Booking Judges

[hollycane]

Just feel a short rant is in order. For the first time in a while I'm helping a show obtain judges for 2010. It's an early show and I started to request judges over 6 months beforehand, well before most other shows had even picked up the phone. None of the qualifiers had been confirmed so had to rely on what we had last year.
Bearing in mind I am also a judge and I know how confusing it can be to keep track of what you have been asked to do I telephoned and then backed up with a letter (very quickly) with a reply paid envelope to confirm the judge could do what they said they could.
Some judges have not returned my initial call despite the fact I have called them 3 times ( or more). Some judges have not returned their reply paid confirmation 2 months after they received it ( having said they could judge).
I've now discovered that there seems to be a bit of a list of these repeat offenders who cherry pick their appointments and leave many show secretaries hanging.
Manners cost nothing but go a very long way. Please have the courtesy to at least respond. You should be proud to have the honour of being asked to judge and it's annually renewable like your membership fees.

[thecremellosociety]

Ditto the above, Pony Judges have been a piece of cake this year but Horse Judges, i normally write first but have been ringing and facebooking !!!!!!!! (as in the site face book !!) Think judges who dont reply need reporting to the governing society as not a very good advert, We always send a SAE and a tick sheet all you have to do is tick sign and post not hard really !!!! We even have a email or text messaging service if they prefer !!!! i Appreciate people have busy lifes but if you cant be bothered to reply then dont be on a panel

Editied for Terrible Spellings as Normal

[pigsear]

Well put Emma Jane, I would always acknowledge a judging request as soon as it was possible.

On saying that I once arrived at a show (was about a 2 hour drive away) to be told that because I didnt reply to THEIR confirmation letter of the judging appointment I was replaced.....
not been back since!

[armada]

Agree with Pigsear, always reply asap. it is'nt really fair to keep shows hanging on, judges get booked up so quickly, and my diary is always handy and most shows for the current season are pencilled into it (judges permitting) long before Christmas. The ones who have rung me so far have been the lucky ones, and they are all return fixtures, but I have my own animals to show, and a property which continually needs a paintbrush or hammer and nails taking to it, so have to really cut back on any comittments I take. I really feel for show secs, having had to organise and book judges myself in the past, I understand, it can turn into a soul destroying tele-sales job at times.

[solitaire]

We are finding it really difficult to get judges for Devon and Cornwall areas - its so expensive for fuel expences not it would be nice if there were a few more locally to keep the costs down at this rate we and many others will not be able to afford to run shows at a cost the competitors can afford as well.

[thecremellosociety]

Yes its hard to get affordable new faces in, have gone more local for my charity show judges, but have gone further afield for Derby by way of speculating to accumulate, ie get the entries in by having new faces to the area, TOUCH WOOD Pending 2 that have verbally agreed just waiting their agreements back, im sorted for 2010 though still have a few places for some show jump & showing judges at the charity show.