Grandfathering

From 1 January 2021 eligible judges may submit an application form (https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/forms/judge-grandfathering-application) for consideration to be pre-approved to award Challenge Certificates.

Candidates can self-nominate provided they are included on at least one breed club/council A3 list and/or have a pre-existing JDP credit pass for the relevant breed. Each judge must also meet all The Kennel Club’s mandatory requirements for approval to award CCs.

It should be noted that all applications made using the grandfathering system are still subject to approval by the judges committee and The Kennel Club Board. Judges are only able to make one submission per breed, group or Best in Show and there will be no appeal process available. Therefore judges should ensure they meet the required criteria before making an application.

Criteria

Judges must have met the below listed mandatory criteria and should not submit applications if this criteria has not been met.

Judges who have previously been rejected via the traditional questionnaire/A2 routes may not apply to be approved via grandfathering until a period of at least five years has elapsed from the date of such rejection. Judges so affected will remain eligible to be nominated for approval via the traditional routes or to progress via the Judges Education Programme.

This route is only available to UK resident judges. Those Judges resident in Northern Ireland who have already nominated the Irish Kennel Club as their Kennel Club of reference are ineligible to be approved by the grandfathering route.

• To appear on at least one breed club/council A3 judging list at the time of submission to The Kennel Club

• To have met all The Kennel Club mandatory criteria regarding seminars, stewarding, Stud Book numbers (established CC judges exempt)

• To have judged the required number of dogs set by The Kennel Club according to the relevant tier1 – Cairns 35 dogs

• To have passed a breed specific hands-on assessment held in accordance with The Kennel Club Code of Best Practice2

One submission per breed only permitted; if application rejected no further application can be made for that breed. No appeals accepted.