Re: Easy as pie, the first one could be at Daytona. :) >>>more

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Posted by patricia sherman on August 04, 2002 at 01:16:06:

In Reply to: Easy as pie, the first one could be at Daytona. :) >>>more posted by Serpwidgets on August 03, 2002 at 23:15:29:

:Good points about keeping it small. I don't think anyone would be able to create something as huge as the AKC in one swift move.

Of course not! The AKC has had over 100 years to develop to the point where we now see it.

:I'm pretty much off on the other tangent, working on the "morph standards" idea, but I don't see any reason why someone (anyone, really) couldn't easily organize the style of competitions you've mentioned.

I think the two would work synergistically. Setting the standards would be a logical (although not essential) precursor to holding the shows. Even if the first standards aren't as precise as those of the AKC, they can always be revised at a future date if revision is necessary to clarify certain points.

Daytona is BIG, it would be a good place to start.

The most important thing is that you have someone on the premises that's familiar enough with the ideal to decide which animals being exhibited most closely meet the ideal. Daytona is big enough that at least two or three suitable judges could easily be found there.

:(How do they do that at dog shows anyway? What happens if every judge likes a completely different animal? What if there's a tie?)

There's never a Tie. At the breed level, a judge is selected who is familiar with the breed, and who has qualified at judging that breed in at least three "sanction matches". The winners at the breed level, then go on to be judged at the "best in group" level, for which the judge is highly qualified, and has judged at numerous Shows (as opposed to sanction matches, which are "training grounds"). The winners at the group level go on to be judged for Best In Show, for which the judge is one of the most highly respected in the country. At group level and Show level, the judges never get to see the animals that were eliminated by the judges at the breed and group levels.

:Off the top of my head here are a few categories: One winner for each category (what's in the parentheses would be an example of some animals competing for the same prize.)

Catgories are generally set along the line of traits that can be selectively bred for. Also, young dogs don't compete against adults. I think that separate classes for juveniles and adults would also be a reasonable idea in showing snakes. It is also a good idea to have prizes for second and third (and even fourth) places in a category. That way, the owners of animals that have some potential to be future winners receive recognition of their animal's superior qualities. The more people that win "something" the happier thay all are, and the more likely they are to seek greater success.

There should be classes that select the best examples of known colour morphs, and of known pattern morphs. In either category, animals that exhibit the best colours and/or markings, and also exhibit excellent other conformational characteristics (i.e, a perfect Striped, that is also a really nice Amelanistic, or a really bright Okeetee that is also very regularly blotched) would take preference over an example that is perfect of its colour/pattern, but is "muddy" in its adherence to the pattern/colour. (That's probably as clear as mud, I hope you understand what I'm saying.)

:Most attractive result of combining known genes. (Butter Motley, Bloodred Lavender, Striped Ghost, etc.)

I think one first needs to concentrate on the more commonly bred morphs (for which there will likely be a correspondingly greater number of exhibitors), and that the fancies may be grouped together as a "special" category. My reasoning here, is that if a fancy variety isn't being commonly bred, there may be too few breeders/owners to provide real competition.

:-Most attractive "selectively-bred" morph. (Okeetee, Sunglow, Candycane, etc.)

Yes! But let's not forget that even amels and anerys may be bred to a standard. For instance: does the animal have nice even stripes; or, are its blotches evenly spaced? Does it have nice contrast between its dark and light areas, or is it "muddy"? Is its head in perfect proportion to its body? Is it free of kinking? Does it have a healthy "glow"? etc.

:- Most interesting "new" variation. (Ruby-Freckled, Piebald, something else... I dunno, a cornsnake with 6 legs? hehe)

"Any Other Variety" is a common category used in shows for mice, rats, rabbits, etc.

:-Biggest (longest) cornsnake.

I don't think this is a conformational characteristic, so much as a "fun" characteristic. Are we striving to produce extremely long specimens? Is it advantageous to the species if we do so?

:-Most eggs in one clutch. (I'd guess this would have to be on the honor system?)

I think this would be unworkable.

:I'm sure there are a lot more categories that could be done.

I've no doubt that it would be possible to decide upon at least a dozen categories.

:It could be done by judges: just a handful of cornsnake 'fans' walking back and forth between a few breeders' tables and deciding who gets the prize for each judged category.

They'd have to be people that all enthusiasts recognize as having the experience necessary to enable them to pass fair judgement. It couldn't just be a bunch of us who feel that judging would be a "cool" thing to do.

:I bet there would be more people involved the next time.

I'm sure there would be.

:I know I'd be going over to the tables afterward to see who won, and for what. It might even get me interested in something that otherwise wouldn't have caught my eye.

I'll bet it would. When you see that blue ribbon above the winner's cage, you sure want to own the winner of the next blue ribbon when the show is held the following year.

:At some point it could be made "formal," but even something informal to spark interest and get the ball rolling would be really fun. You can't do something until you can visualize it, and that will put visions in our heads. :)

Absolutely true!

Tricia

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