Is it in poor taste?

[greg magee]

Is it in poor taste to sit and judge on paper, as well as record on video each competing dog in the stake from the gallery.

[WRL]

Is it in poor taste to sit and judge on paper, as well as record on video each competing dog in the stake from the gallery.

No I don't think so.

Why?

WRL

[twall]

I voted no based on the assumption that it was done for personal assessment purposes.

Tom

[Vicki Worthington]

I think as long as the contestants don't mind being filmed....

People sitting in the gallary and judging in the margins of their catalogs or on other writing material is nothing new. I've spoken to many who do this and have received a variety of answers. The most common reply is that they want to see how their evaluations jive with the callbacks and ultimate placings. If that is truly the motivation, then go for it. If it helps people come to an understanding of dog work, that's a good thing.

One thing everyone needs to remember! Only the judges watch EVERY dog from the line. Everyone in the gallery tends to get distracted, miss a dog, miss part of a retrieve, etc.

A reminder to judges (including myself): The gallery should be positioned where they can see the test, but it should not be behind the line or closely beside the line. Too much noise, too much movement behind a handler, and too easy to interfere with a dog's performance. The gallery should be a distance from the line, but where visibility is good. It is more important that the gallery's view be somewhat limited rather than a dog's performance be somewhat handicapped by the gallery. Marshals should be aware of "creepers" and send them back to the gallery while dogs are working. The line can be viewed when birds are sent out, gunners changed, or lunches distributed.

[BonMallari]

Personally I think its a great idea...I wish video technology would allow more trials to be captured on tape for use to replay, we all sit and ask for updates on callbacks, if someone were to capture an entire series on digital video equipment for playback on a website or you tube format, imagine how many of us would want to watch the replay...could you also imagine the controversy if there were a dispute over a dog being dropped

replay challenge regards

[2tall]

Goodness, I hope not! I have learned more by watching, note taking and videoing than any time I have been at the line myself.

[limiman12]

That is the best way to learn. I know we (NAHRA Central region) have been trying to get a multitude of dogs taped so that judging seminars can have dog work infornt of them, among other reasons.

I learned more about how to handle, train, and judge sitting in the gallery watching and talking with more expereinced people in one summer than I ever could have without that opporitunity

There will always be some controversy as to who got called back, but the point about the gallery did not see EVERYTHING is true.

[gsc]

In this day and age, I think the competitors should at least be informed. Tapes that may not appear as anything have made it into courts and cost people heart ache and at times money.

[YardleyLabs]

I see no problem as long as nothing about your camera work interferes with the dog. Fpr example, I seldom photograph dogs running blinds because dogs have reacted to the light reflecting off the lens and looked at me when they should have been looking at the handler. This generally is only an issue with younger, Q level dogs.

[Mark Leahy]

I would have to say no.