[souffle]

Hi there - I judge Syrians in the UK as mentioned. In the UK you qualify in Syrian and Dwarfs separately so if you want to judge both it is two sets of training and tests.
Initially you should be an active member in a club and have some knowledge through your own showing and breeding and also have done some show secretary work and maybe judged pets and helped out stewarding at shows. You need to do 3 lots of pen stewarding ( organising the pens in order, ensuring hamsters are safe and well, bring to the judge and taking away after judging and arranging on the bench in score order etc) and 3 sessions of Book stewarding (sitting with the judge, taking notes and totting up scores and organising the correct classes to be brought forward). After this you have to judge 3 shows under the eye of a qualified judge who assesses you on your abilities to judge, recognise colours, maintain consistency in judging and judge to the standard. They mark you and you must pass all three trainee judging assessments after which you will qualify as a judge for the club which put you forward. After two years you can apply to jduge as a National judge when you need to judge and be assessed again by three qualified National judges.
It is quite nerve wracking especially the first time you judge but I do enjoy it. I'm not sure how it works in the USA though.