I agree with Phyllis, but I keep a Excel spreadsheet.  I have actually started seeing patterns too.  Also, if you know folks (like Phyllis) who have been showing a while ask them about a judge.   Sometimes they know them and can give you input.

I haven't posted very much on here in the last few months & actually haven't really even been on here to read what is being said because I've been very busy but after reading a recent post decided I had to respond in my own post. In a post from Moose1 (Will this be an issue) I noticed her talking about a recent show that was held with UKC in Dec that she attended. The other dog she competed against is my new puppy "Legend". Before I tell my version of the events I will say the entire portion of the show with the GSPs in it was taped on video, even the parts where her dog was being gone over. For the non-licensed puppy match there was only our 2 dogs (my male & her female). Because they are of different sexes they are 1st judged seperately & then with each winning best male & best female they had to go in together to compete against each other for breed. When the puppies were judged alone the judge was very kind & thoughtful to the fact that they were puppies & didn't want to scare them or stress them out so had went over their teeth before we actually stacked our dogs & once she was done with that gave each one of us a more then fair opportunity to stack the puppies for the rest of their exams. This was 1st done individually & then when they went in the ring together she went over them again except for their teeth. Each dog was completely gone over, had to do their own down & back & then go around the ring in it's own class & again when we went in together. To be fair she also had us go around twice when we were together, 1st with 1 puppy in front & then with the other so she could get a good look at each 1 following & leading. Yes, my little boy did pee in the ring but on his down & back, not to interfere with the other dog in any way. Someone held him while I cleaned up the mess & then I took him back & redid my down & back. Afterwards I took him back to his spot & stacked him next to the female so the judge could stand back & look at both of them & make her choice as to who the breed winner would be. When she made her choice she did NOT say what Beth had written but did say, "Even with all that trouble I still have to give best puppy to the male because I can't find anything wrong with him." As I stated I do have the entire thing video taped so was able to go back & reference everything before writing this. Below is a picture of my Legend from that weekend with a different judge that also liked him well enough to not only give him best puppy in breed but best puppy in show as well. In UKC there are no group winners in the NL puppy matches so ALL puppies who have competed in every breed & won breed compete against each other for best in show. Legend was up against several other puppies when he took the best puppy in show under another judge. This was also his 1st time ever in any kind of ring setting. He had not even gone to any classes of any kind. That weekend we took 5 best puppy in breed & 1 best puppy in show under 6 different judges. I'm sorry that Beth feels that her little girl was not judged fairly but she was judge exactly the same as my little boy was & I don't feel that the judge did anything wrong. I would still feel the same if I had won or lost as the judge was very kind & considerate to the fact that these were only puppies & didn't want to make them have to act perfect at such a young age. 

go for the best in show!!  take a good time.