JUDGING SHEEP AT SHOWS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 77, 23 December 1937, Page 10

JUDGING SHEEP AT SHOWS

Suggested Use of Special Yards AUSTRALIAN SYSTEM Suggestions are always welcome, more especially when they come from such a proxnincnt and experienced farmor and judge as Mr. A. F. Filmer, of Geelong, Australia, who is spending five months touring New Zealand. and visiung all agricultural shows and stud farms, and viewing the country generally. Mr. Filmer is one of the leading judges on the list issued by the Department ojE Agriculture for British breeds of sheep and is a member of the council of the British Breeds of Sheep which controls all these breeds in Australia. At one time he was one of tbe leading breeders of Lincolns and is now keenly interested in Corriedales and is part owner in a flock. He has judged the Geelong show for 17 consecutive years. Mr. Filmer 's suggestion for an improvement in judging our sheep sections is worthy of most careful consideration. At the Melbourne Royal Show tnere are judging yards alongside of the sheep pens. These judging yards are perfectly level and have a concrete floor which can be kept clean all the time by an attendant, so that n a judge desires to turn up any sheep fov examination there is no danger of spoiling its wool. Another point in its fa'vour is that exhibitors and spectStors can watch the process of judging from start to finish, and it is amazing how many are interested in it. By use of a level judging ring for tho sheep to stand on, all the animals are judged under the same conditione and placed side by side, held either by their owners or by attendants. Tnere should be no objection to owners leading their own sheep as is done by cattle and horse exhibitors. If a judge is going to be influenced by a breeder's presence he should not be a judge. It can readily be understood how much easier this system is for the judge than one where he has to ira from one pen to another to make compansons and carry in his mind the good and bad points of each exhibit. His only alternative is to run them together in a dark and narrow race where they buneh together. In Australia, where the use of yards is adopted, the judging pens are crowded all day long with interested spectators and it is an education to both exhibitors and onlookers who can follow every movement of the judge. In making these remarks Mr. Filmer emphasised that he had no desire to critieise, but his aim here. as at home, was to suggest anything that he considered an improvement. "A junior judge or two in each section is a great asteistance to bring out and educate young judges, ' ' he said.