The New York herald., 1921-05-01
TIMELY RULINGS
BY A.K.C. ON SHOW
Ring ETIQUETTE
Explains Position of Judge
i'm Relation to
Exhibitor.
NO QUESTIONING AWARDS
Sportsmanship Of Average Ex-
hibitor Doubted-Gossip Of
Kennel World.
NO QUESTIONING AWARDS
ny FRANK n. DOLE.

I wish to express my entire approval
of the rulings of the American Kennel
Club regarding the. conduct OF Judges
nouncement by the executive committee
which I have just received. There have
been many fragrant violations OF show
ring etiquette. both before and after
5ldging. and It is high time halt was
called on such proceedings.
Only recently at a specially show !
attended. a prominent man told me
after the last award that II was re-
Grettable that so often Judging aroused
tire suspicion of the exhibitors. Re-
ferring to the particular Judge. he said I:
81 am informed that this Judge spent
tine night before at a prominent exhi-
litor's house, and you will notice that
this exhibitor won nearly all the prizes"
Upon investigation l learned that the
5udge In question had spent the night
cn a sleeper from Buffalo to Philadelphia
and that the false story had been cir
culated by a disappointed exhibitor.
1t all goes to show what great harm
tlis backbiting and gossip can do and
explains why so many good people have
deserted the game. The sport should be
kept clean and exhibitors In every case
should accept the judges decision as
final. Such a sporting spirit would help
the game more than anything 1 know.
j have been identified since boyhood
with numerous sports. and / regret to
say that the dog exhibitor of to-day
and when / say that I mean the average
exhibtor--is poor sportsman.
The Judges Position.
The American Kennel Clubs notice
which follows Is we'll worth reading and
should be pasted by most exhibitors In
their hats for ready reference:
THE dignity of the position of Judge
at dog show. Is something that peo-
pile do not realize. The exhibitors not
only fail to appreciate this but many
Of the judges seem ignorant as to the
respect that this position commands.
"A Judge while in the ring and judging
occupies q position quite the same as a
Judge in court. He is absolutely su-
rreme In that ring His decisions must
be accepted as final and may not be
questioned by any one. Furthermore,
he has full control over everyone In the
ring and his orders must be obeyed.
Judges should not countenance or
allow any one, either in the ring or as
a spectator outside OF the ring, to
make any audible remarks or COM
ments as to his decisions. or In any
other way indicate criticisms Of his
placings, or even displeasure with them
When any lack OF respect for the
Judge is shown. the judge should imme-
diately order the guilty one from the
ring, if the offence is of only a minor
degree; otherwise he should promptly
prefer charges against the offender to
the Bench Show Committee. If the
party Is outside OF the ring he should
be ordered to leave the ringside, or
charges should be preferred according
TO the seriousness of the act.
"A judge should never attempt to ex-
plain any OF his placings while judg-
ing Should any one insist upon his
doing so. the judge should take suit
able action against such a person for
disrespectful actions toward a judge.
Such a charge will be entertained by
the American Kennel Club. If a judge
should, however. wish to explain his
decisions after he has finished his
classes, that is different matter and
quite proper.