TheLighter Side of Judging Continued FROM page 68
the conversation, I feel as if we are kindred spirits from another life: we both are beekeepers, we both love to cook, we both hate bad food in less than acceptable social settings, we both garden, we both love to get our hands dirty, we both enjoy traditional methods of food preservation (canning), and we both love dogs. And, I love my new friend LADYNR. The show is approximately a fifteen-minute drive from the host hotel. We arrive, pass through the parking attendants collecting money and proceed around the back to judges’ parking. After a short walk, we arrive at the official LADIES DOG CLUB tent and we are greeted with numerous smiling faces, all decked out in various, stylish outfits of RED and WHITE. I am most impressed by LADYCCM’s hat. “A hat of such style and grace is worthy of even the best Kentucky Derby party, I say while also snapping a photo with DROID. The unseasonably hot weather has already set the stage for no sports coat, leaving me with MR.EB’s RED and WHITE inspired short-sleeve -seersucker shirt as the focal point. I marvel at how well the LADIES work in harmony to execute the morning events. Through detailed observation from under the official tent, I meditate and appreciate the tranquility and simple pleasures of a wonderful dog show taking place. I watch the interacting of the natural dog show world and keep my deep-rooted LADY traumas at bay. The LADIES make up the majority of the club members, they all have specialized structures, such as food preparation, hospitality, managing the funds, removing debris, handling conflict, managing the temperature, the tents, the trophies, transportation, safety, parking, grooming, crating of dogs and most important---making sure LADY/ QUEENBROWN is safe, happy and well cared for. “The LADIES, like the worker bees, do it all and control it all,” I say to the tent pole that offers me stability and support. Working seamlessly, the LADIES go above and beyond the call of duty to execute one of the finest dog shows 72 Dog News
in the country. I finish my day judging perhaps the finest group of Sporting Dogs I have witnessed in over ten years. Ultimately awarding the lovely Irish Water Spaniel Group One, who then is awarded Best in Show. LADYNR, once again, escorts me back to the Holiday Inn. Like our morning journey, we do not lack for conversation and the two of us agree to meet at 6:30 for Saturday’s judges’ dinner. A quick shower offers a refreshing reprieve from the day’s extreme heat. I remember to collect LADYPBNORWICH’s jar of honey from the desktop before exiting the room. I leave fifteen minutes early and choose to go the hotel bar for a cold beer before dinner. I select a tall stool at the bar area on the far right-hand side. I place the honey jar on the bar and order a local micro-brew. The tall cool glass provides comfort even prior to tasting the beer. The first gulp adds to the refreshment. I relax by myself for a few minutes and I am joined by MS.SDSHORTHAIR, LADYQUEENBROWN, LADYNR and couple of the others. Collectively we only have time for one round of drinks. We settle each individual bill and retreat to the private room for dinner. Half way I remember the honey jar sitting on the bar and return to collect it for LADYPBNORWICH. “Damn – I thought you were not coming back and I was hoping to keep it for myself” the bartender chuckles. “Sorry – it’s not your lucky day” I reply as I lift the white handle of the small priority bag, containing my honey. I enter the room, collect a glass of beer and mingle for several minutes. With the formalities over from the night before, judges and club members are eager to enter the buffet line and eat. The food selection is wonderful and the hot apple crisp and ice cream is a popular ending to the meal. I select a different table for my dining pleasure. “Do you mind if I join you for dinner?” I ask LADYCORGI, thrilled at the opportunity to sit and chat with not only a wonderful LADY, but an amazing breeder and mentor. We glide through numerous topics. Afterwards, I excuse myself to join the LADIES sitting at the table near the bar. I snuggle in next to LADYPBNORWICH with LADYNR to her left. Sitting on the table in the priority bag to LADYPBNORWICH’s right is her jar of honey. “Thanks for the honey. I can’t wait to taste it,” she kindly offers. “It’s a dark, autumn honey, but it is light and complex,” I add. LADYPBNORWICH removes the jar from the back and holds it up for visual inspection. LADYNR also takes a peak. “I think you should try a little. Open it up and sample it and I would like LADYNR’s professional opinion, too,” I instruct. LADYBPNORWICH unscrews the top and I hand her a small spoon for sampling. I hold my breath and wait for her response and validation of my personal honey, not unlike showing my breeding stock
to an admired judge. “Wow---that’s good stuff!” she replies. She passes the honey jar to LADYNR. “It is amazingly light for a dark honey,” LADYNR shares with the eye of a trained professional. Again, I wait as the stainless spoon, dripping with goodness, touches her tongue. “Very nice!” LADYNR proclaims to my relief. The jar is then passed to her left, then again through four additional tastings, eventually finding its way back to LADYPBNORWICH. The final taste test proves to be worthy of a Best in Show. I never dreamed that I would receive so much pleasure and validation from a table of well-mannered, considerate ladies with high standards of proper behavior. After numerous other club members and judges excuse themselves for the evening, I graciously exit the delightful event for a good night’s sleep in support of the final day of judging. Using the plastic entry card, I slide it downward into the slot, wait for the light to turn green, and enter my hotel room. I lay out my clothes for tomorrow, pack my black-ballistic-rolling-garment bag, neatly placing my RED and WHITE wrapped gift where the honey traveled, review the dog show schedule, re-read my standards, complete my expense form, floss / brush my teeth, and crawl into bed. Once again, I arrange the hard-labeled pillows on the bottom and the softlabeled pillows on top. Before shutting my eyes, I reflect on the evening and ponder the amazing ways female species contribute to the world. More importantly, to my world as a beekeeper and a dog show judge. The LADIES do it all with ease, with control, with purpose, with creativity, with strength, and with determination and grace. Tempted by my internal conversation and the need to sample one last piece of double chocolate / peanut butter brownie with honey, I rise from the bed, open the attractive green box, pull out a wrapped brownie, untie the beautiful purple bow and extract one-half for my personal enjoyment and crawl back in bed. I am so relaxed, happy, and professionally fulfilled, I take no notice of the large chunk of double chocolate / peanut butter with honey brownie that falls between my buttocks and the bed.