I wish we could convince our 4-H / County Fair Show to have a "pet" chicken category, into which the judge could re-categorize any bird that really did not fit the breed description. The kid does not lose their year's work and we don't have people wondering how "that" could possibly have won a blue...much less "Best of Breed"
I appreciate the kind judges who work with kids at shows, understanding that they are doing their best with what they have, often on very small budgets. A great judge once awarded the 1st place ribbon to my son's only-bird-in-class hatchery chicken, while kindly telling him about the birds flaws so he would understand that this really wasn't the best example of this breed that could be produced. This encouraged him to keep trying and the award did not inflate his head.
And we know better than to brag that we have "Show Winners" in our flock!
He does know how to raise some excellent broilers though!