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It is the Committee’s belief
that sometimes a rat may get spooked by the scents left
behind by a previous entrant. We have over the past
seen that Rats we know are calm when in cages, on
shoulders, being passed around from member to member,
act out of character on the judging table. We believe
that this “skittish” behavior could be due to a previous
entrant urinating, scenting, and soiling or in some way,
affecting the areas where the judge has to place the rat
for observation and judging. This is not their fault,
just their nature.
After a busy judging session
like the Royal Melbourne and Geelong Shows, the judging
area is quite stained and scented. Following, a
suggestion by Julie and a brief (but highly successful)
trial at Geelong, when one of her Rats exhibited this
uncharacteristic behavior, we have decided to “phase-in”
a modification to the Judging Process, by requesting
your rat be shown on their own or cage mate shared
Judging Mat.
This mat
belongs to you and your exhibit(s), so that your, their
and their cage mates’ smells are with them on the
Judging Table and, as indicated at Geelong, we feel that
it would calm down your pet(s). |
