UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
Last weekend, I had the privilege of judging at the Philippine International Circuit at the Araneta Coliseum. I was on a panel of 16 judges from various countries around the world, from the USA, South America, Europe and Asia, all well-known in the dog world. It was a great privilege being the only Filipino on the slate.
What makes for a dog judge? To initially qualify, you must have bred at least three champions of a breed, in my case, Pekingese. You apply for a license to judge that breed and take a written test, followed by a practicum, where a senior judge drills you on your knowledge of the breed standard as applied to several dogs being evaluated. Having passed that, you then get to judge the breed at the championship level, where championship points are given, depending on the number of dogs defeated.
Next, you apply for two more breeds in the group your breed belongs to (there are 10 groups in the Federation Cynologique International (FCI) classification with over 400 breeds and growing). Once you have passed the same routine, you can now apply for a group license to judge the rest of the breeds in that group. After judging the group twice, and the senior judge gives you a passing grade, you get to apply for the next group, and so on.
Once you have qualified to judge the 10 groups, you can take the practicum to be licensed as an all-breeds judge. After two local judging assignments where you are evaluated by the senior judge, you can now accept offers to judge internationally.
It is an arduous and time-consuming process which can take a decade to achieve, requiring a good knowledge of dog anatomy and movement (there are different types of gaits depending on the breed), a keen eye for breed type, balance and, of course, the breed standards, which detail the appearance of the breeds from head to foot, and their ideal movement and characteristics. Dog groups classification is based on their purpose — i.e., guard dogs, hunting dogs (different subcategories by sight or scent), companion (mainly small dogs), herding, and getting rid of vermin (e.g., terriers).
It also requires the integrity and objectivity to put up the best dog, regardless of who owns it. Sometimes, you lose friends whose dogs you didn’t put up, but then, they probably were not good friends, anyway, if they can’t accept your decisions sportingly.
Why did I get into this when I was already working full time as a doctor? Well, dogs are one of my passions (orchids being another), and I find fulfillment in breeding the best Pekingese and being rewarded by judges in shows. Naturally, I segued into the world of judging, which I also find rewarding, to find the best examples in each breed and reward them ultimately with a Best in Show award.
While hard work and studying breed standards are involved, dog judging has its perks too. When you are invited to other countries to judge, you get to travel for free, and tours are often given to guest judges. Airfare, hotel accommodation and meals are care of the inviting club. You get to meet like-minded people, judges and exhibitors alike, who share your passion for purebred dogs.
Thus, I got to travel all over Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. On my wish list is South America, which I haven’t visited yet. Perhaps my fellow judges from there will invite me someday.
The Philippine Circuit was a four-day event. We judges were treated to catered lunch at the venue, and dinners were occasions for camaraderie and exchanging cards, so we get to invite those judges whom we would like to come back or for us to visit their respective countries.
By the end of the event, we were tired and had aching legs due to standing in the ring for hours. But that is minor compared to the rewards of excellent examples of each breed. Our foreign judges were amazed at how organized the event was, with 13 all-breed shows plus grooming and non-conformation events like agility, obedience and Mondio ring.
One event featured a fun match for the Philippine Forest Dog, which should soon be admitted to the list of recognized dog breeds around the world.
The next edition of the Philippine Circuit will be in January 2025. Try to attend at least one in your life.
The next time you get to go to a dog show, you will be amazed at the wide variety of dog breeds, all with a purpose for their existence. It is this diversity that makes the world a more interesting place. Unfortunately, there is a strident “animal rights” movement that aims to completely abolish pet ownership of all types. Let’s not let that happen.