judging

[Matty Day]

I have decided I am thinking about judging basically as I have decided to take a gap year and I am going to try to do nothing except a bit of travelling ,working ,and spending as much time with the hams and going to every show. And of course going out. so I have a few questions.
can you enter in the Syrian classes if your judging dwarfs?

And how long does it take to qualify?

[I_am_plankton]

To qualify to judge you have to decide whether you want to do dwarfs or syrians, and then do 3 book stewards and 3 pen stewards. Then you train under 3 separate fully qualified judges who mark you, 3 times to be a club judge.

It takes a fair amount of time since you would want to get as much experience beforehand.

I might do my judge training one day but for now am happy to just learn since it is a big responsibility.

[Bourne Valley Hams]

Yes, you can enter the species you are not judging.

Generally you would be expected to keep, breed and show the species (ie. for dwarfs - campbells, winter whites and chinese) you intend to judge for about 3 years before commencing training. Training will then start with pen stewarding and book stewarding. Most people qualify a couple of years after starting training but it can take longer.

[Matty Day]

i shall have lot of expreince by then defintly as my gap years not till 2010

[souffle]

I know most people have a lot of experience before they consider training to judge. You need to attend many shows, breed and learn about all species and see a lot of hamsters before even thinking about it. I have been showing for 4 years and have attended quite a few shows, have bred for many years and done quite a bit of pen and book stewarding, am on the committee and am PRO of Northern, have run shows and would not consider myself ready yet though I would like to in the future. Take your time matty and gain much more experience and knowledge and also make your studies a priority first before you think about judging. I am not being harsh here and I admire your enthusiasm but there is so much to learn before you consider judge training.

[Bourne Valley Hams]

Soufle is right Matty - if you gives you an indication then I have been showing for 8 years, and qualified as a judge only a year ago. It wasn't until I had been showing for about 5 years that I felt I was ready to even think about judging.

[Matty Day]

thanks guys im going for the syrain side thats my aim.

but im going to sit on it lets say and look at it again in 1210
but for know i am going to pen and book steward as much as poss beetween then and now then make my mind up. later

[souffle]

Originally Posted by Matty Day

but im going to sit on it lets say and look at it again in 1210

Do you have a Tardis matty?

[Matty Day]

sorry 2010