Judging procedure in the UK
Types of judges
There are different types of judges known as either ‘Breed Specialists’ or ‘Non-Specialists’.
‘Breed Specialists’ consist of people who have a dedicated love and often life-long interest in the welfare of a specific breed. They are members of the appropriate Breed Club being required to have owned, shown and bred over a number of years before being eligible to go on a Club’s Approved Judges List. ‘Breed Specialist’ judges attend seminars about the breed and participate in any club training programmes to enable them to develop an in-depth knowledge of the breed.
‘Non-Specialists’ consist of people who have judging experience in any breed but do not meet the specific criteria laid down by a Breed Club to enable them to go on a ‘Breed Specialist’ list.
All aspiring judges are required to attend Kennel Club seminars and pass the examinations on Judging and Stewarding Procedures, Confirmation and Movement, and Hands on Assessment. The Kennel Club also requires judges to have stewarded at 12 shows before awarding Challenge Certificates.
Progression up a judging list from Open Show level to Championship Show level takes a considerable number of years.
General Championship Shows
At Championship Shows where Kennel Club Challenge Certificates are on offer a proposed judge can only be appointed following the approval of the Kennel Club.
In French Bulldogs where CC’s are being awarded classes for dogs and bitches are judged separately, with the dog classes going first in the ring. The class classifications vary slightly from show to show but usually include the following - Minor puppy and/or Puppy, Junior, Post Graduate, Limit, Open and sometimes Veteran classes. Five places are awarded in each class – 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Reserve and VHC (Very Highly Commended). Dogs to be given awards must be placed in the centre of the ring in descending order from the judge’s left to right and the judge must mark and sign the Judge’s book. When all the dog classes have been judged all the unbeaten class winners return to the ring for the judge to award the Dog Challenge Certificate, then the Dog Reserve Challenge Certificate and finally the Best Puppy Dog.
The bitch classes are then judged and the same procedure takes place with all the class winners returning to the ring for the judge to award the Bitch Challenge Certificate, the Bitch Reserve Challenge Certificate and the Best Puppy Bitch. A puppy is also eligible for consideration of the CC or the Reserve CC award. The Dog CC and Bitch CC winners then challenge for Best of Breed. The Best Puppy Dog and Bitch challenge for Best Puppy afterwards.
The Best of Breed goes forward to represent the breed in the Utility Group judging.
If the Best of Breed is fortunate enough to win the Utility Group they can then go forward to compete for Best in Show.
In order for a dog to become a UK Champion it has to win three Challenge Certificates under three different judges at three separate Championship Shows.
Not all Champion Shows award Challenge Certificates. Where they are not on offer a smaller class classification is usually listed in the show schedule. Appointed judges at Championship Shows without CC’s must be taken from a Breed Club A or B List.
Judges are required to do written critiques on the first two placings in each class and then submit them to the Dog World and Our Dogs newspapers.
Open Shows
Open shows vary considerable in the number of classes offered for each breed. The more popular breeds often having more classes scheduled and possibly some divided into separate dog and bitch classes. The numerically smaller breeds, have less classes scheduled with dogs and bitches combined in each class. Five places are awarded in each class – 1st 2nd, 3rd, Reserve & VHC (the same as Championship Shows) and all the unbeaten class winners return to the ring for the judge to award Best of Breed and Best Puppy.
The Best of Breed and Best Puppy then go forward to compete for Best in Show and Best Puppy in Show, unless the show in judged on the Group System.
If more than three classes are scheduled for French Bulldogs, the appointed judge must be taken from a Breed Club A or B List. Judges on the Breed Club’s C list can only judge up to three classes.
How Judges are selected/invited to judge.
Crufts: Judges are appointed by the Crufts Committee at the Kennel Club
General Championship Shows ; Judges are chosen by the inviting society from the Kennel Club List of Approved Judges which include judges on the Breed Clubs A List. Breed Clubs do not have any influence over who is invited . Judges are usually invited 2 - 3 years in advance
BUBA is the one exception, the FBCE & the MNCFBC have always taken turns to suggest up to three names to the BUBA Committee who select one from the list. Now the Pennine& Scottish FBA have also been included in the rosta, so the clubs will now nominate every 3rd year. Traditionally judges for this show whould be Breed Specialists and often an individual from a club A3 list will be put forward.
If a judge has to withdraw from a Championship appointment then the inviting show committee contact the Kennel Club who are able to advise which judges are availble . A replacement judge will always be someone who has previously been approved to award CC's in the breed. Breed Clubs do not have any influence over who is invited.
FBCE shows. Judges are chosen from the clubs approved lists, members have always been welcome to put suggestions forward to the committee. All sugestions are included in the ballot conducted by the committee for the revelant show. A majority vote wins.
The Championship show judge is chosen approximatly 3 years in advance and the Open show judges 2 years in advance.
Sometimes names put forward are unable to acept the appointment as they are unable to abide by the conditions of the invitation. (time between appointments etc)
Types of judges
There are different types of judges known as either ‘Breed Specialists’ or ‘Non-Specialists’.
‘Breed Specialists’ consist of people who have a dedicated love and often life-long interest in the welfare of a specific breed. They are members of the appropriate Breed Club being required to have owned, shown and bred over a number of years before being eligible to go on a Club’s Approved Judges List. ‘Breed Specialist’ judges attend seminars about the breed and participate in any club training programmes to enable them to develop an in-depth knowledge of the breed.
‘Non-Specialists’ consist of people who have judging experience in any breed but do not meet the specific criteria laid down by a Breed Club to enable them to go on a ‘Breed Specialist’ list.
All aspiring judges are required to attend Kennel Club seminars and pass the examinations on Judging and Stewarding Procedures, Confirmation and Movement, and Hands on Assessment. The Kennel Club also requires judges to have stewarded at 12 shows before awarding Challenge Certificates.
Progression up a judging list from Open Show level to Championship Show level takes a considerable number of years.
General Championship Shows
At Championship Shows where Kennel Club Challenge Certificates are on offer a proposed judge can only be appointed following the approval of the Kennel Club.
In French Bulldogs where CC’s are being awarded classes for dogs and bitches are judged separately, with the dog classes going first in the ring. The class classifications vary slightly from show to show but usually include the following - Minor puppy and/or Puppy, Junior, Post Graduate, Limit, Open and sometimes Veteran classes. Five places are awarded in each class – 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Reserve and VHC (Very Highly Commended). Dogs to be given awards must be placed in the centre of the ring in descending order from the judge’s left to right and the judge must mark and sign the Judge’s book. When all the dog classes have been judged all the unbeaten class winners return to the ring for the judge to award the Dog Challenge Certificate, then the Dog Reserve Challenge Certificate and finally the Best Puppy Dog.
The bitch classes are then judged and the same procedure takes place with all the class winners returning to the ring for the judge to award the Bitch Challenge Certificate, the Bitch Reserve Challenge Certificate and the Best Puppy Bitch. A puppy is also eligible for consideration of the CC or the Reserve CC award. The Dog CC and Bitch CC winners then challenge for Best of Breed. The Best Puppy Dog and Bitch challenge for Best Puppy afterwards.
The Best of Breed goes forward to represent the breed in the Utility Group judging.
If the Best of Breed is fortunate enough to win the Utility Group they can then go forward to compete for Best in Show.
In order for a dog to become a UK Champion it has to win three Challenge Certificates under three different judges at three separate Championship Shows.
Not all Champion Shows award Challenge Certificates. Where they are not on offer a smaller class classification is usually listed in the show schedule. Appointed judges at Championship Shows without CC’s must be taken from a Breed Club A or B List.
Judges are required to do written critiques on the first two placings in each class and then submit them to the Dog World and Our Dogs newspapers.
Open Shows
Open shows vary considerable in the number of classes offered for each breed. The more popular breeds often having more classes scheduled and possibly some divided into separate dog and bitch classes. The numerically smaller breeds, have less classes scheduled with dogs and bitches combined in each class. Five places are awarded in each class – 1st 2nd, 3rd, Reserve & VHC (the same as Championship Shows) and all the unbeaten class winners return to the ring for the judge to award Best of Breed and Best Puppy.
The Best of Breed and Best Puppy then go forward to compete for Best in Show and Best Puppy in Show, unless the show in judged on the Group System.
If more than three classes are scheduled for French Bulldogs, the appointed judge must be taken from a Breed Club A or B List. Judges on the Breed Club’s C list can only judge up to three classes.
How Judges are selected/invited to judge.
Crufts: Judges are appointed by the Crufts Committee at the Kennel Club
General Championship Shows ; Judges are chosen by the inviting society from the Kennel Club List of Approved Judges which include judges on the Breed Clubs A List. Breed Clubs do not have any influence over who is invited . Judges are usually invited 2 - 3 years in advance
BUBA is the one exception, the FBCE & the MNCFBC have always taken turns to suggest up to three names to the BUBA Committee who select one from the list. Now the Pennine& Scottish FBA have also been included in the rosta, so the clubs will now nominate every 3rd year. Traditionally judges for this show whould be Breed Specialists and often an individual from a club A3 list will be put forward.
If a judge has to withdraw from a Championship appointment then the inviting show committee contact the Kennel Club who are able to advise which judges are availble . A replacement judge will always be someone who has previously been approved to award CC's in the breed. Breed Clubs do not have any influence over who is invited.
FBCE shows. Judges are chosen from the clubs approved lists, members have always been welcome to put suggestions forward to the committee. All sugestions are included in the ballot conducted by the committee for the revelant show. A majority vote wins.
The Championship show judge is chosen approximatly 3 years in advance and the Open show judges 2 years in advance.
Sometimes names put forward are unable to acept the appointment as they are unable to abide by the conditions of the invitation. (time between appointments etc)