The new judge training programme started on 1st January 2025. Due to the sheer volume of work involved in ensuring no current candidate is disadvantaged by transferring from the ‘current’ judge training scheme to the new programme, we are phasing the transfer of the JPGs into the new programme.
We will start this process with JPGS1 and then JPGs 2a, 2b and 2c in that order with the other, larger JPGs following on. All JPGs and their current candidates will be transferred into the new programme by June 1st, 2025.
What Does This Mean For New Candidates?
So what is a new candidate?
A new candidate is someone that is not already part way through the judge training on the ‘old scheme’.
If you are making a new application to become a judge then you will apply to the JPG to become a judge and work your way through the training on the scheme that is in place at the time you apply until such time you are transferred to the new judge training programme.
Transferring to the New Scheme
The first thing to remember is that no candidate will ever be disadvantaged when transferring to the new judge training programme.
Please bear in mind these are the very basic expectations and there will be candidates that don’t fit neatly into these perimeters and when dealing with each candidate there could be other factors that MUST be taken into consideration so as not to disadvantage them, should there be any ambiguity the numbers will be rounded up in favour of the candidate.
During any transitional period where the transfer of candidates occurs, we need to keep a common-sense approach in mind with the word ‘Flexibility’ being key!
BAC Steward Transferring to Student Judge:
- 1 Tutorial (T) for every 3 old style certificates done. (if a candidate has done 2 certificates the number will be rounded up and if the candidate has only done 1 then the number will be rounded down)
- Any engagements logged and reports (critiques) already submitted count towards the minimum required within the expectations on a Student Judge, should the number of these already exceed the minimum requirements within the new scheme candidates must be informed that they are still expected to fulfil any reporting requirements attached to engagements, (T’s,) etc.
Pupil Judges Transferring to Junior Judge:
- 1 Tutorial (T) for every 3 old style tutorials done. (if a candidate has done 2 tutorials the number will be rounded up and if the candidate has only done 1 then the number will be rounded down)
- If already obtained the basic minimum old-style tutorials and both candidate and BAC are happy – moves into final assessment level.
- Any engagements logged and reports (critiques) already submitted count towards the minimum required within the expectations on a Junior Judge however, should the number of these already exceed the minimum requirements within the new scheme candidates must be informed that they are still expected to fulfil any reporting requirements attached to engagements, Tutorial (T’s) Presentations (P’s) etc.
This will also be applied to any current (single breed) candidate who opts out of transferring into multibreed training for the list wherein the relevant breed sits.
Full Judges:
It is acknowledged, due to our previous judge training system, we have judges who may already be Full Judges on one or more of the breeds within a Judge Promotion Group’s (JPGs) list.
Going forward both in the first instance (transfer) and in the future, any such judges will be credited with a set number of tutorials and presentations for each breed they are a Full Judge for when they apply to a Judge Promotion Group (JPG.)
The formula for this has been determined by the number of breeds in a JPG’s list.
A full judge will be credited 2 Ts, 1 P, 10 critiques and 2 engagements per breed list therefore:
Example: Full Siamese judge who has decided to continue training across the rest of the breeds within JPGS6.
Below you can see as a Full Siamese Judge that they are credited with 2 tutorials, 1 presentation, 10 critiques and 2 engagements towards the new minimum expectations needed before the JPGS6 could consider an application for promotion.
Below you can see what the judge needs to undertake to complete minimum expectations needed before the JPGS6 could consider an application for promotion. 8 tutorials, 7 presentation, 40 critiques and 13 engagements.
Deferred Current Candidates:
- If no assessments undertaken at point of transition, candidate will go straight into the deferment criteria of the JTP document.
- Should they have already done 1 or 2 assessments they will be credited like for like and only be expected to do the remaining number of assessments to reach the required number of three.
- Prior to undertaking the required criteria for an application for promotion to Full Judge a candidate may opt to undertake further tutorials and/or presentations. This is not a stipulation that the relevant BAC/JPG can impose on a deferred candidate.
Minority Breeds
The majority of JPGs have at least one Minority breed within their list and should a candidate fail to have the opportunity to judge or examine an example of such a breed, when the candidate feels they are ready to apply for full judge status of the breeds within a JPGs list they may do so. In such situations, they must not be held back from promotion within the JPGs list as the number of engagements for a minority breed, regardless of whether or not an exhibit is available, will provide evidence of the willingness to engage with said breed.
Final Advice
One thing to remember on the the new judge training programme . . . the training is about learning and not about box ticking. So tutorials, presentations and critiques are not something you should be thinking about as obstacles that you need to get past on your way to qualifying as a full judge. In fact they are learning opportunities and something that will help your progress towards gaining the knowledge and experience you need to take your final assessments and applying to become a full judge.
So remember, any judge transferring from the old scheme to the new judge training programme will be credited with all the work they have already done towards their training. But please also remember that the new judge training programme is not a box ticking exercise and the tutorials, presentations and critique writing are there to help you gain the knowledge required to become a full judge and the numbers that are required are a minimum requirement and that some candidates may in fact benefit from doing more than the minimum.
