Comments - Numbers 203 and 204 are very close in body structure/type and could easily be related. Being able to handle both would definitely help to decide which is the stronger of the two. Number 203's body is curled making it difficult to fully assess type, size, etc. Number 204 shows more width, but it's hard to know if that is solid or perhaps a bit of extra weight he has gained or loose fur. Neither has a good measure of size in their photos.
# 208
Black
Color/Markings - N/A
Type - 15
Fur -8
Size - 9
Condition - 9
Eyes/ears - 4
Total - 45
Place - 3
Comments - Although color and markings are not assessed in the unstandardized class, this hamster has nice black color, and no visible silvering. He also has a nice sheen to his coat. His body shape is very long and lean lacking broadness and cobbiness/roundness required in the standard.
Campbells Dwarf
Unstandardized Females
# 205
Dove Mottled
Color/Markings - N/A
Type - 15
Fur -8
Size - 8+
Condition - 9
Eyes/ears - 4
Total - 44+
Place - 5
Comments - Body shape is very long and lean lacking broadness and cobbiness/roundness required in the standard. If breeding this male, a good mate would be one with a broader skull and body structure as well as a shorter face.
# 201
Black Mottled
Color/Markings - N/A
Type - 16
Fur -8
Size -8+
Condition - 8
Eyes/ears - 4
Total - 44+
Place - 4
Comments - The side photo shows a roundness that could be fat, pregnancy (although it's further forward than normal for that), an odd body shape, or a photo that doesn't show her true shape.
# 202
Red Eyed
Lilac Mottled
Color/Markings - N/A
Type - 16
Fur -8
Size - 8
Condition - 8+
Eyes/ears - 4
Total - 44+
Place - 3
Comments - If breeding this hamster, a good mate would have a broader skull and shorter face with the head better set into the body.
# 207
Male
Albino
Color/Markings - 20
Type - 18
Fur - 8
Size -6
Condition - 9-
Eyes/ears - 4
Total - 65-
Place - 3
Comments - Can't adequately evaluate how white the color is from these photos.
Campbells Dwarf
All Standardized Animals
# 206
Male
Argente
Color/Markings - 21
Type - 17
Fur - 8
Size - 9
Condition - 8
Eyes/ears - 2+
Total - 65+
Place - 2
Comments - The ears appear to have been chewed off. You can see from the photos how close the ears are to each other and, comparing that to the length from the tip of the nose to the top of the head, that this hamster lacks the broad skull required by the standard. His color is also not as vibrant as it should be.
# 209
Black Eyed White
(dilute platinum)
Color/Markings - N/A
Type - 21
Fur -10
Size - 7
Condition - 9+
Eyes/ears - 4
Total - 51+
Place - 1
Comments - 209 and 210 are the strongest in the class. Both have the strongest type, and both have the broadness and cobbiness/roundness required by the standard. The tie-breaker would normally be accomplished by handling them, and either could win. Given photos only, the slight edge went to the dilute platinum. Her condition and fur are very nice and better shown through the photos.
# 210
Moscow Red Eyed Lilac
Color/Markings - N/A
Type - 21
Fur -9
Size - 8+
Condition - 9
Eyes/ears - 4
Total - 51+
Place - 2
Comments -
2
Judge's Notes on the Dwarf Classes:
Color and markings are not judged in the unstandardized classes leaving type as the largest category of points. Additionally, fur was dropped in all classes to 10 points instead of the normal 20 because fur quality, especially density, cannot adequately be assessed in photos. Condition was also difficult to assess without handling the hamsters to see if they are fit, and few dwarves had any size references in their photos.
3
4
1
2
Judge's Notes on the Standardized Dwarf Classes:
At some shows, a judge will withhold an award like Best in Show if no entered animals meet what the judge believes a Best in Show hamster should be. That is the case in this show. The young albino is just not mature enough to fully assess. Some clubs have minimum ages too, and this hamster probably wouldn't meet a minimum age. Also, his color is impossible to assess from these photos, and that is the highest point total for the standardized class.
The argente appears to have had his ears chewed which might disqualify him from some shows. The NHC standards require disqualification if the hamster is totally missing an ear or if the judge believes the deformity is hereditary. I don't believe this hamster meets those disqualifications. Still, his type is weak, particularly his head, and I wouldn't award him Best in Show. He
could be part of a good breeding program and has some of the bulk in his body that some of the other hamsters entered don't have, but a good mate for him would have a strong head (i.e. a broad skull, short face, and blunt nose) that could help add strength to this area.
