As competitors themselves, I’m sure judges know just how closely they are watched at alpaca shows. For that reason alone , I always feel a deep sympathy for them regardless of whether I agree with their placements or not.
As one judge said once, “What’s the definition of a good judge? The judge is a good one if they place your animal first and a bad one if they don’t.”
I hope I am not so narrow minded. But I sometimes get kicks and giggles at how we can’t help ourselves from trying to figure out what each judge’s particular priorities are. Do they prize fineness above all? Do they show a predilection for a particular fleece style – bold or high frequency? Do they really know conformation? Are they really partial to a head type? Then, when we think we have it figured out, they confound us by disproving our theory in the very next class. The truth is, it’s a futile exercise but one we can’t help indulging in. And it keeps us occupied while we watch the classes.
But all fun aside, there are a lot of reasons why I don’t think I would ever want to be a judge and in appreciation of all the hard work they do, I’m listing them here.
- The travel – Because of the potential to conflict with too many of the competitors if you judge too close to home, it seems that most judges have to travel quite a bit out of their home region
- The time pressure – Judges have to get through so many animals every day and there’s a lot of grumbling if they are too slow or too fast
- The sheer numbers – It’s hard to imagine the pressure to be able to judge that last animal of the day just as well as the first. I’m pretty sure my brain would be numb and my eyes blurred by that last class
- The exhaustion – Standing all day, walking around the ring, bending over. I bet a pedometer would be very revealing
- The scrutiny – Everyone knows when you have to go to the bathroom . ‘Nuff said
- The criticism – After the show, the breeders disseminate and spread the word as to how they think the judge did
- The public speaking – Let’s admit it. Most of us are not Toastmasters alumni. Admire those who push themselves to improve their public speaking skills to give clear oral reasons
- The elements – Not all shows are held in indoor venues. I’ve seen judges that had to stand outside all day in wind and dust and judge until their eyes are red and teary . Blech.
I’m sure there’s an equal and balancing list of benefits to being a judge. It just depends on your goals and personality. So agree or disagree with them, here’s a kudo to the ones who find the scale tipping on the pro side and putting in the hours to earn the title.
The Pacablogger 