The Kennel Club has announced the launch of its comprehensive online platform - the Judges Education Programme (JEP) Breed Shows.
The Judges Education Programme Breed Shows online platform will allow judges to easily upload their information, access essential educational resources, and stay current with the latest requirements and developments in breed judging. With this new system, breed clubs will no longer need to maintain their own A1/2/3, B and C judging lists. Instead, all individual judges will upload their information and experience on the JEP Breed Shows platform.
Developed and enhanced over several years, the Judges Education Programme (Breed Shows) supports the education, approval and listing of every breed show judge. It caters to everyone from aspiring judges who have yet to step into the ring, to open show judges, those awarding Challenge Certificates and judges of championship show groups and Best in Show. It will also benefit show secretaries searching for judges, as all judges from levels 1-6 will be listed in one place on the Find A Judge section.
At the end of last year, more than 500 judges, exhibitors, clubs and other enthusiasts attended online webinars that showed the benefits and provided a walk-through of the new online platform for all levels of judges addressing any concerns and answering questions. For those judges who could not attend, The Kennel Club team will be at Manchester Championship Dog Show at Stafford County Showground from 16-19 January 2025 offering demonstrations and guidance.
Helen Kerfoot, Chief Canine Health, Events and Activities Officer said: “We are pleased to finally announce that the JEP Breed Shows online platform is now available for all judges. This platform is an exciting step in a new direction, designed to streamline your experience by allowing you to easily upload your information and access all necessary resources to support your judging journey. With everything in one place, staying informed and up-to-date has never been easier for both judges and show secretaries looking for judges.
“We’d like to thank all judges, Breed Education Co-ordinators and enthusiasts who attended the webinars on the new JEP Breed Shows online platform. We appreciate that we are entering a new chapter of the UK dog judging system and it may take some time for judges, clubs and aspiring judges to upload their information and adjust to the new system. It’s a good time to get involved with many spending more time inside due to the dark nights and winter weather. Going forward, we hope judges embrace these changes and look forward to working with judges of all experience in one place.”
Accessible through a Kennel Club account, the JEP Breed Shows platform can be reached here, selecting ‘Judges Education Platform’ from the column on the left of your dashboard once logged in.
Ahead of the launch, all the data that could be matched has been imported. However, as some records date back to 1999 and certain judges may not yet have an account with The Kennel Club, this might mean that some judges are initially unable to locate their information of the following; Requirements of a Dog Show Judge, Conformation and Movement and Points of a Dog. To ensure we can support our customers effectively, The Kennel Club is asking that if you notice any missing seminars, please complete the online form with the date of the seminar, instructor and which one it was. A member of the team will be on hand to assist you and let you know once resolved.