JUDGING AT SHOWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20586, 8 December 1928, Page 24

JUDGING AT SHOWS.

10 THS EDITOR. SlB, —I note that your North Otago correspondent has shown my letter on the above subject, which appeared ( in <your issue of the 20th uty., to. "The breeder who takes exception Aa the present system '*■ of judging at shows. Before I go further with the discussion, I now wish to state ihat this will be my last reply to his complaints until he can show that 'he has enough confidence in the justice of them, and in the practicability of his jwposed remedy as to put his name to them. I am in the open in the defence of our present system as being about the best that we poor earthly mortals can' devise. Let him come into the open also and explain what he wants to put in their place instead of getting in behind one of your correspondents and allowing them to do it for him. In the reply he makes to my, letter, through your correspondent, in your issue of the 30th ult., he says that I have produced no evidence in support of a system which produces chaos. Then he is graciously pleased to admit that judges differ. So h§ contends "that this differing is just the thing to which breeders object."- I sincerely hope that he will not find his brain in a state of chaos when I remind him that the judges who, he admits, will differ, are usually the best breeders thad can be got to act, and.that he will then be able to comprehend, the fact that breeders themselves differ when they are judging. Each breeder has his own ideal, and we appoint judges who are breeders for the different classes at shows, tb say which of the exhibits they think best. There is neither i sense nor reason' making a distinction between breeders and judges, or in talking about societies of breeders, as it all eomea to each one judging for himself as to what he thinks best. At .least that will be the way as long as we are allowed to own and control our own flockte. But there are, other tests besides shows as to which, sheep are good or bad, since we have ram fairs where the buyers are free to select as they want. If show judges are making such a shocking mess, "such a chaos," by putting the prize tickets on the wrong animals we might expect to see..-some evidence of it at these fairs. But as yet we have had no such evidence, for the most successful show men usually get the best trade. At least that has been my experience in the past. Perhaps the buyers require to get the various societies of breeders to meet in conference and tell them what they should buy for the good af thmselves and the Dominion.—l am etc., j „..'■> _ , Tuos. S. Little. Corriedale, December 6. *■