Your first day at a show is the part everyone’s a little nervous about — and almost everyone finds it far friendlier than they expected. Here’s what to expect, so you can turn up feeling ready.
What stewarding involves
You work alongside the judge as their right hand for the session. The judging table is on wheels — rather than the cats coming to a fixed table, the table is brought round to each cat’s pen in turn. In practice that means:
Wheeling the table from pen to pen around the hall as the judge works through their class.
Taking each cat out of its pen and holding it on the table while the judge assesses it, then settling it safely back.
Disinfecting the table and your hands between every cat, before the table moves on to the next pen — hygiene is taken seriously, and it protects every cat at the show.
Handling the award slips — taking each completed slip from the judge, double-checking there are no errors or omissions, and carrying it to the table workers to process. (Judges work without the catalogue, so nothing is checked against it.)
You may also be asked to hold and present cats at Best in Show — one of the nicest parts of the day to be involved in.
You’re never expected to judge or to know the breed standards — that’s the judge’s job. Your job is to handle the cats calmly and safely and keep everything moving, so the judge can concentrate on judging.
What to wear and bring
Comfortable, closed-toe shoes — you’ll be on your feet for hours.
Smart-casual, practical clothing you don’t mind getting a bit of cat hair on.
A clean white tabard or apron — this is required, so make sure you bring one.
No need to pack lunch — stewards are provided with lunch and drinks on the day.
A pen and a small notebook if you’d like to jot things down.
Your judge is your teacher
Here’s the best part: most judges are happy to talk you through what they’re looking for as they go. That running commentary — why this cat, what that fault means, how a decision is reached — is where a huge amount of your learning happens. Don’t be shy about saying it’s one of your early engagements; judges remember good stewards, and many will go out of their way to help you.
After the show
After each engagement you’ll complete a stewarding certificate, signed off, and send it in within 28 days — by email to admin@gccftraining.org. You’ll also be asked for a few lines of feedback on what you observed. See Forms & deadlines for everything you’ll need.
A friendly tip to finish: say yes if a judge offers to explain their decisions. That conversation is worth more than any handbook.
