SaberTails

IWinter2015

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duetoprofusetrousering”),andthisrequiredthehoundto
straightenitsfront(Standard:“Shouldershaveplentyof
angulation”)justtobeabletostand.Whenthedogmoved,
itwasthesuperiordog.Whenthedogfreestacked,itwas
thesuperiordog.Whenthehandlerinterfered,itwasthe
inferiordog.Inretrospect,itwasthebetterexampleofthe
breed,justpoorlyhandled.Instead,Irewardedtheotherdog
and,inreflection,Ican’tsaythebestdogwonontheday.”

Another:“ItwasalargeOpenDogclassofRidgebacks

withseveralqualitydogs.Onedogreallycaughtmyeye
whenhefirstcameintothering,butthenfellapartashe
wasobviouslyuntrained.Hepulledbackontheexam,and
jumpedaroundsoInevercouldseehimgodownandback
oraround.SoIregrettedhavingtoplacehimsecondto
anotherIalsolikedverymuch.Whenhewasbroughtinto
theringforreserve,IwishedIcouldchasedowntheWD
andgettheribbonbacktoawardthisexcellentexhibitnow
thathewasgoingthroughhispacesproperly.Sometimesit’s
notjust‘ontheday,’it’s‘inthemoment.’”

Andanother:“Onoccasion,Ihavefoundmyselfhaving

judgedabreed,thendoingthegrouplater.Iwouldbe
satisfiedwithmyBestofBreedearlierintheday.However,
therehavebeenseveraloccasionswhenthedogshowed
upinthegroupringandmythoughtwas,‘WHATwasI
thinkingwhenIgavethatdogBestofBreed?’Thiscouldbe
duetoavarietyofreasons:thedogistiredandnot‘putting
out;’differenttypeofring—insidevs.outsideorgrassvs.
concrete;differenthandler—oritmighthavebeenthe
‘bestoftheworse’earlierintheday.”

Another:“TherewerefourIbizansintheclass.Theywent

aroundtheringeverywhichway,butIsaidtomyself,‘They
willgetbetterafterbeingexamined.’Welltheydidnot.
Theydidnotstandfortheexaminationnordidtheygo
downandbackoraround—notaone.IfeltIcouldnot
placeoneovertheother.Icalledthemallintocenterring
andtoldthemIwaswithholdingallribbonsthatday.Idid
notknowifitwasgenetics,environmentorlackoftraining,
butnoneofthembelongedatadogshowthatday.I
thoughtIwasbeingkindtakingthemallintothecenterof
theringanddoingitquietly,butwasIright?Bothersme10
yearslaterthatmaybemyjobwastoplacethemsomehow.”

Anotherexample:“Ithinkallofuswhojudgedogshave

attimesreflectedonourdecisions.Wethinkaboutthisthe
nightafter,thedayafter,whenweseethatdogagain,orthe
nexttimewejudge.Whatifwehaditalltodooveragain?
Wastheonedogreallyasdeservingaswefirstthought?One
experiencethatIrememberwasaBloodhoundspecialtyin
Europe.Itpresentedmewiththeclassicdilemmaofbeauty
overfunction.TheOpenbitchwasyoung,quiteelegant,
withverycorrectheadstructure,lovelyeyeandexpression,

scissorsbiteandagoodlengthofbody.Butalongwithher
beautyandelegancecameamorenarrowbodystructure
andlighterbone.Herfeettendedtowardlongratherthan
round,withtoesslightlysplayed.Herdownandbackwas
trueandhergoaroundverysmoothandelegant,buther
strideshortenedontheuphillsideofthering.Butshewas
thebigbreedwinnerattheshowsandNo.1inherbreed.
Thisbreedhasaworkingclassinwhichtheentriesmust
haveaworkingcertificateinordertocompete.Thebitchin
thisclasswaslowerstationed,somewhatcommoninthe
head,herexpressionwasalittlehardandhereye,although
dark,tendedtowardround.Shewasolder,herteethworn,
andherearsandbodyboresomehonorablescars.Hercoat
washardandhercolordeepanddarkaspreferredinthe
standard.Herfeetwereroundandwell-knuckled,withthick
pads.Herribswerewell-sprungandherchestdeepandfull.
Herdownandbackhadhermovingalittlewidebehindand
aslightlyoutattheelbowsonthereturn.Goingaroundshe
lookedpowerful,andontheuphillsideoftheringshe

pushedpowerfullyoffherrearandmaintainedherstride.
TheBloodhoundstandarddescribesadogbuiltforhunting
game,theyshouldbestrongandpowerful,nobleand
dignified,andwhiletheheadshouldbecorrect,thereisno
referencetobeautyoreleganceanywhereinthestandard.

“Iputuptheworkingbitchandgavetheyounger(and

biggerwinningone)thereserveCC.Ididfeelsomeanguish
overmydecision.Asabreeder,Iwouldlovetohavethat
headandexpressionofmyreserve,butnotattheexpense
offunction.Onthefollowingday,thejudgeputupthe
youngerbitch,myreserveCC,inaheartbeatandthat
mademepondermydecisionagain.IthoughtImight
neverbeinvitedtojudgethereagain;however,Iwasinvited
backtwoyearslater.Atoneoftheshowdinners,Iwas
approachedbyaclubmemberwhoexpressedhisadmiration
formebecauseIputuptheolder,less-glamorousbitchover
themoreelegantbutless-functionalonetwoyearsbefore.
Hesaidnotmanyjudges,especiallyoneswhoarenot
breeders,wouldhavemadethatdecision,andthatwasone
ofthereasonsIwasinvitedback.”

Insummary,anotherwell-respectedjudgesaid:“Weall

havemademistakeswhenpointingtoourwinner.Icall
those‘doovers,’thingsIwouldlovetodoover.Aftera
weekendisdone,itisnotunusualformetomentallyrevisit
anydecisionsImighthavedonedifferently.Itrytomake
thisalearningcurveratherthanbeatingmyselfoverthe
headasIcertainlycannotchangeanything.”

Soyousee,judgesdoreflectandtaketheirjudging

seriously;theycare.Mightitbetimetoconsiderjudgesas
humanswithvirtuesandfaultslikeyouandlikeyourdog,
andattempttoseewherethejudgeiscomingfrom?

I

PhotobyBobCohen