Looking Back with Lee – What’s Old is New Again
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By Lee Canalizo
Whoever said “you can’t go back” didn’t know the Sport of Purebred Dogs. I happened across…well, I could lie and say I found it on the AKC website, but I’d be heading straight to hell if I did! To be completely honest: once I was directed to the page I was looking for I found a lot of information that might not be well-known to most. What I found is a return to a policy that has been inactive for nearly a half-century. There was a procedure offered way back in the ‘50s and ‘60s that allowed experienced breeders and handlers to adjudicate at specialties. It seems now that concept has made a re-emergence. Judging from the relatively short list of events using this policy, I’m not sure if many know of it being reinstated. A list of National/Parent Clubs that have embraced the recent policy that allows them to secure any person they feel qualified to judge their National Specialty. There are about ten (10) names shown for assignments recently.
This is how the policy reads:
Specialty Clubs by request may invite eligible individuals for approval to judge their events.
Requirements for Applicant/Judge: Any eligible individuals including, but not limited to, professional handlers may be approved on a case by case, event by event request from the Specialty Club for approval to judge their Parent Club National or Parent Club Regional events.
• Must be 21 years of age.
• Must be occupationally eligible, except that professional handlers may be approved under this policy.
• Should be knowledgeable, with success in breeding/exhibiting/handling in the breed for 15 years or more.
• Procedure and anatomy test required and if applicable, scale or wicket test required.
• A $25 per breed fee is required for non-approved judges
I see some mighty bold-faced names across a number of breeds with upcoming assignments. The mix of breeds is diverse. There may be many reasons an influential person never got around to formally applying to judge their breed. Now there is a mechanism for them to be so honored, and have the opportunity to provide their opinion without all the paperwork. The policy isn’t very clear on exactly which clubs can select a judge, and I have confirmed from the AKC that this approval currently is an option available to a Local Regional Specialty Club, not just the National Breed Club specialty. I see this as a major boost to have some fresh new faces and opinions out there. Many breeders and exhibitors would and should take advantage of a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity to receive an official evaluation from an important figure in their breed.
I should note here that there is a second unique option being made available to National Clubs. This one I do not believe was ever offered but it too provides a great opportunity to have strong, solid breeders made available to judge their specific breed.
That policy reads like this:
Parent Club’s Recommendation for AKC Approval on a member of their club to judge their breed
• Parent Club is invited to submit recommendations, not to exceed three members each year.
• Submit certified copy of meeting minutes at which action was taken by the Parent Club Board.
Requirements from Applicant/Judge
• All Recommendations by Parent Clubs must include 20 years in the breed by applicant with breeding/exhibiting success.
• Must include 10 years membership in the Parent Club.
• Must be occupationally eligible.
• Must be 21 years of age.
• Procedural and anatomy test required and if applicable, scale and wicket test required.
• If for the first breed, pass procedural interview with AKC Executive Field Representative.
• Must pass breed standard test
• A $25 per breed fee is required
This is a great option to have some influential, longtime breeders be able to judge at any show anywhere, and if they wanted to progress to other breeds, they would just apply under the current system. I know in my breed there have been some great people that might have been “occupationally ineligible” during their primary years that prevented them from applying, and now they are possibly retired and could/should be passing judgment on their breed. These people might not have the detailed records one should have for a first time applicant. A word for the wise here: Many years ago Dennis Sprung would tell all of us, way before we ever seriously contemplated becoming a judge, “Keep very good records. You will thank me later”. I’m sharing that with hopes some of you “young-uns” will take heed of that very good advice.
These types of approvals harken back to days when sage stockmen, kennel managers or handlers were able to give their official “Stamp of Approval” on your breeding stock. Those made for rare opportunities on an official level, but I should mention that many of those with such innate knowledge would also give their “wo-cents worth when asked…and sometimes when not!
You should go look at this link and see what people various Breed Clubs have judging their upcoming Nationals:
https://images.akc.org/pdf/judges_directory/Nat_Reg_Special_Judges.pdf
It’s an interesting list. I haven’t quite figured out how to find the list of Parent Club Designated Breed Judges yet and this column has a deadline to meet, but I know there has to be a way to find that too, and if there isn’t a link to that list currently, I know who to ask that one be created. The more the fancy realizes the options available to their breed clubs regarding new judges, the more some new “Old” opinions might be in the offing! One can only hope!
Short URL: https://caninechronicle.com/?p=93395
Posted by ralbee
on Nov 25 2015. Filed under Current Articles, Editorial, Featured.
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