Tom Morris, Chair of the World Dairy Expo Dairy Cattle Exhibitor Committee

Question: Talk about the decision to have a back-up judge on the grounds for the first time in 2017. Why is that “insurance” important?

Tom: We had been so fortunate for 50 years. There is only one judge who called up, and that was well ahead of the show, and said, “Hey, I’m physically not going to be able to do this show.” That was not a big crisis.

But what if your lead judge got hurt or had a health issue the night before the show? We must have an experienced, world-renowned judge to take his or her place. World Dairy Expo is not a training grounds. The show is on the internet, and people around the globe are listening. You not only have to line them up pretty well, you have to be professional about it and have to give professional reasons. The backup judge is an insurance policy.

For example, I was involved a time when the lead judge was called home from another show. This man’s dad had passed away that day, so he left for the airport and got on a plane. It wasn’t a good feeling looking at who was at the show and who could step up and judge. Luckily, a well-qualified judge was in attendance and was willing to take over.

We feel we should be ready for this but, hopefully, we never have to use it.

Editor’s note:

Over the six weeks leading up to World Dairy Expo, we will include bonus coverage with Tom and Sandy. Click here to read the full feature from our September 10, 2017 World Dairy Supplement titled, “They’ve seen the show from every angle.”

Additional coverage in Hoard’s Dairyman Intel can be found by clicking these links:

• Dairy Expo’s most memorable World Classics

• First clone sold at World Dairy Expo

• They established a new marketing standard

• Publication cut lead time for ads

• Everyone needs a mentor