>From:    Sheila Crompton <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Sheila continues the show discussion
>Yes, I can see the point of separating neutered and entire ferrets in the
>US.  The early neuter does make a difference then?
 
Probably even more than you are suspecting.  The more recently neutered the
better the muscle mass.  Really.  Until judge's training and knowing "what"
I was feeling I didn't know either.
 
>At the National Ferret Fair we had something like 240 ferrets entered in
>the classes, judging started around 11 a.m. and finished about 3 p.m.
 
Hmm...  much more emphasis on colo[u]r...  But we covered that.
 
The Chicago show used only three judges.  We each handled every single kit,
alter and breeder.  Most shows use six judges with three handling alters the
other three handling kits and breeders.  (or kits get paired with alters -
whichever) Nine judge shows are coming.  More on "three" judges below.
 
>It did get a bit hectic for me when I had a polecat, an albino and a veteran
>being judged at the same time.
 
It can get wild when you add in showing in specialties at the same time as
championship.  Or when you have more than one in a class.  Again the AFA
system works out pretty well here.  You take the carrier up and wait until
its doen and you get called to pick it up.  Plenty of time to socialize,
show in specialties or shop at the vendors.  We do have times a specialty is
called while a ferret is waiting for championship judging.  We AFA judges
can hande this easily enough.  We don't necessarily judge in "order" so we
just get them while they are there.
 
>Bill, do you have more than one judge per class in the USA?  Our system is
>one judge per class.
 
The typical championship show has three rings for each class.  This ends up
with three blue ribbon wiiners.  The ferret that does the "best in all three
rings" (based on the criteria of the sanctioning organization) gets best in
show.  Thus three "best in shows": one later, one breeder and one kit.  One
show does the best in show's perpendicularly.  There is one best in show per
ring not per class.  The GLFA in Michigan does everything differently.
 
>We don't have any written guide lines on standards, I find that the most
>difficult thing is avoiding awarding too higher points at the beginning
>of the class - it can be an absolute nightmare!
 
Most AFA judges have the opposite problem.  The very first ferret is hard
to score high.  We worry about how many better ferrets may come later.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2327]