Traditionally judges were trained on individual breeds one by one but it has been recognised that this approach is no longer viable. A new judge training programme has been designed to meet the needs of today’s cat fancy. It will speed up the training process and give the GCCF new judges whilst still providing the high level training expected for a GCCF judge.
Learn how to become a GCCF Judge step-by-step in this guide and begin your journey to become a GCCF Judge.
Step 1: Becoming a GCCF Steward
Before you start any training to become a GCCF Judge the first thing you need to do is to become a qualified GCCF Steward.
Step 2a: Becoming a GCCF Student Judge
This is the route for candidates who wish to become a Junior Judge and eventually qualify as a Full Judge across all breeds within a JPG. It follows GCCF Steward qualification and marks the start of multibreed training.
Step 2b: Becoming a GCCF Speciality (Single) Breed Judge (Provisional)
It is recognised that some candidates will only wish to judge a single breed. This pathway is for candidates who wish to judge adult, kitten and neuter classes within a single breed. It follows qualification as a GCCF Steward and offers an alternative to multibreed training for those focusing on one breed within a JPG.
Step 3: Becoming a GCCF Junior Judge
This stage follows qualification as a Student Judge and is for candidates who wish to train across multiple breeds within a Judge Progression Group. As a Junior Judge, you’ll gain judging experience at GCCF shows while continuing tutorials, presentations and assessments to prepare for Full Judge status.
Step 4: Becoming a GCCF Full Judge
After successfully completing your training as a Junior Judge, you may apply for promotion to Full Judge. This is the formal qualification that allows you to judge all the classes across the multiple breeds catered for by your JPG.
