How the mentoring system for judges will work, what the Kennel Club Academy will offer judges in the future and when the pilot scheme for the Judges Competency Framework (JCF) will begin – these and other topics were covered in a question and answer session on the JCF with Kennel Club staff at a meeting of the Breeds Liaison Council at the Kennel Club this week.
The Breeds Liaison Council is made up of representatives for every breed and has 30 Group Delegates who attend each meeting. Representatives are elected for a three-year term to act as a channel of communication between breed clubs, competitors and the Kennel Club.
Answering the questions were Kathryn Symns, Canine Activities Executive, Iris Thompson-Burton, Education, Training and Property Senior Manager, and Glen Dymock, Specialist Communications Officer, all of whom attend JCF working party meetings.
The success of the JCF will very much depend upon cooperation between the Kennel Club, breed clubs, judges, exhibitors and general canine societies, Mrs Symns emphasised while answering questions. Kennel Club staff will offer advice and support, she added.
Among the other topics covered by the question and answer session were multiple-choice examinations, the role of Breed Education Coordinators, supported entry classes at open shows, finding volunteers, the KC Academy annual subscription and judges of Imported Register Breeds.
While the majority of questions were submitted by delegates in advance of the meeting, the chairman Tony Schaanning Ling also allowed questions on the day. Topics covered included the future of the Judges Development Programme, the challenges faced by breed clubs when trying to provide enough dogs for examinations, the role of breed clubs in nurturing specialist judges under the JCF and the ratio of all-rounder assessors compared with specialists in breed assessments.
After the question and answer session, Mr Schaanning Ling said: “This was a very useful session and I am sure the delegates found it of great interest. With the Judges Competency Framework pilot scheme starting imminently, the next round of questions at our meeting on November 22 will no doubt prove even more beneficial. The feedback from the breeds about the pilot scheme will be absolutely crucial when it comes to ironing out any problems which are identified before the Framework is launched in 2019. This is precisely why we exist – this will be the Breeds Liaison Council in action.”
An FAQ document was issued in April when the JCF was announced. It can be accessed on the Kennel Club website and it is planned to issue further FAQ documents in the coming months.
Read more information about the Breeds Liaison Council, as well as a list of delegates in each breed.