Busy first half 2017
06/06/17 16:01
Well It sure has been a busy first half of 2017.
New titles being added to dogs and new challenges being assumed by others.
As the year progresses in the show ring there are a couple of things that are becoming clear, the average conformation judge needs
further breed type education and the other is practice makes perfect.
We are consistently seeing ACDs of poor breed type and movement flaws being put up for wins in all classes.
This will exacerbate the problem of dogs that are not up to standard being bred because they won in the show ring.
To over come this problem is really simple, its called EDUCATION.
This should come from the breeds parent club but since that certainly does not appear to be happening then its going to fall upon all of us who love this breed
to get involved and one way is to join a local kennel club (or even two) help them choose only judges who truly know and understand the Australian Cattle Dog, if we make it so known that if you (judge) do not
take time to educate yourself properly then you (judge) won't get ACD assignments.
Who else is going to do it? Complaining ringside won't change anything…..we must mobilize and have ACD enthusiast on every kennel club board in the entire country and make sure that judging the the ACD is not just assigned by default, we want to word to get around that if you don't judge our breed according to the standard then you won't judge our breed at all.
The local clubs will be happy to get help and in time a difference will be made. If there is no kennel club near you join from a distance and tell them you want to be involved in the judges selection process.
The AKC has no continuing education once a judge has a certain number of breeds so there will be no assistance from them in reeducation of the judging base, and new provisional judges are going to get the same "quality education" that the current base has had, so this is something we must push at the pocketbook side of things, yes we are just one breed but that's ok its the breed we have our passion for so its the one we can stand for.
The second thing is practice makes perfect, now some individual dogs have a temperament that just makes it easier to show them but without exception ring time benefits ALL. Polishing existing skills, working on bad habits, gaining handler/dog trust is all best done in the crucible of the show ring. You can work on these things at home or handling classes neither of which is bad at all and benefits from this will be plentiful but the race car must get in the race to test every aspect of the team under pressure it is where the weaknesses are found and can them be corrected. Don't say you will wait to get your show dog in the ring when he is better at this or that or when he matures, nope show up battle it out and refine, retrain and enhance your champion (or future champion) to be their best.
Until next time……
New titles being added to dogs and new challenges being assumed by others.
As the year progresses in the show ring there are a couple of things that are becoming clear, the average conformation judge needs
further breed type education and the other is practice makes perfect.
We are consistently seeing ACDs of poor breed type and movement flaws being put up for wins in all classes.
This will exacerbate the problem of dogs that are not up to standard being bred because they won in the show ring.
To over come this problem is really simple, its called EDUCATION.
This should come from the breeds parent club but since that certainly does not appear to be happening then its going to fall upon all of us who love this breed
to get involved and one way is to join a local kennel club (or even two) help them choose only judges who truly know and understand the Australian Cattle Dog, if we make it so known that if you (judge) do not
take time to educate yourself properly then you (judge) won't get ACD assignments.
Who else is going to do it? Complaining ringside won't change anything…..we must mobilize and have ACD enthusiast on every kennel club board in the entire country and make sure that judging the the ACD is not just assigned by default, we want to word to get around that if you don't judge our breed according to the standard then you won't judge our breed at all.
The local clubs will be happy to get help and in time a difference will be made. If there is no kennel club near you join from a distance and tell them you want to be involved in the judges selection process.
The AKC has no continuing education once a judge has a certain number of breeds so there will be no assistance from them in reeducation of the judging base, and new provisional judges are going to get the same "quality education" that the current base has had, so this is something we must push at the pocketbook side of things, yes we are just one breed but that's ok its the breed we have our passion for so its the one we can stand for.
The second thing is practice makes perfect, now some individual dogs have a temperament that just makes it easier to show them but without exception ring time benefits ALL. Polishing existing skills, working on bad habits, gaining handler/dog trust is all best done in the crucible of the show ring. You can work on these things at home or handling classes neither of which is bad at all and benefits from this will be plentiful but the race car must get in the race to test every aspect of the team under pressure it is where the weaknesses are found and can them be corrected. Don't say you will wait to get your show dog in the ring when he is better at this or that or when he matures, nope show up battle it out and refine, retrain and enhance your champion (or future champion) to be their best.
Until next time……