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This can be difficult sometimes when a Many judges are perfectly happy to judge
breed entry consists of dogs where most are only their own breed whereas others choose
of a certain type and one appears to be rather to expand their portfolio and branch out into
different. Most judges would assume that the other related breeds and then maybe even
majority must be right and the “odd man out” further. It is a long and gradual process before
wrong but that is not necessarily the case. For anyone becomes an “all-rounder”. I should
example, when I was showing my Beagles point out that, although many people may
most (but not all) of my hounds were blanketed consider me to be an all-rounder, I believe that
tricolours. It is my favourite colour and my top the finest judge is the true breed specialist who
winners were all blanket tris, but I never let is worthy of the name (and there is a world of
that influence my judging of a breed where difference between a breeder-judge and a breed
any recognised hound colour is acceptable. specialist), someone who has bred their breed
I was invited to judge the Adelaide Royal in for generations establishing an identifiable line
Australia many years ago and had a large and is capable of judging the breed without
entry of Beagles, almost all of whom were fear or favour, rewarding dogs purely on their
blanketed tricolours. Word had obviously gone physical and mental attributes regardless of
around that this was my “favoured” colour. In breeding, winning or ownership.
the entry were only a handful of bicolour dogs,
one of which was a young tan and white male When branching out to other breeds it is
who immediately impressed me for his overall the judge’s duty to study and research any
balance, beautiful head and expression and new breeds as much as possible, acquainting
scopy movement. He ended up winning Best themselves with the breed characteristics and
of Breed, much to the amazement of many of being sure in their own mind what are the
the exhibitors. I was very keen to find out who “must have” points. However I see far too many
this dog was after judging and was pleasantly judges going into other breeds, determined to
surprised to discover that he was in fact the son imitate the specialist and this they can never
of a dog I exported to Australia several years do. They should be conscious of wearing their
previously who was a blanketed tricolour! It “all-rounder” hat but applying breed-specific
then was easy to understand why his type had knowledge. There is room for both categories
appealed to me so much, regardless of the of judge, breed specialist and all-rounder, and I
colour. believe all breeds benefit from a combination of
both.
Oftentimes decisions can be close and this is
often when personal preferences can influence One of the dangers with the all-rounder,
a judge. Many breeds have slightly different especially as they acquire more and more
styles that all fall within the Breed Standard breeds, is that they are sometimes attracted to
and can all be representative of Breed Type generic show dogs and forget the breed detail.
but it is quite logical that a judge will be drawn Yes, we all love to get dogs in our ring that are
to the “look” of the dogs they breed and show. beautifully groomed and showing well but most
This is perfectly understandable and does not important of all is their integrity of breed type.
make them dishonest. Whilst we all expect our That has to be the priority.
winners to be basically sound, the standard of
movement can vary from dog to dog. When you Judges will never please all the people all of
are faced with two dogs that are virtually equal the time, but they can please themselves. They
in their physical virtues movement can very need to go home and sleep at night, knowing
easily be a deciding factor and I myself have that they did their best. Exhibitors should
often decided Best of Breed - when the dog and perhaps accept that most of them have done
bitch are equally pleasing – on who is the more just that.
exceptional mover. Sometimes it can be down
to one moving slightly close behind whereas the by Andrew Brace
other goes away true and parallel, for example.
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K9 NEWS DIGITAL / MAY 2021
