THE LUCK OF THE SHOW RING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 30, 30 October 1907, Page 3

THE LUCK OF THE SHOW RING.

WINNER TO-DAY, CULL TO-MORROW. Without entering into the deep problem whether or not such a thing as "luck" exists, says the British "Farmer and Stockbreeder," wo may perhaps be permitted to refer to a few of the peculiarities of tho show-ring as tho luck, good or bad, to which every exhibitor is subject. We need not enlarge upon the reasons why so much diversity of opinion should exist amongst judges. Tho fact remains that it is so, and that every breeder who has tempted fortune in the public showring has experienced it more or, less. It may seem inexplicable why ono r day an animal should win and within forty-eight hours—or a day or two at most—it should be put comparatively far down in practically the samo company. After all, it would bo a deadly, dull, and lifeless thing were the show-yard to be one long succession of confirmed awards, for the victor at the beginning of the year, would necessarily find himself in the samo place at the close. The fact is all too frequently forgotten that animals, and particularly show animals, are liable to very great fluctuations of form.. One day, for instance, a hackney filly will be moving even to the point of brilliance; the next day she may bo dull and, lifeless, and, as action is practically the determining feature in hackney judging, it is not surprising that there should bo considerable fluctuation in the order of merit. The, same thing exists in all our domestic breeds. A pig to-day is fresh and fit on his legs, to-morrow ho may be jaded and footsore, and consequently his flesh may oxhibit a staloness which is quite visible to the export eye. A sheep is touching in the ripest condition at one show; at tho next it may bo quite slack under hand. Tho heavy horsa exhibits vim and purpose in his action one week; the next, he may have shed a shoe, or his rations may not have, agreed with him; consequently ho is looking tucked up and worn, and pays the penalty. So one might go through a lengthy catalogue of defects which are liable to crop up in all classes of domestic stock, and from which no exhibitor can bo said to bo free. Moreover, wo are not'dealing with a cold, cut-and-dried piece of material, but a. living, fleshy, pulsating species, as liable to fluctuation of form as those who placo them are capable of error of judgment. The human element in stock judging can never he overlooked. It is, porhaps, tho most determining feature in stock breeding; and so, as pup man carries out as far as possible his' ideas and ideals, the other breeder is striving after some other purpose, and looking for it in.every animal that comes before him.. One | breeder, for instance, believes in tho paramount quality of action in the hackney horso. while another will givo more prominence to stallion character, type and form. Ono judgo of Shire horses never looks for a brood maro hi].; another will welcome them up to 17 lib.., and would pardon a suspicion of roughness if ho thought it was compensated in weight. In the'.Shorthorn tho types are .numerous, and just as flesh and milk continue their perennial and unmistakeablo war, so do judges reckon their value according.to tho considerations which chiefly affect them in business. One breeder looks for a big Southdown, and neglects colour; another ono wants a showier quality type of sheep with nicer points adjusted to the standard ideal. One pardons a suspicion of Middle AVhito in the Large White, and- another is ever ready to condemn the same intrusion. Thus docs tho human, element-play an important part in the fortunes of the show-ring. . Moreover, it is not right to entirely * condemn a judge when ho is merely giving effect to tho views which ho is known to hold. The fault, if any, should lie,with those who placo him in so difficult a position. So long, however, as the highest intorests of the breeder is'served, so long will it ha to the interest of tho stock-breeder that opinions should differ, and''that we should have tho wholesome though somewhat perplexing and mercurial judgments which prevail in the modem show-yard. Even if animals come before the same judges in two successive weeks, men are liable to change their minds concerning them, and it.should bo to their credit that they'should'do .so when they aro judging on current form. Wje should welcome the judge wii'ose convictions are strong enough to make him run counter to the order that has prevailed at shows hitherto. ' We have, known of cases where animals have won for a considerable period after their merits had entitled them to such consideration. Once they have been set back they have never again climbed to the higlr position whichjthey had so long held. But every judge had riot the moral courage toact according to his'convictions. Doubtless it is heartrending to a nervous judge to know the animals by their attendants, and we'havo seen some rather curious and inexplicable decisions given at times oh tho strength of well-known herdsmen or grooms leading in an aljen animal. But in tho main .the fact', should not be lost sight of that it is tho man with'experience,in the show-ring who can make the most of the animals exhibited. Critics are, however, sometimes unduly harsh upon judges when they attach so much credence" to the power of .well-known exhibitors to win with certain judges. It may bo'sor but thos'o fluctuations of form aro too frequent to make us believe that in tho main it is so. What wo-want more than anything jclsc is a fresh contingent of judges coming on—young men who havo boon trained to the business in the best of all schools, experience. The competition between agricultural societies is now so keen that they aro very desirous of getting competent judges to appear on their schedules. That is, perhaps, one of tho chief reasons why young and inexperienced men,' although good judges, aro not so frequently invited to participate in dividing the honours at,shows of importance. At the samo time it would bo for tho good of stockbrecding if we had a larger circle of judges to select from. We leave the question with thoso who are most vitally concerned. What is being done to bring forward fresh and competent men ?