Bouncing Back from a Loss – A Judge’s Perspective

BY LEE WHITTIER

As a judge, I see it all the time. It’s the final day of a cluster. Exhibitors walk into the ring, self-defeated before they start. I can see negative thinking, “loss” thinking in people’s eyes. They are on a losing streak.

Why do some people overcome that and pull off the win, and why do others fail? I’m going to share some strategies on how YOU can pull off the win on that last day!

In the following three scenarios, I will share examples of the self-sabotaging, self-defeating mindsets that I see in the ring that keep some owner handlers from bouncing back from a loss. Then I will share some insights into how to overcome that loss mindset. Finally, I’ll give you some Tried and True Tips to Overcome Loss Mindset, with a special bonus of Power Tips for Bouncing Back.

SELF-SABOTAGING SCENARIO #1: You lost on the first day of a cluster, so you’re done!

There you are in a four day cluster. Your competition wins the first day. If you believe that’s a bad sign because the winner on the first day will have a real advantage for the rest of the weekend, you need to shift this scenario with a mindset reset.

Shift: Each competition is a brand new one. You’ll have additional chances to show, and you’ll have a great day when your competition is tired or falters. Just because you don’t win the first day doesn’t mean you’re not going to win at all. A loss on the first day should remind you to bring your ‘A Game’ the next day.

SELF-SABOTAGING SCENARIO #2: You believe that if Judge A likes your competition (likes the dog that won on the first day), Judge B will like it, too.

Shift: You, as an exhibitor, need to get this into your head: judges evaluate dogs differently. There’s no conspiracy. If you lose one day, it can actually work FOR you! What if Judge A and Judge B openly disagree on correct type for your breed? Just because you see judges joking around or putting their heads together, or maybe having dinner or a drink together doesn’t mean they are colluding. They’re not comparing notes on which dog should win.

Judges simply judge based on what they see in the ring, their level of expertise, and their experience.

SELF-SABOTAGING SCENARIO #3: I’m off my game and not showing at my best.

It happens to everyone, maybe you did okay the first day, maybe the second day you failed spectacularly. That doesn’t mean you’re going to fail again. Don’t beat yourself up. Don’t be mad at your dog. Don’t be mad at the judge.

Shift: Pull up your socks and go back in the ring like a winner. Do what you need to do to renew. That means eat well, get rested, get your dog rested, practice if you need to, talk to friends, med- itate or take a swim. Do whatever it is you have to do to get your head back in the game. Tomorrow’s a fresh day.

Every day is a new day at the dog show. Just because things went poorly yesterday, just because you stepped on the judge’s foot, and you called him by the wrong name and you bumped into another dog–all the things that could go wrong, went wrong–doesn’t mean you can’t be perfect tomorrow.

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Posted by Alex on Mar 20 2019. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.