From 1 January 2024 the Kennel Club Board agreed a recommendation to relax the regulations that prevented judges both officiating at one show and exhibiting at a partnership show for a two year period.
At its recent meeting the Shows Executive Committee agreed that this two year period was a success and therefore recommended the following amendment, which was subsequently approved by the Board.
The amendments will be in effect from 1 January 2026.
F(1)20.h
At partnership shows judges must not officiate at one show and enter or handle a dog for exhibition at the other show including exhibiting a different breed on another day to that which they are to judge. Partnership shows are defined as shows where the host club and other clubs share a venue and other facilities to allow exhibitors the opportunity to exhibit at each show.
F(1)30.a(10)
A dog may be disqualified by the Board from any award, whether an objection has been lodged or not, if proven amongst other things to have been:
(10) Entered for competition and/or handled in the ring by the judge a partnership show even if the class or classes are on another day of the show or the entry is for a different breed to that which the person is to judge.
The Kennel Club wish to remind judges that judging must take precedence over showing at partnership shows. While officiating as a judge, that judge can not take a break to exhibit.
The Kennel Club would also like to highlight the ‘Code of Best Practice for Judges’ which states that judges are expected to judge on the merits of the dog in competition and consider no other factors. It is important that judges and exhibitors are mindful of the perception of their actions to allow for a fair, yet competitive hobby.
The full Code of Best Practice for Judges can be found here.
If you have any questions, please contact the team at dogshows@thekennelclub.org.uk.