The aim of this document is to assist show organisers in understanding their responsibility for briefing judges from overseas officiating in the United Kingdom as laid out in the Kennel Club Guide for Judges and Ring Stewards.

1.1.      Invitation to Judges

The suitability of overseas judges to give Kennel Club awards will be assessed in the same way as for a British National. Overseas judges who do not judge a particular breed at Championship Show level in their own country, or are not endorsed by the relevant Kennel Club in their country, or have not gone through our system for our national judges, will not normally be approved to judge that breed with Challenge Certificates in the UK.                                                                                                             

•        Show Society must confirm this before inviting. 

1.2.      When the judge has confirmed their eligibility they must be advised in writing of the following:

• All judges officiating at UK Kennel Club licensed events must judge to the Kennel Club Breed Standards and Rules and Regulations and not those of any Kennel Club other than our own. The Judge’s duties in this country cannot be delegated, and they should be aware that double-handling, commentaries and grading are not permitted.

1.3.      To assist judges from overseas, inviting societies are required to send them the following booklets:

• A copy of the relevant Kennel Club Breed Standard
• The Guide for Judges and Ring Stewards

1.4.      Prior to the Show

• Allocate experienced Ring Stewards to work with the overseas judge(s)

1.5.      At the Show

On the evening before or on the day of the show prior to judging, the Show Secretary/Manager, or Chief Steward or other suitably qualified person should brief all the overseas judges officiating at the show on UK judging procedures. This should take approximately 10 minutes and should cover:

• Kennel Club Breed Standards
• Ring Procedures in accordance with the Guide for Judges and Ring Stewards

Summary

1. Confirm eligibility to judge the breed(s)
2. Send copies of the following booklets to the overseas judge(s)
3. 1. A copy of relevant Kennel Club Breed Standard
   2. The Guide for Judges and Ring Stewards
4. Allocate experienced Ring Stewards
5. Brief the overseas judge(s) on UK procedures prior to judging in accordance with the attached notes.

Briefing Notes for Overseas Judges officiating in the United Kingdom

2.         All judging in the United Kingdom must be based on the following:

• UK Kennel Club Breed Standards
• The UK Guide for Judges and Ring Stewards
• The Kennel Club Rules and Regulations

3.         At the Show in Judges reception

1. Check the Judging Book for order of classes to be judged and that slips for all classes and the major awards are present.
2. Do not sign the Judging Book until the class has been judged.
3. Check to see if you require measures or scales for the breed/variety classes to be judged.

4.          In the Ring

1. Work with the Ring Stewards and explain how you want the ring organised
2. Adopt a system and be consistent.
3. Endeavour to judge approximately 30 dogs per hour.
4. If unsure about a point on a dog refer to your UK Kennel Club Breed Standard.
5. Take into consideration the health, well being and condition of the dog.
6. A dog that is in an obviously unhealthy condition can be dismissed from the ring but the dismissal must be reported to the Show Management.
7. A dog of a savage disposition should be dismissed from the ring. This dismissal should be reported to the Show Management immediately by Judge or Steward.
8. No dog should be dismissed from the ring apart from the reasons given above.
9. If a dog goes lame, it is appropriate to allow the handler, if they wish, to withdraw the dog.
10. If a dog misses a class and is not entered in another class it cannot compete in the breed.
11. If a dog misses a class but is entered in another class in the breed, it can compete and if unbeaten can also compete for all subsequent awards for example Challenge Certificate or Best Puppy. 
12. For breeds that are weighed, all the competing dogs must have been weighed before an award can be given. Before the judging of each class all new dogs are weighed by the judge or with the judge observing.
13. For breeds that are measured, all the competing dogs must have been measured before an award can be given.  In each class, the judge must measure each new dog on a hard, level, non-slippery surface, usually the table, as part of the individual examination of the dog.
14. Awards may be withheld because of lack of merit. The judge must mark the Judging Book that the award has been withheld.  If the award for third place is withheld no further awards in that class can be given.
15. Attraction of exhibits from outside the ring is not permitted.
16. On completion of the class, the dogs must be placed in descending order from the judge’s left to right in the middle of the ring. The first dog would be placed on the left.
17. Once the dogs are placed, the judge must complete the relevant class slip and sign it.
18. If any alterations are made in the Judging Book, the judge must initial the alteration and record the date and time.
19. Only the Judge must complete the Judging Book with regard to the placing of the exhibits. The stewards may list the absentees in each class.
20. Dogs must not be graded nor placed in reverse order.
21. Dogs cannot be given equal awards.
22. Oral critiques are not permitted.

5.       Awarding the Challenge Certificate

1. Initially decide on the Best of Sex winner, and then consider if it merits being awarded the Challenge Certificate.  If the judge does not think the Best of Sex is worthy of the title of Champion, then a Best of Sex card must be awarded instead of the Challenge Certificate.
2. When the Challenge Certificate is not awarded, the Reserve Challenge Certificate must also not be awarded and a Reserve Best of Sex card awarded.
3. When awarding the Challenge Certificate, Reserve Challenge Certificate or Best of Sex, Reserve Best of Sex and Best of Breed cards, it is recommended that the blank card be handed to the winning exhibitor as soon as the award is declared in the centre of the ring.  The card should then be handed back when it will be completed and signed by the judge and then given back.  Some judges prefer to complete and sign the cards at the end of the dog classes others return the completed cards after all the judging for the breed has finished. Either of these methods is acceptable.
4. Only the judge is permitted to fill in the details of the exhibits on the award cards.
5. Best of Breed must be awarded before Best Puppy in Breed.

6.       Critiques

1. Oral critiques or commentary by the judge are not permitted when judging
2. Notes on the dogs placed first and second should be taken following the judging of each class.  Written critiques on the first two placings must be completed after the show and sent to the UK dog press and in some instances when judging a Breed Club show also to the breed club secretary if requested.

7.       Group Judging

1. When judging the Group, a shortlist is usually selected.  In the final line, dogs must be placed in descending order 1 to 4, again from left to right.
2. No oral critiques or commentary can be given by the judge.

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Exhibiting, Judging 

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