[Jacob-list] showing

[Betty Berlenbach]

Might I suggest that you all who show look into card grading as the more appropriate way to judge sheep, when there is great diversity among entries?  We use it at Vt. Sheep and Wool Youth Show.  In card grading, the individual sheep is not judged relative to the other sheep in the show but relative to the breed standard for that particular breed.  Each child who enters submits a copy of the breed standard for that breed, and then I make up a sheet for the judge, with 10 categories, the weight of each, based on the breed standard, and next to each category, the requirement of the breed standard, so the judge has all the materials s/he needs at hand to appropriately judge the sheep.  Then, there are four levels, from "this animal does not meet the breed standard and is disqualified", through "this is a fair example", "this is a good example", this is an excellent example...These yellow, white, red, and blue cards are then awarded, with a prize amount for white, red, and blue.  Then, and only then, the blues are pranced around for a competitive 1st, 2nd,3rd ewe lamb, ram lamb, yearling ewe, and best of show.  By this time, the judge has a fairly good idea of the breed standards for each breed, and is supposedly picking the winner based on whichis the most spectacular example of their own breed standard, not which is biggest and fattest!  It also becomes a fine way to educate people, because the judge can say "This jacob is too fat" and this romney too skinny, when it sure looks like the jacob is skinny...people begin to see that there are differences in shape, size, etc. among breeds.  It also encourages those with shetlands, jacobs, etc. to enter their sheep and know they will not be competing against big sheep.  It also makes the judge look incrredibly erudite on the subject of breeds.  No one else knows he's been fed all the info!  (We have taken to having three "judges" go around and judge the animals.  Then, the two minor judges give the info to the real judge, who tallies and averages: that way, s/he has some back-up for what s/he says.  It eliminates the anger at THE judge, and makes for a few opinions to be expressedd among the judges.  Perhaps you might consider thinking about getting on the 4H show committees, and teaching the kids about this sort of grading, having them all practice it at sheep camp (and then THEY" learn about the different breeds and what is considered correct for each breed), and institute it at some of your smaller fairs.  When it catches on locally, it will finally make its way up to the big fairs.
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