AndrewHBrace
The Root Cause of Exhibitors’
Dissatisfaction
There has recently been much publicity given to the fact that dog show entries
in the UK are dwindling, that new people are not entering the sport and staying with it
and we have comparatively few young people seriously involved in many breeds.
The Kennel Club set up a working party to canvas opinion as to what can be done to
stem the tide and if my informants are correct I am told this group had three years to
come to some conclusions. Three years? Why so long? That time has passed and I
haven’t noticed any great changes.
In the first instance we need to look dispassionately at the role of the dog
show in modern society. Originally it was a vehicle which deliberately set out to give
breeders the opportunity to exhibit and compare breeding stock. Seeing other
breeders’ dogs at a show enabled breeders to determine what was available in the
way of stud dogs, who was producing what, and the old breeders were very much of
the stockman variety, as were the judges of the day who in many cases often judged
other forms of livestock.
Now I am talking about an age when pregnant bitches were not pumped full of
additives, left to whelp on straw in unheated kennels without supervision, weakly
puppies in which the dam had no interest were allowed to fade away naturally and
only the fittest survived. To our present day political correctness- obsessed society
this may seem cruel and heartless but I have always subscribed to the theory that
nature knows best, and was taught by a lost generation who took a very hard line on
breeding principles. If a bitch won’t have anything to do with a new-born it is for a
very good reason ... there is usually something seriously wrong with it. Today life
must be preserved at all costs. The veterinary profession will happily take thousands
of pounds off an emotional owner to keep something alive which would be better off
being humanely euthanized. They cannot believe that breeders would allow puppies
to die (let alone be culled) and sad to say, when many who produce puppies are
“hobby breeders”, a sickly puppy which can be saved and reared can mean a sale
for £2,000 – which translates into a sunny holiday or a deposit on a new car. These
self-same puppies will often eventually end up in the gene pool for the same financial
reasons and people wonder why we now seem to have so many hereditary problems
that had never appeared before?
Today dog shows are not just about large-scale breeders monitoring breeding
stock. In the main they are social events where dog owners meet up with their
friends, some of whom are more committed to allied activities such as obedience,
agility and flyball. To us conformation purists the whole essence of the dog show has
been lost. However we need to look at the root cause of exhibitors’ dissatisfaction
and – put plainly – it is the absence of a level playing field.
Some years ago I judged Pomeranians at Blackpool Championship Show
where I found the most exquisite black male in the Post Graduate class. This means
that he had not won more than five first prizes at Championship shows – yet he was
two years old! This dog impressed me from the moment he walked into the ring for
his quality, type, compactness, demeanour and carriage. On the table he proved a
revelation. Not only did he have a firm body and correct coat, he stood on four great
legs and had the most incredible mouth – a full and perfect scissor bite with big white
teeth! I was getting used to opening mouths and seeing a handful of rice-grains that
appeared to have been thrown in haphazardly! On the move he was sound, buoyant
and positive and his colour was the jettest of blacks.
He ended up winning the Challenge Certificate & Best Of Breed by a
considerable margin. Chatting to his owner afterwards I was depressed to hear this
very modest lady say that she didn’t expect to win CCs as she wasn’t “a face” (an
expression I hate).
This was evidently the lady’s first ever CC. I had never met her until that
Friday. I then began to wonder if she is typical of exhibitors who feel that CCs will
always elude them because of their perceived standing. Evidently Dianne has been
in the breed for just three years and considers herself a novice. When she had
regained her composure and dried away her tears, having gone on to win not only
the Toy Group but then Reserve BIS, she informed me that she has a background in
farming and horses. This explains why she obviously understands soundness and
balance. (The dog in question she bred herself which must have made the win all the
sweeter.)
What is now bothering me is that so many people actually find this story so
hugely newsworthy … that someone who has been in her breed for just three years
has had a major win with an exceptional dog.
Are people really so convinced that this sport has deteriorated to just judging
people rather than dogs?
I have been awarding CCs for 47 years but even now I can be surprised. If
this is a widespread feeling amongst exhibitors it is little wonder that entries are
dropping and more and more people are becoming disillusioned. Judging purebred
dogs carries a huge responsibility to judge THE DOGS without any other
consideration. The best dog in the opinion of the judge should win – friend or foe,
seasoned professional or rank novice – it is not rocket science PROVIDED you have
the knowledge to make an informed decision.
I put a posting on Facebook after Blackpool which posed this question and
was staggered by the response. Evidently a huge percentage of exhibitors believe
that Challenge Certificates are automatically the province of a “charmed circle” (to
use an expression coined many years ago by the late and wonderfully outspoken
Audrey Dallison), and sadly it does appear that some highly successful exhibitors
believe they have a divine right to the Kennel Club’s large green cards, regardless of
the quality of the dogs they exhibit. Let’s not beat about the bush, no one has any
right to any awards – only the dogs by virtue of their merits.
Some years ago Sheila Atter’s column in DOG WORLD on bullying within the
sport made for depressing reading but sadly everything she wrote was true. Whilst
some breeds are welcoming of newcomers, many are not and some seasoned
exhibitors can be downright hostile to novices, especially if they have the good
fortune to make their debut with a decent dog. Obviously the vast majority of new
exhibitors will not be lucky enough to get hold of a great one with which they can
begin their exhibiting career, but sometimes they are. That dog may not enjoy the
same level of sophistication in handling and presentation as some of its inferior rivals
but the really great judges will see beyond these superficial aspects and still be able
to recognise a diamond in the rough.
As Sheila pointed out, thanks to the social media, everyone is now fair game
for bullying – exhibitors, breeders and judges alike. It is amazing how courageous
people can be behind a keyboard and so many think nothing of bashing away with
their accusations, accusations they would never dream of making face-to-face.
Please don’t think I am knocking the success of established breeders who
have dedicated years to developing a strong kennel or bloodline. Oftentimes when
they win the CC it will be totally justified as their dog is the best on the day and
testament to their proven skill as breeders. However we have all seen cases where
high profile exhibitors have deliberately attempted to dupe ineffectual judges by
producing a dog for the first time in the Open class, sometimes of a similar colour to
a current winner but not of the same quality, and the judge is stupid enough to fall for
it.
When I began in dogs it was well known that some judges were “crooks”
inasmuch that they actually sold CCs for hard cash … often euphemistically referred
to as “a drink”. I believe those days are long gone, but we do still see CCs blatantly
exchanged between breeder-judges, and top awards handed out for purely political
reasons.
We then come to open abuse of the system, and the ease with which some
people happily bypass KC Rules and Regulations. It is very difficult in our small
country when two members of a family or partnership are genuinely and actively
involved with a kennel to legislate so that one cannot exhibit their breed when the
other is judging another, or a group, but human greed knows no bounds and we
have now become accustomed to what is laughingly referred to as “the cosmetic
transfer”. Even when we see blatant examples of rule-bending there is no attempt at
discretion by the perpetrators. If one spouse happens to win BOB at a show where
their other half has been judging in another ring, is it perhaps a little tactless to sit at
the top table next to the show chairman to watch what is in reality (if not in the eyes
of the KC Registration Department) their dog competing in the group?
Is it surprising that exhibitors get hot under the collar when they witness a
judge giving a top award to someone with whom they have owned dogs in
partnership, albeit in another breed?
There is the law, and then there is the essence of the law.
A while back Frank Kane wrote a brilliant article in DOG WORLD about the
pressures that exist for new judges, pressures that are never addressed at any
seminars, be they given by the Kennel Club or breed clubs. Judges need to be
TAUGHT that they must judge every single dog as if they had never seen it, or its
handler, before. They need to be TAUGHT that not every “top” handler will
automatically have a top dog and that not every rank novice will be showing
mediocrity. At my seminars I often pose the hypothetical question, how many judges
would - if they had what was the perfect mature dog in a Novice class with a handler
they had never seen before - have the courage and knowledge to award it the CC &
BOB? In truth it is very few.
It is a well-known fact that some would-be judges when cutting their teeth at
Open shows deliberately “look after” breed club officials or committee as they are
worried that judging correctly will impede their career. This is diseased thinking of the
highest degree and to quote my late mentor Nigel Aubrey-Jones, “once you have
been guilty of ‘convenience judging’, you are lost for all time.”
Then we come to the age of dogs who should win CCs. Some judges
automatically stick with their Open class winners (remember we have no Champion
or Specials class in the UK) regardless of the quality of the dogs in the lower
classes. Puppies may be immature but when their quality, type and construction is
superior to the older competition then they should be rewarded accordingly.
Furthermore how many judges take the winners of the Veteran class seriously when
it comes to awarding the CC? Some seem to treat this as some kind of novelty class
where the day ends with a First and don’t give them any further serious
consideration when they can often be the best dog on the day.
Having read the opinions of so many exhibitors after my post was published I
was convinced more than ever that the root cause of dissatisfaction is the lack of
impartial judging and too many awards being made for the wrong reasons. We do
have some excellent judges in this country, both breeder-judges and those who
award CCs in many breeds, who are known for walking into the ring and doing an
honest and knowledgeable job but sadly they seem to be in the minority.
There is nothing clever in demoting a top winning dog merely to appear
popular with the masses, just as it’s not smart to promote an inferior dog to an award
it does not merit. There is absolutely nothing wrong in handing a dear friend a
Challenge Certificate if they happen to be handling the best dog on the day, and the
same goes for rewarding a dog that is sired by the judge’s stud dog – IF, and it is a
very big IF, the dog is deserving.
Justice must be done and must be seen to be done but the more we expect
the exhibitors who are viewed as nothing more than cannon fodder by the people at
the top (who were all once rank novices themselves remember) to have their noses
rubbed in it by game-playing, rule-bending and dishonest judging, the less we can
expect new people to join our wonderful hobby and stay with it.
In the USA things are slightly different. Whereas the sport in the UK is
dominated by owner-handlers and breeder-judges, the USA sees far more
professional handlers and many more multi-breed judges. The size of the country is
vast and so the sport is not as incestuous. That said, you still have many beautiful
dogs that are owner-handled and often they are in the classes. Obviously I am well
acquainted with many of America’s leading handlers and class some of them as
close friends, so close in fact that they understand that when I judge I will do my
level best to find the best dogs regardless of who happens to be handling them.
I remember judging at one particular show in the USA a while back and it so
happened that in three breeds over the weekend I had BOB winners that I
considered exceptional, but were evidently owner-handled and in the classes. I
watched with interest the group judging and it was painfully obvious that all three
were walked past at speed without so much as a second glance, whilst well known
handlers were cut with what appeared to my ringside eye to be obviously inferior
animals. Obviously generalisation is dangerous and perhaps I was unlucky with the
three group judges I happened to be watching, but it left me with a very
uncomfortable feeling.
As fewer people are attending dog shows (the ringside at some of our major
Championship shows when BIS comes to be judged can be painfully thin these
days), we need an incentive for people to come join us and stay with us.
The first incentive has to be the knowledge that, whoever they are, their dogs
will be judged knowledgeably and impartially. Without that premise we are lost for all
time.
© ANDREW H. BRACE
(This article may not be reproduced in any form without the author’s
permission)
Welcome to my new website where I hope you will find lots to interest you, whether you are an exhibitor, breeder, judge or just a committed dog lover. Over the years I have had the opportunity to interview many of the icons of our sport and lots of their wisdom has been included in the Webinars. My involvement with purebred dogs has allowed me to travel the world, meet some amazing people and get my hands on countless outstanding dogs. I hope that this website will allow you to share some of the pleasure that dogs have given me.
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Thank you for a most insightful article. One of the best you have written, I feel but this may be as it struck a very deep chord with me. After 35 years of involvement and watching the insidious creep you so well outlined, I have chosen to step back from both exhibiting and breeding. I mourn the damage caused to my beloved breed and hold grave fears for it's future. Poignant stuff, Mr Brace.
Excellent read
Well said, I've was told I had to do a apprenticeship and lots more
I Guess I'm one of the lucky ones Andrew, but you've hit this right on the head,
Your article is so true you could have been sitting ringside here in Australia its got so bad we can mark the cataloge befor the show starts i started showing in 1968 and it has never been as bad
Great article applicable world wide, sixty years in the dog world commencing from a very raw beginning with my own dogs and now seeing so much dissatisfaction particularly in the conformation ring leaves me very sad, so many opinions with no concrete solutions 😔
Dear Mr Brace, Thank you for such a wonderful article. When single I worked as a Jillaroo on a cattle stud in Qld . My boss was an old cattleman and he had a wonderful eye, when it come to pi king out his show team I applied his methods to picking out my show team and years later I visited after being at my breed show I called in on him. Now this man knew nothing about my breed but was able to pick my top dog out. I do believe in the judges training these people training to be potential judges need to go and witness dogs doing what they were bred for eg labradors working in a paddock retrieving game You mentioned about new exhibitors being bullied. This discussing habit not only goes on in the conformation classes, I know of a lady who has been treated badly in the tracking arena. It is.no wonder people are leaving our wonderful sport. Once again thank you for your wonderful words
I enjoyed reading this article. In my Oponion is is absolutely 100% correct. I am in Australia and have been exhibiting for some 50+ years. I am not a judge, I have bred just around 30 litters. My medical background provided me with so much basic information. The world has changed so much and along with it dog showing it is a shame to see the basic aim of dog showing is no longer applied in so many cases. The only coment I have to add to your esay is Nothing is perfect in every way and when judging an exhibitor always enjoy the show so much more (win loose of draw) if in the end the person is able to say the judge liked dogs with XYZ is what he/she was looking for. Respect for each other will bring cohesion. Unfrotunately the smaller the group and the "smaller the world " it becomes more difficult.
Thank you for that oh so truthful reading of your accounts with in the show ring . I have been a exhibitor for 20 years breeding and showing Yorkshire Terriers. I do not have the face in the show ring and there are only three NZKC breeders in NZ that show there dogs . I've always say to people if I have a win it's because of my dog not the face . There are very few judges here in New Zealand that would put up a Yorkie most of my winning come from overseas judges . In saying that the clubs over here are starting to use the same judges in Australia in return are starting to know the faces here in NZ . I now keep a book with the judges that I know who are face judges and will not inter my dogs under them . Why waste my money when I know what is going to be put up . When I first started our showing I used to have fun and a lot of laughs . Sadly those days are over I still enjoy my dog shows but not so much of the people in it . It's like walking around with a dart board on your back if you have a win and the faces are throwing darts at you . For this reason I'm thinking about giving up the shows. I just wished there were more honest judges out there. Thank you for having a voice and not be put off by your observation of the show ring as it stands today .
Hi Andrew Excellent article sad but so true having been showing now for over 50 years, since the internet the show seen has got worse for that sort of thing. My show days are coming to an end and I am so grateful I was showing in the early years. I had the pleasure of meeting you when my late husband stewarded for you when you judged in NZ. Thank you for the excellent interesting articles that you have written.
Hi Andrew read your article with great interest and after over 50 years in and around the rings I sadly have to agree with every word you have said. In todays world of Shows FB has also become a big thorn with many exhibitors sending "friend" requests and sending pictures of their winning dogs to all the upcoming judges and always in the same outfit so they are known in the ring. Sadly this does not help any breed and this is a pattern happening in lots of breeds. These exhibitors must win at all costs even to the point of renting or importing Chs from other countries to be seen to be winning and as you rightly said there are more and more judges falling for it all the time. The big worry that follows this conduct is that these exhibitors want then to be not only Judges in their own Country but International Judges as well. WHAT DOES THAT SAY FOR DOG SHOWS AND DOG SHOW JUDGES who go down that road going forward in our hobby and sport, most of them would not know a breed standard if it hit them in the face and carry on as judges the same as they are and were exhibitors, and sadly this plays a very big part in exhibitors falling away. Just my honest opinion.
Many years ago You judge in my country at a club show. The ones that normally win did not win that day. One of these not winner that day later loudly proclaimed at ringside that she would make sure you were not invited by the club again… This person seems to have had the power to do so, and is a judge today for the breed… When I started showing I actually thought that the judge was looking at the dog, not who was holding the lead It was of course very naive to think so I still show, but not as much as I did, and very few new people are interested, because nepotism is getting more and more obvious. I will survive, but will the breed I breed and love do?
Loved your article, so true do hope the right people read this and take note.
If only we had a glut of judges with your integrity and knowledge
Very astute and articulated well , Now I must stay to see it make a difference And we cannot hope to change things from the outside -it is our greatest interest to get involved for evolution to occur .
Brilliant article. So well written and very pertinent. Thank you.
Very Well said. I would love to see things change. I recently attended a show where a judge awarded her friend the entire specialty show and when i made a complaint i was banned for 12months. Its certainly made me loose interest in showing if its like this. But i know there is some very good judges out there just not enough.
You covered so many problems that seem to worldwide.
Brilliant article, covering all the thoughts constantly going on in my own head. Describing exactly what the world of showing has become..so very sad 😔
A very true, sadly, reflection of the state of dog showing today. Though it was always the case I think. I was , a good few years ago, offered a judging appointment abroad in return for a CC ! This was from a TOP kennel/breeder stating that I would then be an INTERNATIONAL judge. I replied that was already the case & that I was insulted they thought I could be swayed. Judging is simple, judge the dog on it's merits. That's it . No more no less.