Judging - crash course
Each breed has a written standard which the blueprint for the "perfect" specimen of that breed. In the breed ring, which the video clips showed, each dog is examined in relation to the standard. Now since there is no perfect specimen, a judge has to take the whole package. Dog A may have a better head than Dog B, but Dog B may be a better mover, Dog C may have a better rear than either Dog A or Dog B. What a judge has to do is determine which one comes closest in all its virtues to the standard.
At the group level, then each dog is examined and compared again to its standard. Here a judge has to decide if the Pembroke is closer to its standard or is the Sheltie closer to its standard. The Sheltie is not compared to the Cardigan or to the German Shepherd Dog, they are compared to their standard and the dog that comes closest to its standard is then selected to win the group. The Best of Breed judge follows this way of judging as well.
Debbie
PS: I am over the moon that Harry P got the group placement. He should have had it at the Eukanuba as well <IMHO> as he just as "on" there as he was tonight. This is the first time a Cardigan has won a group placement at the Garden, so it's a historic night as well.