Cat Fanciers' Association, Inc, CFA CFA Clerk's Have Advantage With CFA Show Judges Alliance, Ohio

CFA Clerks Have Advantage Over Judges

Tue Oct 30, 2012 8:55 pm (PDT)
"Just a note that we're keeping track of how well clerks cats do in rings in which they are clerking vs all the other rings at the same show. I mean, we've all seen it, but now someone is keeping track..."

Tue Oct 30, 2012 9:17 pm (PDT)
"Just a note, that is totally insulting to those of us who clerk,especially when I try to not let the judge even see me put my cat in the ring..... Seems that someone has too much time on their hands..."

Tue Oct 30, 2012 10:03 pm (PDT)
"I can only assume (which is a bad thing to do) that you are new to the fancy. Since I've been around 27+ years I have lost track of how many times this accusation has come up. I even bought into at one time.

It's not what made me start clerking, but I can tell you that when I did start clerking.... it made no difference in how many rings my cats got into the final. In fact I think there have been a couple of shows where my cat placed in every ring except the one I was clerking in.

After you clerk awhile and show a minority breed it gets harder and harder to fool the judge as to whose cat they are judging. We can only do so much to make things impartial, but we are after all only human.

Go ahead and keep our list if it makes you feel better. But I think you will find that it doesn't show much."

Tue Oct 30, 2012 11:37 pm (PDT)
"Seriously, you'll never clerk again? Who actually looses then? Seriously, leaving over an e-mail like this? Sorry, but TICA and ACFA aren't perfect either. There are short sighted people everywhere, just as there are many good people as well."

Tue Oct 30, 2012 9:03 pm (PDT)
"This reminds me of a very sharp person who clerks a lot - one night at a dinner she said something to the effect of...

I've tried the short skirts, the lowcut tops, the clerking thing...guess I'm just going to have to get a better cat...

that kind of says it all."

Oct 31, 2012 6:04 pm (PDT
"Great idea and why not? I think there should be a lot of data collecting right now, in the cat fancy, while we watch it consistanty and steadily decline. Maybe we should do away with clerks all together? Most show producing clubs are going broke anyway. I think it is sad but typical that you are getting beat down in such a way just for posting some frustration.

I am not certain I agree with you --- about the clerks making their judges final but I most certainly feel CFA has a lot of room to improve the playing field and working on more ethical practice. In the end the ship very much appears to be going down fast and I dont see any of your critics coming up with any bright, new ideas. Thanks for the study."

Wed Oct 31, 2012 6:20 pm (PDT)
" We train our Ocicats to suck up, oops did I say that?

Don't forget the clerks who dare to show active Breeds-Abbies, JBTs, etc.-that also do good suck-up to the judges! They have an obvious advantage over the more sedate Breeds"