AMATEUR JUDGING COMPETITIONS.

Northern Advocate, 9 December 1910, Page 2

AMATEUR JUDGING COMPETITIONS.

SOME MISCONCEPTION. Among the features of the recent A. and P. Show in Whangarei, one of the most instructive was the amateur judging section. The horse judging was particularly popular with young men, no fewer than 21 having entered. The system adopted in designating the winning entrant seems to be suhitct to some misunderstanding, and in order to explain the method clearly an "Advocate" representative waited on the Secretary, who thus elucidated the matter: — "The judge might, for instance, give the horse 40 points altogether, and the amateur might also arrive at the same total; but this is not bound to make the amateur the winner.t> It is in "placing" the points for the various pails of the horse that the winning chance counts. The following cards, which are exact copies, show plainly enough where the difference may coins in: — Judge's Card.—Head 3, Neck 4, Shoulders 2, Forearm 4, Back 5, Ribs 3, Rump 3, Hindquarters 4, Feet 5, Skin 3, Action 2—Total 30. Amateur's Card—Head 4, Neck 3, Shoulders 2, Forearm 4, Back 4, Ribs 4, Rump 4, Hindquarters 3, Feet 5. Skin .4, Action 2—Total 39. "It ought to be plain enough to anyone," said Mr Weaver, "that though the totals are alike, the amateur is 8 points out in the parts, there being a difference between his and the judga's card of one point each in Head, Neck, Shoulders, Back, Ribs, Rump, Hindquarters, and Skin. If it were a quostion of totals only there would be ao test worth mentioning, as th-; amatcui might merely make a lump g'iess without considering the various parts at all."