I've already presented what I would like to see in terms of a competitive herptile show, in another thread, along with a breakdown of the hoped for prizes, here:
http://albertareptilesociety.org...=4329#post4329
If that piks your interest, you might like to know something of the entry categories I've suggested:

Livestock Judging Categories

Best of Show

Chelonia
Archosauria, Crocodylia
Reptilia
Amphibia

Best of Class
Reptilia, Serpentes
Reptilia, Amphisbaenia
Reptilia, Lacertilia
Amphibia, Gymnophiona
Amphibia, Caudata
Amphibia, Anura

Best of Group
[breakdown available on request]

Best of Type
[breakdown available on request]

Best of Breed
[breakdown available on request]

Cage judging categories

Best of Show
Amateur display - overall
Commercial display - overall
Non-commercial display - overall
Educational display
Aquaria
Paludaria [s.l.]
Spelearia
Terraria [s.l.]
Biotope

Best of Class
Terrarium, Desertarium
Terrarium, Graminarium
Paludarium, Lentarium
Paludarium, Lotarium
Terrarium, Neblarium
Paludarium [s.s.]
Terrarium, Petrarium
Terrarium [s.s.]

Best of Group

Undefined. Particular habitats, as discussed in definitions, may be judged.

*”s.l.” means “sensu lato”, or “in the old sense”. That is, an older concept which is a broader category.
“s.s.” means “sensu stricto”, or “in the strict sense”. This indicates a newer concept which is more limited than an older one.

Other judging categories

*Due to the ability to digitally alter photographs automatically, photographs which are artistically altered [to include special effects other than “correction”] are not recognized for judging purposes.

Artwork
To include sculpted, two dimensional illustrations, and ceramics.

Best of Show
Ceramics
Illustration
Sculpture

Best of Class
Illustration, pencil
Illustration, colored pencil
Illustration, pastel
Illustration, watercolor/acrylic
Illustration, ink
Illustration, oil
Sculture, bronze
Sculpture, ceramic
Sculpture, other

Best of Group
Undefined.

Photography

Best of Show

Best of Class
Arachnid
Myriapod
Hexapod
Other Invertebrate
Snake
Lizard
Chelonia, Rhynchocephalia, or Crocodylia
Anura
Caudata
Other Animal
Underwater life
Plant or Fungus
Habitat or Scenery

Best of Group
Undefined. Suggested categories are scorpions, tarantulas, colubrids, poison frogs, treefrogs, centipedes, millipedes, and lepidoptera. Categories to be determined by hosting club.

Craftwork

To include complex or multimedia works which do not fit a cage definition, nor an art or photograph category. This includes sewing, embroidery, needlepoint, engraving, embossing, collage, and any other “craft” with a herptile or invertebrate theme. Category contents to be defined by hosting club.

Best of Show
Best of Class
Best of Group

This breakdown is intended to include most of the possible entries, and has room for additional categories to be added. Obviously, if there are no entries for a category, it will simply not exist during that show.

I will define the cage categories in another thread, as several are entirely new concepts in the world, and in themselves are not topics for show discussion. For show relevance, they help break up the competition, while also describing a greater number of artificial habitats than the current terms allow.

The animal categories are mainly taxonomic, based on current terminology. Due to the fact that species are not equally popular everywhere, nor even available, there are categories which lump similar or related species, and there are categories which focus entirely on one species. If corn snakes are popular at one show, they can be judged solely corn snake versus corn snake. If they are rare at another show, they can be judged against other rat snakes only. That breakdown is very extensive, but not “complete”, nor inflexible. I've left it out for those reasons. It's really only of importance to judges [at this time].