Judging and snobs

[Chris & Ranae Procyk <procyk19@domain.elided>]

--Sorry, this is a windy post but it pushed a button--

I'm surprised about the NWBRU, but not the Mustang secrecy thing.

I know all us losers cry "politics," but...

My wife's first horse foray was into showing <ugh>.  So a bunch of horses would parade around the ring and then they'd line up the winners, and you just accepted it and went home.

Imagine our surprise at our first state fair (we're suburban refugees) when both the pig and cow judges grabbed the mike and started telling us exactly WHY they ranked them the way they did.

Well, the horse shows were just about being a snob and impressing people, but the pig/cow shows were about farmers trying to improve their stock... so we think in the horse shows the "judges" were more interested in kissing up to the right (read richest) people...

I was hoping that the IH judges would naturally fall into the non-snob class.  Why "naturally"?? Well, I can't resist a bad pun--

Horses-> Mustangs
Pig/cow-> Agricultural->IH!!!

In all seriousness, WTH are "trade secrets?"  I mean, all the vehicles are out there for everyone to look at, aren't they??  Is the trade secret that a judge *coincidentally* owns the shop that restored his higest-scoring truck??

Sheesh.  I *do* accept that judges names not appear on their scoring sheet so they don't have to put up with ear-beatings from some bozo...that's why judges are normally identified by number.

I think the point of shows is to "improve the breed.." so when we spread out to local cruises and stuff people go "wow, I didn't know IH's were so nice.."

Which is part of the reason I didn't like getting the 2nd place WM trophy... I don't want non-IH people to think that this is representative of a good IH....

Actually, that re-inforces Bill T.'s post about what a nice guy John G. is.  The show rules have always been that they are permitted to "limit" trophies given if the class size is small, that way they don't cheapen a trophy.  So they had every right to not give a trophy to my unwashed, half-carpeted, half-woodgrained WM.  But I know he's never considered doing that.

BTW, you Scout guys don't have to worry about the emotional baggage of a *cheap* trophy... there will be PLENTY of nice rigs in all your classes!!

**In Use**
'70 1200D 4x4 Travelette 392 4spd
'73 1210 Wagonmaster, 392 auto
**Prepping for Repaint**
'67 1000B step-side p/up  BG241 + 4spd
**Parts (future projects?)**
'71 1010 Travelall  392 auto
'67 1000B Travelall 266 3spd
'68 1000C 4X4 Travelall 345 auto