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A2
List procedure- Traditional Route Questionnaire - https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media/3383/a2-questionnaire.pdf It is acknowledged that practical evaluation
following approval to award Challenge Certificates is not wholly
satisfactory, and that assessment at a lower level, prior to approval, is
preferable. The opportunity for a judge to be approved in
principle to award CCs without necessarily having an invitation to do so should enable
up-and-coming judges - who may well have been overlooked in the past - to be brought to the
attention of inviting societies via the publication of the A2 List in the
Kennel Club Journal. WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE A2 LIST SERVE? The Kennel Club believes that greater use of the
A2 approval system will both improve procedures and be of long-term benefit
in ensuring that new Championship show judges have previously been deemed capable
of undertaking an appointment to award Challenge Certificates. Equally
importantly, it will enable judges to go through an approval procedure
without first having to receive an invitation to award CCs, an aspect of the
previous system that has frequently been criticised. It will also reduce the need for evaluation of
judges awarding CCs for the first time in a breed, as those who have progressed through the A2 system
will not be evaluated at their first appointment. Whilst this document concentrates on the details
of the A2 Assessment Procedure, it should be remembered that
before any judge can progress to the A2 List, they should at least have met
the requirements for the Breed Club A3 List. WHO APPLIES? Judges whose names appear on any Breed Club B
Lists or above may ask to be assessed when judging the breed at Open show or Breed Club
Limited show level or at a seminar/breed club assessment day.
Breed Clubs are advised that, when issuing invitations to judge Breed Club Open and Limited shows, they should automatically
consider organising at least one assessment (two may be carried out at Breed Club
level at the same show) and advise the invited judge
accordingly. It must be understood that application to be
assessed does not necessarily guarantee that an assessment will be forthcoming if, in the opinion
of the Breed Club concerned, the applicant lacks the relevant
experience. However it should be assumed that any applicants who are already included on a Club’s A3 List would be
granted an assessment if requested, and if practicable. When a Breed Club wishes to forward an A2
questionnaire to the Kennel Club to be considered for approval, the application –
provided the three assessments have been undertaken and have been received by the Kennel
Club – will be considered by the Judges Committee which will, as with a standard
nomination to award CCs, consider the opinions of other breed clubs
along with the completed assessment forms. Successful nominations will be published in the Kennel Club Journal and these
listed A2 judges should normally be approved to award CCs
when invited, as a matter of course. WHERE? For the assessment procedure to work as
efficiently as possible, it should take place in a regular competition
environment. For inclusion in any Breed Club’s A2 List, a
candidate must have been assessed at least three times. Assessments may take
place at any one of the following:
Only one of the three required assessments may be
carried out at an event of this kind. There must be a minimum of five dogs present and these
must be ‘judged’ as in a regular competition class. As
of 2 October 2018 assessors can be taken from the ‘Find a Judge’ listing and must have awarded CCs in the
respective breed on at least one occasion in the last 10 years.
At a Breed Club Open or Limited show either one or
two assessors (preferably one) may assess a judge. As of 2
October 2018 assessors can be taken from the ‘Find a Judge’ listing and must have awarded CCs in the respective breed
on at least one occasion in the last 10 years. Assessment by
two independent assessors at such a show would be considered as two individual
assessments. There should be a minimum of twelve dogs present; however the Committee may consider an assessment completed
using nine dogs and above.
Two assessments may take place when judging breed
classes at any one General Canine Society Open show. As of 2 October 2018 assessors
can be taken from the ‘Find a Judge’ listing and must have awarded CCs in the
respective breed on at least one occasion in the last 10 years. If
there are twelve dogs present two assessments from two independent assessors may take
place. If between five and eleven dogs are present then this will count as one assessment.
These assessments can be conducted after a Show
has closed or after a seminar has finished. Two assessments
can be completed under these conditions as long as the Code of Best Practice has been followed and a minimum of
twelve dogs is present.
Two of the three required assessments may be
carried out for a class of this kind at Breed Club Open Shows, with a minimum of 12 dogs
present. FEEDBACK Whilst the assessment form itself is private and
confidential between the assessor and the Kennel Club, there is no objection, should they so
wish, to assessors discussing observed performance with the
judge after the appointment is completed. This should be conducted in a positive manner,
highlighting areas where it is considered there is room for improvement. ASSESSMENT FORMS - https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/forms/breed-councilclub-a2-judging-list-assessment-form The assessors will forward assessment forms
directly to the Judges Department at the Kennel Club where they will be held on file until the
Breed Club decides to allow the submission of the A2
questionnaire for the Judges Committee’s consideration. It should be clearly understood that it is the
Kennel Club that sanctions the ‘promotion’ of judges to the A2 list,
and not the Breed Clubs. NOTES FOR BREED CLUB SECRETARIES Breed Clubs have the responsibility for proposing
judges to the A2 List and the three required assessments should be
arranged by the breed clubs. A2 questionnaires are obtained from the Kennel
Club Judges Department by the breed club. The questionnaire may be submitted to the Kennel
Club at any time but will not be considered by the Committee
until the three assessments have been received. While in theory a judge may be assessed at any
time during their career, it is expected that such judges should be
included on a club's B List before asking to be assessed. As from 2 October 2018, Breed Clubs should select
an Assessor from the Kennel Club’s ‘Find a Judge’ website
who has judged the respective breed within the last 10 years. When an assessment has been set up at an
all-breeds Open show, the breed club should advise the show concerned, and ask to be notified
as soon as possible after entries have closed as to the number
of dogs entered in the breed classes. Assessment forms are confidential and will be
returned to the Kennel Club directly by the assessor. When three assessments have been completed, the
breed club is then free to forward the completed A2
questionnaire to the Kennel Club. The names of successful candidates will subsequently be
published in the Kennel Club Journal. The Club cannot select two Assessors that are
either spouses, family members or reside in the same household. NOTES FOR JUDGES A judge may apply to a breed club when they feel they
are ready to go through the A2 assessment procedure, but there is no obligation
on the part of the breed club to grant assessments should
they feel the applicant lacks experience. It is expected that a judge should
be included on at least a Club’s B List before applying for assessment. Three assessments must be completed as detailed
above before a club can submit the A2 questionnaire to the
Kennel Club. When an assessment is to take place at an all
breeds Open show, the judge concerned should apply to the
Breed Club on whose list they are included to organise the assessment. Following assessment an Assessor may discuss a
judge’s performance with them directly, but this is not
obligatory. NOTES FOR ASSESSORS The assessment and assessment form should be
regarded as confidential. When completed, the form should then
be forwarded to the Kennel Club. Should an Assessor wish to discuss a judge’s
performance with them afterwards, they may do so, but this should be carried out privately
and in a positive manner, highlighting if appropriate any areas
where the assessor feels there is room for improvement. |