Some contend that judging is an art rather than a science. Many scoring systems, the majority very elaborate, have been devised to standardise judges' responses but, in the end, their evaluation on these individual points is still subjective. Their views are coloured by their own interpretation of the breed Standard and their experience. Experience together with a good eye for stock and integrity are the requirements of a judge. Experience can be gained over the years by breeding and by discussing the Standard with other fanciers, for example.

So how does a Show Society select a judge? How do you start judging? In Great Britain, the Poultry Club produces a list of qualified judges in the Year Book - the Judges Panel. Local show committees can select whom they would like to judge their shows but, if they wish the show to be recognised by the Poultry Club and so offer Club Specials, a majority of the judges must be from the official list. Not only does this help to ensure high standards of competency, it also provides an assurance that the stock on display will be judged expertly, with the utmost attention given to careful handling of the birds on display.

The list is divided into four categories - Panel A, Panel B, Panel C, and Panel D. Judges work their way up from Panel D to Panel A over a number of years. From a first 'unofficial' judging appointment to Panel A could be achieved in eight years but, in practice, it is usually ten to fifteen years before the top panel is reached. Judges usually start their judging careers by judging the breeds they keep at a local show. In Britain, Breed Clubs exist to promote their breed and they stage classes at several Area shows as well as staging a main Club Show, usually held at the Poultry Club's National Show in December. Once a judge has been elected by a Breed Club to officiate at their main Club Show, they can be listed on Panel D with the name of the breed or breeds they have qualified to judge.

To gain promotion to Panel C an examination has to be taken. This is set and organised by a sub-committee of the Poultry Club Council. The examination tests both theory and practical knowledge and can be taken at one of three show venues: The National Championship Show, The Scottish National, or Stafford Federation. The exams test one group of poultry only. Four such exams need to be passed to gain automatic entry to Panel B from Panel C, and only one test may be taken each year. Seven exams passed, together with considerable experience of judging at major shows, and approval from Council, qualify for Panel A.

The seven examinations are as follows and candidates can expect to be examined on any of the breeds listed in that section:

(a) Hard Feather Breeds, Large Fowl and Bantam
Asil (Rare), Belgian Game (Rare), Indian Game, Ko-Shamo (Rare), Malay (Rare), Modern Game, Nankin-Shamo (Rare), Old English Game Bantam, Rumpless Game (Rare), Old English Game Carlisle, Old English Game Oxford, Shamo (Rare), Tuzo (Rare - true bantam), Yamato-Gunkei (Rare).

(b) Soft Feather Heavy Breeds, Large Fowl and Bantam
Australorp, Barnevelder, Brahma, Cochin, Croad Langshan, Dorking, Faverolles, Frizzle, Marans, Orpington, Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, Sussex, Wyandotte.

(c) Soft Feather Light Breeds, Large Fowl and Bantam
Ancona, Araucana, Rumpless Araucana, Derbyshire Redcap, Hamburgh, Leghorn, Minorca, Poland, Scots Dumpy, Scots Grey, Silkie, Welsummer.

(d) True Bantams
Belgian, Booted (Rare), Dutch, Japanese, Nankin (Rare), Pekin, Rosecomb, Sebright, Tuzo (Hard Feather Rare).

(e) Waterfowl
The Waterfowl Test is organised in conjunction with the British Waterfowl Association. Candidates are free to specialise and take four separate tests (Geese, Heavy ducks, Light ducks, and Bantam ducks) which when taken individually will qualify a judge for Panel C and for both BWA and Poultry Club shows. Those wishing to qualify for Panel A and wanting to judge Poultry Club shows only may take a composite test.

Geese - (Heavy) African, Embden, Toulouse, American Buff, (Medium) Brecon Buff, Buff Back, Grey Back, Pomeranian, (Light) Chinese, Pilgrim, Roman, Sebastopol, Steinbacher.
Ducks - (Heavy) Aylesbury, Blue Swedish, Cayuga, Muscovy, Pekin, Rouen, Rouen Clair, Saxony, Silver Appleyard, (Light) Abacot Ranger, Bali, Buff Orpington, Campbell, Crested, Hook Bill, Indian Runner, Magpie, Welsh Harlequin, (Bantam) Black East Indian, Call, Crested, Silver Bantam, Silver Appleyard Bantam.

(f) Rare Breeds
Candidates will be tested on the 20 breeds that are exhibited most frequently. Other breeds may be added to this list if their popularity increases. a second test will be available on the remaining breeds (in italics) for the rare breed specialist wishing to judge their club show.

(Hard Feather) Asil, Belgian Game, Ko-Shamo Bantam, Malay, Nankin-Shamo Bantam, Rumpless Game, Shamo, Tuzo, Yamato-Gunkei. (Soft Feather Heavy) Autosexing Rhodebar and Wybar, Crevecoeur, Dominique, German Langshan, Houdan, Ixworth, Jersey Giant, La Fleche, New Hampshire Red, Modern Langshan, Norfolk Grey, North Holland Blue, Orloff, Transylvanian Naked Neck.(Soft Feather Light) Andalusian, Appenzeller, Ausberger, Autosexing Legbar and Welbar, Brakel, Breda, Campine, Fayoumi, Friesian, Italiener, Kraienkoppe, Lakenvelder, Marsh Daisy, Old English Pheasant Fowl, Sicilian Buttercup, Spanish, Sulmtaler, Sultan, Sumatra, Vorwerk, Yokohama. (True Bantam) Booted, Nankin, Tuzo.

(g) Eggs

What does the examination consist of?