The Kennel Club has approved the following changes to the regulations for obedience.
The following regulation has been amended to reduce the difficulties faced by clubs when conducting draws for smaller open shows.
Amendment to Regulation G29.f(3)
TO:
Where a draw for the complete running order of classes other than Championship Class C is not made, show managements must conduct a ballot to determine a running order for at least the first 10 6 competitors/dogs in these classes: this may be reduced to 6 at shows with less than 200 dogs entered or where there are less than 25 dogs entered in a specific class.
Sub paragraph (3) does not apply to limited shows.
(Deletions struck through. Insertions in bold.)
(Effective 1 January 2021)
The following regulation has been amended in two ways. The first to allow for self-nomination when applying to become a championship obedience judge. Secondly, to allow for the inclusion of the Obedience Regulations and Judging Procedure examination on the Kennel Club Academy.
Amendment to Regulation G31
TO:
- Show Societies must apply to the Board for approval of Championship Class C judges for Championship Obedience Shows, at least nine months before the date of the Show, on the form provided. Approval for all first time appointments must be applied for a minimum of eighteen months before the date of the show, on the form provided. Prior to being granted Board approval, judges must have been assessed by a Kennel Club approved assessor. Individuals may apply to the Board for approval to award Championship Obedience Certificates for the first time, provided that the judge has fulfilled the minimum criteria in accordance with Regulations G31b. and G31c. Subject to approval judges would be included on the list of Approved Championship Obedience Judges.
- On application for a person’s first appointment to judge Championship Class C the minimum conditions which apply are:
A person must:-
(1) judges must have at least eight years judging experience which must include 30 championship and/or premier and/or open show appointments of which at least 15 must be Open Class C and two each of Beginners, Novice, Class A and Class B., and
c. (2) At the time of judging a first Championship appointment the Judge must have attended a Kennel Club Obedience Regulations and Judging Procedure Seminar and passed the Regulations and Judging Procedure examination. have completed and passed an Obedience Regulations and Judging Procedure examination on the Kennel Club Academy prior to attending a Kennel Club Obedience Test Design and Practice of Judging seminar.
- Qualifications for judges at premier and open shows and for the non-certificate classes at Championship Shows-
On first appointment judges must satisfy the show committee that they:
(1) have judged a minimum of four appointments within at least two years at a lower level including limited/companion obedience shows and matches/club or fun competitions.
(2) have won out of Beginners at a licensed championship, premier or open obedience show as a handler, and have acted as a caller, scribe or marker steward on six occasions at licensed shows; and
(3) have attended a Kennel Club Obedience Regulations and Judging Procedure Seminar and passed the Regulations and Judging Procedure examination. completed and passed an Obedience Regulations and Judging Procedure examination on the Kennel Club Academy prior to attending a Kennel Club Obedience Test Design and Practice of Judging seminar.
(4) have attended an Obedience Test Design and the Practice of Judging Seminar. a Kennel Club Obedience Test Design and Practice of Judging seminar and passed the assessment.
(Deletions struck through, insertions in bold)
(Effective 1 January 2021)
The below regulation has been amended to bring it in line with all the other activities’ wording for judges contracts.
Amendment to Regulation G33.b
TO:
Show organisers are required to include the following wording in judges' invitation letters:
‘In accepting this invitation you agree to be bound by Kennel Club Rules and Regulations and the Kennel Club Code of Best Practice for Judges and confirm that you are qualified to judge in accordance with Obedience Regulation G31. In doing so you also recognise that you are obliged to notify us in writing of any change in personal circumstances which may affect your ability to fulfil this judging appointment. You should note that we reserve the right to cancel the contract before the date of the appointment if there is such a change in your circumstances, which in our reasonable opinion would adversely affect your ability to fulfil the appointment. Clubs may cancel a judging appointment where there is clear evidence that the judge's ability to fulfil the appointment has been adversely affected, or in consultation with the judge.’
(Insertion in bold)
(Effective 1 January 2021)
The below regulation has been amended to allow for stays to be split at outdoor shows as well as indoor ones, as this would provide show organisers with the opportunity to ensure that competitors had adequate space in the stay ring, and would allow the opportunity for more distance between dogs.
Amendment to Regulation G(C)4.h
TO:
The judge or steward will direct handlers to positions in the ring. The command ‘last command’ will be given and handlers should then instantly give their final command to their dogs. Any further commands or signals to the dogs after this ‘last command’ will be penalised. Handlers will then be instructed to leave their dogs and walk to positions indicated until ordered to return to them. These are group tests and all dogs must compete together, but where this is impracticable at an indoor any show, the class may be equally divided but the judging for the groups must be consecutive. The stay ring shall be large enough to cater for the largest expected attendance for each class.
(Deletions struck through. Insertion in bold)
(Effective 1 January 2021)
Please direct all enquiries to our
Obedience (The Kennel Club) team.