame it on the Rain (Rain)
2012 Purina Show Bluetick Breed Winner GRCH 'PR' Southern Flame Grt Balls o' Fire (Jerry Lee)
2013 World Champion Bluetick, 2013 AO Overall Bred By winner GRCH 'PR' Sexy and I know It (breeder)
2015 AO Overall Dual Champion NTCH GRCH 'PR' Sexy and I know It (breeder/owner/handler)
2016 Grand American Overall Dual Ch, Overall Show CHampion NTCH GRCH 'PR' Sexy and I know It
AKC CSG, UKC CCH GRCH 'PR' Southern Flame Bad News Bandit (Bandit)
2010 National Grand Champion Bluetick
2013 AO Bluetick Stud Dog winner
CCH GCH 'PR' Southern Flame Elvira - the one that started it all
southernflamekennel@earthlink.net
RIP Southern Flame Elvira (the cornerstone of the kennel) 5/16/02-1/17/14
RIP Southern Flame Scarlet (the lone Redbone) 5/11/01-7/19/13
RIP Southern Flame Wild Irish Rose (Rosie) 6/15/09 - 3/12/15
RIP Southern Flame Too Hot to Trot (Bonnie) 3/27/07 - 4/20/15
RIP Southern Flame Bad News Bandit (Bandit)
RIP Southern Flame Triple Trouble (TT) 12/17/04 - 11/19/16
RIP Southern Flame Blame it on the Rain (Rain)
RIP AdeleMay's a Smokey Bandit (Adele)
RIP Southern Flame I Like Ike (Ike)
RIP Bella the Beagle
Bear, Jerry Lee, Camo, Maybellene, Lacy, Thor, Sissy, Merle, Tina, Bridgette - the Blueticks, Hollie - the Aussie
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
06-10-2013 03:00 PM
