Guide for judges

The aim of this guide is to let you know the process applied to registering exhibits and what happens after you complete your judging. It also seeks to guide you on what the organisers of the show suggest should happen in exceptional circumstances.

The one thing it does not do is guide you on exercising your expertise. It is important you feel free in making decisions. You must be independent of the organisers or any other influence.

The show

The rules of the show are the guidance shown in the show programme and in the online guidance for exhibitors. They ensure a level playing field for all exhibitors. But of equal importance for our show is that exhibitors and visitors enjoy taking part. We ask judges to apply the rules with common sense.

For example, in a 'professional' show if no exhibits come up to the high standards applied, no awards are made. In our amateur show that should only happen if the exhibits are of such poor standard that an award is not warranted. It is reasonable for you to make awards to exhibits you might describe as 'good'.

Before the judging

The organisers examine entry forms to check exhibitors give all necessary information. Exhibitors are asked to read the guidance so they correctly set up their exhibits.

Between 8.30am  and 10.00am exhibitors come into the Corn Exchange, collect their exhibit cards and set up their exhibits. The exhibit hall is then cleared of exhibitors ready for judging to take place from 10.30am to 12.30am. The organisers and helpers present during judging may be exhibiting themselves. They will not interfere with judging. We try to allocate judges' assistants to sections where they have no exhibits.

Between 10.00am and 10.30am the organisers will turn face down all exhibit cards. They will also mark any cards 'NAS' (not according to schedule) where the exhibit clearly breaches the schedule guidance. For example, exhibitors must display three beetroots. If an exhibitor displays only two the organisers will mark that exhibit card 'NAS'.

Please arrive at the Corn Exchange just after 10.00am.

During judging

We provide any equipment you need, e.g. spoons for tasting preserves, knives to cut cakes. If you have any special requirements just let us know.

You will be allocated a judges' assistant to relieve you of any clerical work. Once you have made your decision, the assistant will turn over the exhibit cards and place a 1st, 2nd and 3rd sticker where appropriate. They will also take a note of the exhibit numbers given a placing.

Judges' assistants are also there to help you with guidance or to clarify a point with the organisers. If you find it difficult to choose between two exhibits, they may point out some aspect for consideration.

The back of each exhibit card has space for an exhibit number, description of the exhibit (e.g. variety of vegetable) and age for exhibits in the children's section. Exhibit numbers are allocated randomly. If there are consecutive exhibit numbers in a class this is by chance and does not indicate several exhibits by the same exhibitor.

You should award places for 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Please don't award joint placing, such as equal first places. If you feel the quality of exhibits in a class does not justify all three placings, you may award only 1st and/or 2nd and/or 3rd. You may decide not to award any places at all, for example where there is only a single exhibit in a class which you judge to be of poor quality. Ignore any exhibits marked 'NAS'. You may also mark a card 'NAS', for example if you feel the presentation of items in an exhibit did not follow the guidance.

When judging the children's section, the best entry may not be awarded 1st place. The age of the child should be taken into account.

Exhibit cards have a space for judge's comments. Please add an encouraging comment for a particularly meritorious exhibit. You might also give helpful guidance where an exhibit just missed a first or other placing.

After judging

When you have judged all the classes in your section, your assistant will hand in the results sheet showing the exhibit numbers awarded a placing. The organisers enter this information into the show database to decide who has the most points for each section and the show as a whole.

First places get three points, second two points and third one point. If two or more exhibitors have the same number of total points, the prize for the winner is awarded to whoever has most first places.

Prize giving starts just before 4.00pm.