This summer I was able to finally reach a goal I had been working towards since I was 10: I got to judge to judge pig shows. I loved being able to sort the hogs but I loved working with the kids even more. I wasn't the best judge ever by any means and learned a lot about what I should/shouldn't do every time I step into the ring with a mic in my hand.
1. Be confident- Going into my first show of the summer I had 3 BIG targets on my back: a) I was fresh out of college b) I was a female doing a traditional "male" job c) I am not a breeder and neither is my dad. I knew this going into it and I'm pretty sure most of the people there did too. But I was not about to let someone eat me alive. I stayed confident in my decision and tried to not overthink things. At the end of the day, who cares what other people think? It's truly YOUR decision so have faith in it.
2. Treat every show like it's someone's state fair- I actually stole this piece of advice from another judge who gave it to me before my first show. It doesn't matter the quality or quantity of the pigs at the show. Some kid put their heart and soul into that project and it's your job as the judge to give them their moment to show off their project. Even if it looks like they drug it out of the finisher the night before. Take the time to talk to the kids about their project. Don't act like it's a waste of your time or that you are too good to be judging a county fair.
3. Keep it about the kids- It doesn't matter who's sitting ringside. The important people are the ones in the ring with the exhibitor numbers. It's ok to smile once in awhile. It's ok to make a joke with them. Keep it fun or else they aren't going to want to come back next year. These kids are the next generation not only for the show ring but the swine industry as a whole, so make your time with them count. If you can go to state fair and have kids and parents you judged at a county fair come up to talk to you and not give you the stink eye, you did your job right.
4. Be timely- Show up when you're supposed to. If it's supposed to be a 100 degree July day, call ahead and see if they want to start earlier. Take your time with each class but don't spend 20 minutes deciding between a 3rd and 4th pair. It's ok to ask the announcer or superintendent how you're doing on time throughout the show. These families have put in a lot of time to get their projects ready for you to evaluate, so you owe it to them to respect their time as well. However, don't be checking the time on your phone every 5 minutes because then you just look like you're ready to check out.
5. Be humble- Sorry to hurt some egos, but the kids are not going to care if you placed top 5 at every national contest during your collegiate judging career. They aren't going to care about all the banners you racked up in high school. They are going to care about how you present yourself on that day of the show. There's a fine line between confident and arrogant, so don't cross it. If you make a mistake (like call a gilt a barrow) admit up to it. If you take awhile on a class, apologize for overworking the hogs. Most importantly, always always ALWAYS thank the superintendents, kids, parents, and ringman for inviting you to the show. One small act of kindness and respect will go a long way for your judging career.
Being a livestock judge isn't always a easy job, but for me it has been an extremely rewarding one. My first county fair I showed at, I had a judge who focused on presenting himself with class and taking extra time to work with the kids. That experience made me love showing pigs, inspired me to get into a career in the swine industry, and want to judge shows just like him someday too. When I walk into a ring, that is the kind of experience I hope to give to some other young showman. That is what judging junior shows/county fairs/state fairs, in my opinion, should be all about.
1. Be confident- Going into my first show of the summer I had 3 BIG targets on my back: a) I was fresh out of college b) I was a female doing a traditional "male" job c) I am not a breeder and neither is my dad. I knew this going into it and I'm pretty sure most of the people there did too. But I was not about to let someone eat me alive. I stayed confident in my decision and tried to not overthink things. At the end of the day, who cares what other people think? It's truly YOUR decision so have faith in it.
2. Treat every show like it's someone's state fair- I actually stole this piece of advice from another judge who gave it to me before my first show. It doesn't matter the quality or quantity of the pigs at the show. Some kid put their heart and soul into that project and it's your job as the judge to give them their moment to show off their project. Even if it looks like they drug it out of the finisher the night before. Take the time to talk to the kids about their project. Don't act like it's a waste of your time or that you are too good to be judging a county fair.
3. Keep it about the kids- It doesn't matter who's sitting ringside. The important people are the ones in the ring with the exhibitor numbers. It's ok to smile once in awhile. It's ok to make a joke with them. Keep it fun or else they aren't going to want to come back next year. These kids are the next generation not only for the show ring but the swine industry as a whole, so make your time with them count. If you can go to state fair and have kids and parents you judged at a county fair come up to talk to you and not give you the stink eye, you did your job right.
4. Be timely- Show up when you're supposed to. If it's supposed to be a 100 degree July day, call ahead and see if they want to start earlier. Take your time with each class but don't spend 20 minutes deciding between a 3rd and 4th pair. It's ok to ask the announcer or superintendent how you're doing on time throughout the show. These families have put in a lot of time to get their projects ready for you to evaluate, so you owe it to them to respect their time as well. However, don't be checking the time on your phone every 5 minutes because then you just look like you're ready to check out.
5. Be humble- Sorry to hurt some egos, but the kids are not going to care if you placed top 5 at every national contest during your collegiate judging career. They aren't going to care about all the banners you racked up in high school. They are going to care about how you present yourself on that day of the show. There's a fine line between confident and arrogant, so don't cross it. If you make a mistake (like call a gilt a barrow) admit up to it. If you take awhile on a class, apologize for overworking the hogs. Most importantly, always always ALWAYS thank the superintendents, kids, parents, and ringman for inviting you to the show. One small act of kindness and respect will go a long way for your judging career.
Being a livestock judge isn't always a easy job, but for me it has been an extremely rewarding one. My first county fair I showed at, I had a judge who focused on presenting himself with class and taking extra time to work with the kids. That experience made me love showing pigs, inspired me to get into a career in the swine industry, and want to judge shows just like him someday too. When I walk into a ring, that is the kind of experience I hope to give to some other young showman. That is what judging junior shows/county fairs/state fairs, in my opinion, should be all about.