Revised 11

Tasks Assignments for each Judging Team

Please read and study the Judges Handbook for a more detailed description

of the Judging Process

Please access detailed information.

Lead judge for each team will make the following seven assignments for his team..

  1. DocumentationDocumentation Check Sheet. Significant improvements have been made to the Check Sheet.The Check Sheet will be recorded in duplicates using carbonless paper, copy will be given to the exhibitor, Judges will keep a original. Your original Outstanding Documentation Check Sheetshould be turned into the JAM office when the Class Summary Sheets are submitted. Your original Documents Check Sheets will be made available to those judges determining Documentation Awards and to those committee members who judge Showmanship. See Judges Handbook for additional explanation.A HTM presentation developed by Committee member Marcus Demel is on the WEB page. Please study it. There will be a team of judges evaluating outstanding Documentation after all projects have been judged. This team will be identified on the 2011 Judging Schedule.
  2. Prepare written critiques – Critiques will be in packets with a carbonless copy sheet. Present the copy to the exhibitor when the ribbon is given. Judge doing the critiques will keep the original to use in deliberations for placing exhibitor/project. It is not necessary to have a consensus on remarks make on the critique but must have a consensus in placing.
  3. Questioning exhibitors – may involve more than one judge on the team. Consider rotating this assignment. See Judges Handbook for complete instructions and examples regarding Questioning.
  4. Placing the projects – workmanship, design and difficulty – may involve all judges on team.
  5. Additional tasks depending on classes judged.

Safety – any equipment pulled on a highway must have safety chains – SMV sign if 20 MPH or less. These items will be checked on trailers at Gembler by Trailer (DOT) Inspectors. Other pulled equipment – hay buggies, spray rigs etc. will not be checked at Gembler.

ASABE standards – mast height, pin diameter etc if equipment is to be attached to a tractor.

Trailers – (see comments below) must meet federal and state statutes – Trailer Check Sheet will be partially evaluated at Gembler by Trailer Inspectors on Friday when projects are checked in. Trailer Inspectors are primarily responsible for DOT requirements including lighting and maximum width. Items identified in the Summary top of front page are also responsibility of Inspectors Friday. Judges are responsible for workmanship issues found on the front page of check sheet. Each trailer judging team will be given their partially filled out Check Sheets Saturday Morning. It is your teams responsibility to use the information provided to you by the DOT inspectors in continuing to evaluate the trailer. Items such as: –crawling under the trailers to check welding, wiring harness including conductor colors (see Check List) and conductor protection, brakes, spring hangers, clearance above axles, etc.

Tractors – Tractor Judges have their own criteria and procedures.

  1. Showmanship – may want one judge to evaluate this and keep notes on it – will need to identify this on the Class Placing Score Sheetfor each class. See Showmanship Scorecard on .
  2. Assign time keeper. Lead judge may assign the Judges helper to keep up with time used for evaluating each project but it is incumbent on each judge to be focused and to keep on time. Division winners cannot be determined until all classes in the Division are judged. Please be consistent in your questioning for knowledge. All of us like to visit with the exhibitor. You do not have this luxury. See more discussion in Judges Handbook.

Other considerations for Judging Team

Make sure that project is in proper class. If you feel it will place but in the class come to JAM office and check with Marcus. We will use the Naming/Describing Projects document for ascertaining proper class. For example if it is hay fork even though it has a hydraulic cylinder it should be in the Hay Handling Equipment, Class 1.

Large classes – especially trailers may have two teams judging them simultaneously. This will require coordination between the two teams to come up with 1st through 6th placed projects.

Classes with less than 18 projects – 4 places. Larger classes 6 places. (This is identified on the Class Placing Summary Sheet

Judges Check List

All judging teams will consistently evaluate both the project and exhibitor using the following:

All projects –

  1. Knowledge of exhibitor/s – determined by questioning exhibitor/s using prepared and unprompted questions. Be polite and courteous in you questioning. Be as positive as possible.

Note: For this show to encourage and recognize the learning that takes place in designing and building a project – precise, specific – why type questions must be asked. Please see Judges Handbook.

  1. Evaluate each projects documentation by using the revisedDocumentation Check Sheet.
  2. Weld bead grinding – only when necessary for safety - allowed on fenders.
  3. Grinding to round off corners is encouraged for safety reasons.
  4. Welding - Over welding (use of intermittent welds instead) splatter, overlapping, undercutting bead profile etc. should be evaluated and commented on in the Critique.
  5. Dimensions of project - This requires judges to make some measurements on the project and compare to dimensions on drawing in documentation.
  6. Custom paint jobs, this should be discouraged and points deducted. Finish and painting are important components of workmanship. As good technical questions regarding this. Paint and painting supplies MSDS and or PI sheets should be in the Research section of the Documentation.
  7. Degree of participation – found by questioning and inspection of documentation. Deduct points if it is evident that others did significant work on the project.
  8. Exhibitors pictures should be in most of the pictures found in documentation. It should be evident that pictures were not all taken on just a few days. Look at clothing of exhibitor.
  9. Rules state that leaders (AST/CEA) should supervise the planning and construction of all projects – even those constructed in a home farm shop. We have suggested that the leaders be in some of pictures.

Feeders & Wood projects (Classes 16, 17, 18 & other wood)

  1. Using treated wood on structures (CCA no longer used for treatment) that come into contact with feed is discouraged.
  2. Fasteners should be compatible with treated lumber. Ask exhibitors about fasteners used. They should be aware of fastener compatibility with treated lumber.

Equipment used with tractors (Classes 1,2,3,4,6)

  1. If equipment attaches to tractor PTO – ASABE S217 should be included in Documentation
  2. If equipment attaches to tractor 3 point hitch – ASABE S203 should be included in Documentation. Make sure the dimensions are compatible with these codes. Please compare with those measurements found on the 3 Point Hitch Dimensions document. This document should be on your clipboard, if not have judges helpers to obtain one for you to refer to.

Tractors - Custom work should be discouraged by identifying on critique

  1. For example having the tractor engine head done by professional mechanic down town.
  2. Custom Painting – should be penalized.
  3. Remember even if they have had work done by others – professionals, family members, teacher etc exhibitor is still responsible for technical knowledge. Ask good questions

Equipment pulled on the highway in addition to trailers – sprayers, log splitter etc. (Classes 1,2,3,4,6,13,14,15,16)

  1. Must have safety chain.
  2. If pulled 20 MPH or slower must be equipped with SMV sign.
  3. Must have lights and reflectors.

Trailers (Classes 21 through 29) Please study the Revised Trailer Instructional Presentation HTM developed by committee members Ryan Heger and Charles Turner found on the JAM WEB page.

  1. Brakes should be on the rear axle of trailers.
  2. Location of axle with regard to length of trailer – depends – ask exhibitors what their design considerations were.
  3. Using untreated wood for floors on trailers – should be discouraged, deduct practical points
  4. Varnished floors on trailers – not practical – OK to stain or treat for appearance but should not be slick.
  5. Fancy chrome wheels and hubcaps – OK.
  6. Trailers should be checked underneath for wiring harness, welds – especially spring hangers and if painted.
  7. Wiring harness under the trailer – should it be enclosed and protected with grommets when it passes through frame members?
  8. Trailer wiring harness (lights and brakes) will be tested by committee at Gembler Friday.

Wiring harness and terminal must include a ground wire – cannot use ball hitch to complete the grounding circuit.

Colors of conductors used in the wiring harness must adhere to industry standards.

  • White …..Ground
  • Blue……..Electrical Brake
  • Green…..Tail & License
  • Black……Battery & Charge
  • Red……..Left, Stop & Turn
  • Brown…..Right, Stop & Turn
  • Yellow…..Auxiliary

You were encouraged to visit Trailers: Federal Lighting Equipment Location Requirements site to get table identifying lighting and reflector requirements. Trailer Inspectors should have evaluated lighting at Gembler on Friday and back side of your check sheet should identify any deficiencies. Be sure to inspcet the back side of check sheert.

  1. Dimensions should fit the design – example clearance of fender above the tire.
  2. Ask all trailer exhibitors - what is the axle capacity? – they should know and a copy of the Product Information (PI) sheet of the undercarriage – axles, wheels, brakes etc. should it should be in the Research Section of the Documentation materials.
  3. Any trailer including tongue trailers – must have break a-ways on 4500 lb axle capacity or over. Be sure to make comment on critique. All trailers must be equipped with lift jacks for hitching and unhitching including Goosenecks. It is recommended that all trailers be equipped with tie down rings or clips so loads can be secured.
  4. If you have any questions regarding trailers meeting DOT please ask Charles Turner our DOT expert to help you. Trailer Statutes a document that Charles has prepared can be found on Additional Links on the jamshow WEB site.
  5. All trailers should meet DOT requirements regarding width, license plates, reflectors, lights, brakes, safety chains. Proper safety chain attachment is important. Over wide trailers that do not have written permits are disqualified.

There seems to be continued confusion regarding Trailer Safety Rules, especially width. Because of the severity of not meeting these State codes – “Any trailer that does not meet these requirements will be disqualified unless they have an overwide permit” - anxieties are heightened.

Any trailer over 102 inches wide must have a signed permit or it will be disqualified.

(New) Trailer widths will be measured from metal to metal –fenders – wheels - hub caps. Tire bulge will not be considered in the width. This rule is similar to Houston Project Show rules.

Most of the over width problems are caused by:

  • Installing larger wheels and or tires.
  • Equipping wheels with large chrome hubcaps.

Note: Trailer Inspectors (DOT experienced) will check trailer widths, lights, license and other safety issues at Gembler prior to coming to MAC. All trailer measurements dealing with Workmanship will be made by Trailer judges Saturday. Judges will be provided the trailer check sheets completed on each trailer by the Inspectors Friday. These Check Sheetswill save you a lot of time, especially with regard to DOT issues but they do not replace your responsibility of evaluating the trailer.

IMPORTANT - Lead trailer judge should assign one judge the responsibility to go over the Trailer Check sheet to see if it is complete and accurate. It is your responsibility to re-measure or re-evaluate any item that you have a concern about. You are the official judge and you must evaluate the information found on the Check Sheet just as you do the trailer. Do not assign the judges helper to OK the check sheet.

Mr. Charles Turner, DOT compliance officer will make all judgments regarding transportation codes as they relate to trailers and other towed vehicles. Please confer with Charles if you have any questions regarding transportation vehicles. We will provide you with his cell phone number at the show so you can reach him.

Judges Tasks Assignments 2011Page 1 of 4