Page 190 - ShowSight - September 2019

Don’t Pre-Judge
THE JUDGE!
BY SCOTT TONEY, MIDWOOD JAPANESE CHIN
Afriend, who is a 30-plus year exhibitor in the Non- Sporting Group, recently shared a story with me that validated my own beliefs, and spurred me to action to write this article. Many years ago he felt the need to bring “new blood” into his breeding program, and was looking for a male that had the pedigree and conformation to comple- ment his own line. To make his task even more daunting, he wanted to find a young dog not only meeting these cri- teria, but also one with the potential to be a top special. Most of us know this is easier said than done! He enlisted sever- al of his most trusted friends, including some judges, to keep their eyes open for him. About a year later, an AKC judge who was not even approved to judge his breed, found the perfect dog in a junior class while judging in Europe. Long sto- ry short; introductions were made, my friend bought the dog, and it did indeed go on to have a very long and successful career as a stud and show dog including multiple best-in-show wins.
“AN OPEN MIND LEAVES A CHANCE FOR SOMEONE TO DROP A WORTHWHILE THOUGHT IN IT.”
- MARK TWAIN
188 • ShowSight Magazine, SepteMber 2019