"The disposition of noble dogs is to be gentle with people they know and the opposiite with those they don't know. How, then, can the dog be anything other than a lover of learning since it defines what's its own and what's alien?"

Plato

Education and Training Seminars

Sunday 20November 2011:The English Springer Spaniel Club and the Manchu Shih Tzu Society are holding a ‘KC Refresher Seminar on Requirements of a Dog Show Judge’. The KC Accredited Trainer is Mrs Yvonne Billows. The venue is The Fourways Inn, Chester Road, Delamere, Northwich, Cheshire, CW8 2HB. 10.30 start.

The Kennel Club 'Requirements of a Dog Show Judge' seminar has been run since 1999and since that time many thousands of delegates have attended the seminar and have taken and passed the examination – a requirement for a judge to be passed to award CCs.

Up until last year any Championship Show Judge who wanted to participate in this seminar joined one of those being held across the UK which covers Judges at any level from pre judging to being passed for CCs.

The Championship Show Judges who attended these seminars all gave positive feedback to the Kennel Club and asked that their training be taken one step further with a specific ‘Requirement of a Dog Show Judge’ seminar specifically for Championship Show Judges, as they felt that this would enable greater discussion and debate during the seminar on differing scenarios that arise when awarding CCs.

The Kennel Club Training Board took on board the suggestions and the ‘Refresher’ seminar delivered by a Kennel Club Accredited Trainer was developed to meet this need.

Firstly there was a well received pilot ‘Refresher’ seminar held at Manchester Championship Show last year and then another successful seminar was held during the Kennel Club’s Education and Training month at Stoneleigh earlier this year.

The ‘Refresher’ seminar is delivered in a relaxed environment and uses a workshop approach with Judges setting their own objectives for the day. Those attending these seminars can expect;

· To refresh one’s memory

· To have the opportunity to self-assess a level of knowledge

· To share in other Judges’ experiences

· To re-affirm/improve confidence

· To enhance skills to be able to act as a Mentor to new Judges

· To act as an effective Kennel Club Assessor and Evaluator

· To examine and discuss any Kennel Club updates and new guidance.

Those Judges attending have the option to sit an exam at the end of the seminar if they choose to.

Audrey Quartermain, Alex Geddes, Adèle Nicholson and Sheila Atter were some of the Championship Show Judges who attended the earlier ‘Refresher’ seminars and they have kindly agreed to share their thoughts so that any concerns some Judges might have about attending will be allayed.

Audrey Quartermain, said: “This is a seminar I am urging people to attend as there have been significant changes with the ‘Fit for Function, Fit for Life’ campaign. Setting groups to offer solutions to ‘instances’ produced lively exchanges of views from within all the groups and I feel we also learned from each other and it just showed how people have different ideas on the same subject. I think that those who have been judging for so long that never had to take the various exams should give serious consideration to attending this ‘Refresher’ seminar. They could well be surprised at what they don’t know! Thanks again for an enjoyable day.”

Alex Geddes, said: “I personally left home that morning wondering what I had let myself in for and had already decided that I was not going to do the test at the end of the course. It speaks volumes that by lunchtime I felt comfortable about it and I knew I would be letting myself down by not doing it at the end of the day. Thank you once again for a very informative day.”

Adèle Nicholson, said: “I found the day extremely helpful indeed. Working in groups and discussing questions was very beneficial because I realised that we were more or less level pegging. In fact it was quite confidence boosting as well as being fun. The ‘Refresher’ seminar is a wonderful way for any possibly complacent Judges to be reminded of the rules and regulations and I would certainly recommend the Refresher seminar to other CC Judges.”

Sheila Atter, said: “The day was very enjoyable thanks to the interesting way in which the facts were presented by the Kennel Club Accredited Trainer, and most of us opted to take the exam to see how we fared.”

The aim of the seminar is to provide an opportunity for Judges who are already approved by the Kennel Club to award CC’s and would like to ‘brush-up’ their knowledge of Show Regulations and Judging Procedures. The seminar will also assist those who act as KC Evaluators and Assessors. Delegates will be given the option whether they wish to sit the Requirements of a Dog Show Judge exam or not. The cost is £25.00, which includes refreshments, a hot buffet lunch and a delegate pack. Pre-registration is necessary. There are limited spaces available, which will be allocated on a first come - first serve basis.

If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact:

Amanda Grieve
Specialist - Education & Training
The Kennel Club
Tel: 0844 463 3980 ext. 225
Fax: 0207 518 1028
Web: www.thekennelclub.org.uk

Or get a the refresher course application form.

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