AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

I appreciate your post oaklands and I did put forward the allow a very small number to view judging 2-4 was my thought but they just won't have it so I may look at a new club as I see no reason why 2 people cannot follow the judges and watch and listen?

Instead of changing clubs there could be an alternative solution for you.
Why not offer to steward for the judge in the section you are interested in, then rotate to a new section for the next show.
Some clubs like my old one had a card writer who carried a portable table and wrote cards as the judging progressed, offer or suggest this.
That way you would be right on the spot with the judge, if he/she was made aware of your interest to learn you will be surprised how accomodating some judges will be and impart a wealth of knowledge.
Actually far more informative to you than just being a silent observer.

I will try that thank you yet again you are very helpful

We have a card writer and that can be anyone so yes good idea Oaklands, put yourself up for a couple of shows Nealsons or suggest the position if they don't have it




LooLoo

I will try that thanks

I'm not aware of any judges that actually use the point score system as such. This is the European way of judging - the judge actually scoring the birds on a score card. In this system there are no placings but birds allocated a merit assessment eg. excellent, very good, good etc etc. (the exact terminology escapes me but it is detailed in David Schivener's book Exhibition Poultry - should be in most libraries).

In Australia we use the English system of comparison and placings. This is, or should be, fairly straight forward. Of course judges must be very conscious of the Standard and points score within the standard, particularly in regards serious faults and disqualifications. For example a Pekin that has poor feather leg will be down-graded in accordance with the relevant importance of that feature. However, an exceptionally marked coloured bird with poor type should not necessarily win over a less well marked bird with excellent type. Type makes the breed. Judges are generally looking for good all round birds; that is a bird with balance.

There is no such thing as the perfect bird. All birds have faults, the judge has to weigh up the relative importance of these faults and allocate placings accordingly. And he has only a relatively short time to do it! A judge may have 250 birds to judge and possibly three and a half hours to do it in. That equate to less than a bird a minute to look at it from outside the pen, comparing it to others in the class, taking it out of the pen for a thorough going over and then assessing it against the other birds again. With small classes this can be done quickly but larger classes takes much longer, particularly if the quality is even.

In comparison to the European system you can have poor quality birds at an Australian show being allocated a 1st one week but unplaced the next in stronger company. In the European system the bird should be consistently allocated the same description, albeit allowing for differing interpretations by individual judges.

While the European system has a lot of merit there is no way that a judge could possibly adjudicate over the number of birds that they currently do at Australian shows if they have to score each individual bird and record it on a score card.

David

Very good post David


to APF

LooLoo

Anyone no what the highest point score a fowl has got in a show? would be good to no how close someone has got to 100

Do you have federations that have judging courses in australia?