‘GRANDFATHER’ RIGHTS FOR ESTABLISHED JUDGES DURING JCF TRANSITION PERIOD

• Recognition of judging and assessments already undertaken
• Grandfathering available only during 2021
• Judges to self-submit questionnaires for CC, group and BIS status

Under newly-approved changes to the Judges Competency Framework (JCF), beginning later this year, the Kennel Club has announced that there will be ‘grandfather’ rights for established judges who meet certain criteria. For full details, please see the table below.

Experience gained is to be fully recognised for those judges who are ‘approvable’ to award CCs by the end of the JCF transition period. Having met the necessary criteria but not been offered a CC appointment or Championship Show Group or Best in Show appointment up to the end of December 2021, these judges may self-submit a questionnaire to the Kennel Club and if approved be able to register at the relevant JCF level.

This option is available only between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2021 and no submissions will be accepted before or after these dates.

The A2 list approval route remains available until 31 December 2021. Breed clubs are encouraged to continue with this route to progress their judges to JCF Level 4 earlier than the new grandfathering option. If the judges concerned have forthcoming appointments these can be used for the required A2 assessments, especially breed club show appointments.

It is also strongly advised that breed clubs bring their judging criteria into line with that of the Kennel Club as soon as they are able.

These changes have come about as a result of a review of the JCF carried out by the Judges Committee following feedback, including comments received at the Kennel Club SGM in November. An announcement regarding free judging licences for existing single breed CC judges was made last month.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “In making this announcement, the Kennel Club is responding to feedback from established judges, including those at the recent SGM, and hopes that this latest development demonstrates that the Kennel Club acknowledges the experience gained by a large number of aspiring CC judges using the traditional route. We would urge any judge who is eligible to self-submit to do so as soon as they are able in 2021 in order that they do not miss out on this opportunity.”

GRANDFATHER RIGHTS

Current status	Criteria required	Notes
A3 list judge	Must appear on at least one breed club/council A3 judging list at the time of  submission to KC Must have met all KC mandatory criteria regarding seminars, stewarding, Stud Book numbers Must have judged the required number of dogs set by the KC according to the relevant Stud Book Band1 Must have passed a breed specific hands-on assessment	Submission only between 1 January and 31 December 2021 One submission per breed only permitted; if application rejected no further application can be made for that breed and judge must progress via JCF route If approved judge will be registered at JCF Level 4 for relevant breed No appeals will be accepted
Judge with JDP Credit	Must have a JDP Credit for the relevant breed Must have met 50% or more of the KC required number of dogs judged for the breed	Submission only between 1 January and 31 December 2021 One submission per breed only permitted; if submission is rejected no further application can be made for that breed and judge must progress via JCF route If approved judge will be registered at JCF Level 4 for relevant breed No appeals will be accepted
Aspiring Group and Best in Show judge	Group submission – Must have awarded CCs in the required number of breeds to be approved to judge the relevant group2 Best in Show submission – Meet the requirements for a Best in Show appointment, and be able to demonstrate a broad experience of judging across all groups3 Must have passed the JCF ‘Eye for a Dog’ assessment	Submission only between 1 January and 31 December 2021 Only one submission per group and/or Best in Show category permitted. If application rejected no further application can be made for that  category If rejected, judge must progress via JCF route If approved will be registered at JCF Level 5 for relevant group or JCF Level 6 as Best in Show judge No appeals will be accepted

¹ Stud Book Band A – 50 dogs; Stud Book Band B – 70 dogs; Stud Book Band C – 110 dogs; Stud Book Band D – 160 dogs; Stud Book Band E – 250 dogs.

Note the following Stud Book Band A breeds require a minimum of 30 dogs judged: Australian Cattle Dog; Australian Terrier; Basset Griffon Vendeen (Grand); Bloodhound; Bouvier Des Flandres; Brittany; Finnish Spitz; Glen of Imaal Terrier; Ibizan Hound; Kerry Blue Terrier; Lakeland Terrier; Mastiff; Norwegian Buhund; Norwich Terrier; Otterhound; Pharaoh Hound; Polish Lowland Sheepdog; Retriever (Chesapeake Bay); Sealyham Terrier; Skye Terrier; Spaniel (Irish Water); Swedish Vallhund; Welsh Terrier.

Breeds with varieties require the following criteria (automatic approval is given for a further variety or varieties once approved for a CC appointment in an initial variety): Bull Terriers – 80 dogs of any variety; Chihuahua (Long Coat & Smooth Coat) – 150 dogs of any variety; Belgian Shepherd Dogs (Groenendael, Tervueren & Malinois) – 120 dogs of any variety; Fox Terrier – 70 dogs of any variety; German Spitz (Mittel & Klein) – 70 dogs of any variety; Poodle (Toy, Miniature & Standard) – 150 dogs including at least 30 of each variety; Dachshund (all varieties) – 250 dogs any variety; Schnauzers (Miniature, Standard & Giant) – 125 dogs (must include at least 25 Standard, 25 Giant and 75 Miniature).

² Current criteria – First time group judge must have carried out CC appointments to a minimum of four breeds (three in the working group) in the relevant group.  For second and subsequent groups, three breeds are required. The Judges Committee will take into account the diversity and Stud Book Bands of the previously approved breeds together with the number of dogs judged in the breeds for which the judge is not yet approved and any JDP Credits obtained.

³ Current criteria – Judges must be approved to judge one group and to award Challenge Certificates to at least one breed from two other groups. Judges will be expected to have experience in judging across all groups and all relevant experience will be taken into account.

ENDS

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25 January 2019