In a message dated 2/16/2002 10:17:34 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> The problem is, Roger, that both Nancy and I are judges and I know for a
> fact
> that I am not political one whit and, knowing Nancy very well, I do not
> think
> she is either....I would bet the farm on it.
>
> I admit that sometimes it may seem that way, and, for that matter,
> sometimes
> it is that way, However, Most of the folk who judge are honest and attempt
> to
> do a good job with the time allowed for evaluation.
>
> It is discouraging to be constantly painted with the same broad and
> insulting
> brush.
>
> Pat Ide
>
Pat:
I understand how you feel. First, I was really only trying to make a
joke. But on a serious note, there is a large perception, that I agree with
that there is politics in dog showing. Perhaps the greatest piece of
evidence is that there are people who spend thousands of dollars advertising
in dog magazines in order to facilitate wins. It seems to be quite
successful. If advertisement is effective, how can judging not be
political? I personally know of a dog that won rarely, until tens of
thousands of dollars were spent on advertisement. The dog ended up among the
top group winners. The owners used inherited money and are now broke. A
true story of people who were literally addicted to dog showing. That is
another issue.
I guess where I differ from others is that I accept it. No one puts a
gun to my head to show dogs. I do it because I enjoy it. I accept the
politics. I see dog showing as fun. I run a physical rehab center with lots
of stress in my life. I want to get away from the stress. I have a
Keeshond special who has over 75 Hall of Fame points. Most of those points
are with me handling. I know that there are judges who won't put my dog up
without a handler. So I use a handler with those judges. That is just life
in the dog show world. I don't deny or whine about it. I try to have very
good dogs and make them as competitive as possible within reason. I am not
going to spend thousands of dollars on advertisement.
So I do understand how you feel. I do apologize for offending you. Yet I
think the jokes will persist because there really is politics in dog
showing. I don't think you should take it personally. I commend you and
the many other dog show judges who are completely honest. I tell people that
no one can take our integrity away from us. We can only do that ourselves.
So I commend the many honest judges who refuse to compromise their integrity.
Harry Truman probably said it best: "Always do right. It will please some
and astonish the rest."
Roger B.
Baskin
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