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Cat Shows were born in Europe in 1871. Today, they are called traditional Cat Show witch
is in opposition to the American system.
A European traditional judge is seated at a table, handles each cat and writes a detailed
report about the conformation of the cat in relation with the breed standard. Comparing the cat to the breed standard,
the judge decides if the cat deserves the title for the category in which it is competing. A judge examines 20 to 50
cats per cat show and makes his selection for the Best of Variety, the Best Male, Female, Kitten and Alter in show.
Then a vote with the other judges will determine the Best in Show winner for each category.
The positive aspect of this system is that there is an interaction
between the judge and the breeder. They share comments and experiences
and the judge is a true advisor to the breeder. It is especially helpful for the new breeder.
The negative aspect of this system is that the cat
is only judged once per show. You get only one opinion of your cat.Whereas in United States using the TICA/CFA system the cat can be judge
6 to 12 times per show (a TICA judge handles 100/250 cats per show with no individual report on each cat).
Traditional Judge training:
It takes 3 years minimum to become a judge. The candidate must be a breeder
with excellent show results. That means he must have produced an Int. Grand Champion.
After training with a panel of judges, the candidate passes a written test
(closed book) on cat genetics and a written test on all the different breeds. This assures that the judge will know
not only the breed standards but also the origin of each breed.
After passing the written test , there are a series of practical tests on each breed
or group of breed.
Pascale started training to be a Judge in January 1991. She passed her first
judge test in September 1991 for the Devon rex, the Cornish rex and the Sphinx breeds.
Since May 1994, Pascale is a certified All Breed Judge and has judged hundreds
of shows all over Europe.
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