Excerpts from the 1964 CFA Yearbook, Part 2

CFA JUDGING SCHOOL PROGRAM

by Louise Sample

The 1964 CFA Annual meeting held in Las Vegas, Nevada, will long be remembered for the many improvements in the Constitution, the total centralization of all former offices into one Central Office under the direction of an Office Manager, the system for recognition of purebred cats registered in similar associations, the acceptance of new breed classifications such as the Havana Brown, Rex, and Red Point and, last, but not the least of these forward-looking innovations…. The establishment of a Judging School system.

The need has long been felt for some kind of systematic training of ring stewards, clerks, future judges and all person desiring to know more about show management, show mechanics, show rules as they pertain to the above, and show standards as they are applied to each individual breed and color.

The establishment of judging schools will give CFA clubs an opportunity to procure training for show personnel as well as enlarging the scope of understanding and enjoyment of the Cat Fancy in general. These school sessions are open to everyone regardless of age or affiliation. Not all those who attend will be aspiring to judge, or even clerk, but will come, it is hoped, to acquaint themselves with the method CFA judges use in determining the top awards in a show, the logical progression of awards as they pyramid up to Best Cat, and to learn of the multiplicity of things a judge must take into consideration when judging any cat. All of these things a judge must take into consideration when judging any cat. All of these things are of grave importance to any exhibitor and breeder, and although he many know very well the worth of his own particular breed, it should be enlightening to hear interpretations of the standard composed for that breed.

Many of our present judges are well qualified to conduct such a school, but for the first year only a very few were appointed in order to be reasonably sure of as little deviation as possible in using a set curriculum. These appointees are All Breed judges and as such, can and will cover all the breeds in the judging sessions. In the future, Approved Long Hair and Approved Short Hair judges may be appointed so that some clubs can hold an All Short Hair session or an All Long Hair session.

The judges appointed to initiate this program are: Richard Gebhardt, Pat Johnston, Betty O’Brien, Matil Rotter, Rita Swenson, Harriett Wolfgang and Louise Sample.

Should any CFA club wish to participate in this program, it may do so by obtaining sanction from the Judging Program Chairman. This sanction is without cost and is a free service of CFA to member clubs.

By now most clubs will already have their judges under contract, and if you have one of the above named judges, he may also conduct a school in conjunction with a judging assignment. If a club finds it has none of the appointed judges under contract, the club may still hold a school by engaging the services of one of the appointed judges who may be coming to the show as an exhibitor. Or, a club may avail itself of the services of one of the appointed judges if he is in easy traveling distance and is willing to conduct a session of the school for a fee of $50.00. In each instance given, the Judge will pay his expenses incurred for that session of the school.

Clubs sanctioned to hold a school will be asked to furnish a large room, either in a home or in a hall, sufficient to the needs of the number of persons attending. Other items which must be furnished by the club are a large blackboard, chalk… and for the afternoon session, live cats in exhibition cages. The ideal would be to have one cat in each of the Long Hair Divisions and at least one of each of the Short Hair breeds. Nothing can take the place of having live cats to work with when demonstrating handling techniques and pointing out details of the standards. If the club uses the contract judge for a school, then only cats not entered in the show may be used. If the club uses the services of an appointed judge who is not under contract for that particular show, then duly entered exhibits may be used in the school.

After obtaining sanction to hold a school, the club should make an announcement of such school in an early flyer, and again in the premium list, so that as many as possible may know about the school and sign up for it no later than close-of-entry date. Accommodations for the school must be made by the club and it is necessary that you know, in advance, the number of people likely to attend. If the response is great, then a home amusement room may not be large enough and you will have to make arrangements either for a meeting room in the hotel, or hall where the show is to be held. It is advisable to have all prospective attendees pay the fee at the time of signing up for the school. A printed blank at the bottom of the flyer, and the premium list, should be filled out by those expecting to attend the sessions. The blank and the fee should be returned promptly to the club.

We cannot expect that all of the appointed judges will conduct a school in exactly the same manner, nor that they will devote the same amount of time to each division of the curriculum. Therefore, it will be interesting to attend more than one school, as each wil be slightly different but equally valuable.

Judges appointed to conduct a school session shall receive a fee of $50.00 from the club sanctioned to hold such a school. The Judge will pay his own expenses coincidental to that one-day session.

Fees for attendance at a judging school shall be $5.00 for the morning session covering stewarding, clerking and that part of show management and show rules pertaining thereto; $5.00 for the afternoon sessions covering show mechanics, the judging of actual cats and an open discussion period of material covered. Persons may attend the entire day session for a fee of $7.50. FEES FOR ATTENDANCE SHALL BE COLLECTED, AND RETAINED, BY THE CLUB HOLDING THE SCHOOL. If but fifteen persons sign up for the entire day session, the club will make a profit of $62.50 over and above the fee of $50.00 paid to the Judge.

Announcement of a CFA judging school session must read as follows:

Name of club will hold a session of the CFA judging school on date conducted by name of judge . Fees for attendance are $5.00 for A.M. session covering stewarding, clerking and show rules pertaining thereto; $5.00 for P.M. session covering mechanics, actual judging and open discussion of topics covered. Entire day session, $7.50. Sign enclosed entry form and remit, with fee, not later than entry closing date to
name ……….. address
$5.00 A.M. $5.00 P.M. $7.50 A.M. & P.M. Circle one
Signature of attendee

The Executive Board believes the CFA judging school program will enhance your show, increase your entries and attendance, and in general will aid in gaining the best trained show personnel for member clubs; and that it will result in a more uniform interpretation of the show standards.

All questions pertaining to the judging school should be directed to the Judging Program Chairman who will answer them fully and promptly.

Louise Sample
Judging Program Chairman

Judge Louise Sample registered her Samdur cattery in 1946, breeding Burmese, Abyssinians, and Siamese.  She was elected to the Executive Board in 1958 and elected Vice President in 1960.