MEET THE JUDGE: HILDY MORGAN

I have been "in collies" since 1952 when I received my first collie as a birthday present. I put a C.D. on her in 1954, and started obedience with the great Blanche Saunders. My second collie was a granddaughter of Ch. Tokalon Storm Cloud. She earned her C.D. and minor points while I was a teenager, but then college intervened.

As a young wife I convinced my husband that a puppy was necessary for our two young children. Of course, it had to be a collie since we had both had collies as kids. The bitch we picked for the kids earned her C.D., including a high in trial. However, I really got into conformation showing when we obtained our first show prospect, a sable bitch puppy from Mary Hutchinson in 1972. She became Ch. Hi Vu September Song, C.D.

Over the years we have enjoyed living with a number of wonderful collies, primarily the Tartanside and Starr lines. I have always emphasized soundness, outgoing temperament and lots of socialization for my puppies. I love working with kids and enjoyed the years my son was a junior handler, as well as teaching handling classes for both juniors and adults.

Why did you become a judge?
I enjoy evaluating dogs for people and have had a lot of experience doing that during the many years that I taught all-breed show handling classes. I have also enjoyed judging collies in many sweeps and matches and have been an ASCA judge since 1980. Becoming a licensed judge will allow me to judge in different parts of the country, and I am looking forward to that opportunity.

What is the measure of a successful judge?
I believe that a successful judge is one who is consistent -- who judges to the standard, and knows the look, the structure and movement that is embodied in the quality collies of today. Exhibitors should want to continue to enter under that judge regardless of whether or not they win at a given show. It should be obvious from ringside what the judge is looking for. The successful judge would have gentle hands and be patient with exhibitors.

What dog have you seen that comes/came closest to embodying your vision of the Standard?
My ideal is Ch. Starr's Blue Jeans. She had a lovely head and wonderful, ground-covering movement. When "Breezy" came into the ring she took command with her presence and style.