Hi all, how do you become a judge? and what experience or seminars or exams do you need?  I'd love to be a judge at shows it's my dream so any help i'd much apprieciate.  Even if it takes years i'm up for it, i just need to know which path you take.  A breed specialist though not an alrounder judge.

Warm regards Susan

You will firstly for the "c" list have to show an interest in the breed and sometimes have to have passed a breed judging seminar (some clubs don't require the seminar pass untill "B" list.)

Then you apply to go on the "C" list attaching your CV.

The committe of teh club will give a yes or no and put on on the list or not.

At the beginiging of next year the new judging list will be sent out to all secretaries (nearly) and then you wait for a phone call invieting you to judge.

You will also need to attend and pass the 3 KC seminars.  one on conformation and movement, one on rules and regulations and a "hands on" assesment.  These are general seminars applying to all dogs.

Also talk to people and say you are interested in judging within your breed! :)

HTH

Wasn't there something in the KC rules that you also had to steward at open and champ shows as well before progressing up the judging lists?

It does, in fact, take years.  Go to as many seminars as you can, other breeds as well as your own.  The more you learn the better you can put it into practice when stood in the middle of the ring.  I think I'm right in saying that the three Kennel Club seminars are compulsary only for judges who want to award CCs (I may be wrong) but try and do them if possible.  The conformation and movement one, especially, will be invaluable to you. 
Sit and watch respected judges in the ring.  See what dogs they put up and try to figure out why.  But remember, judging from ringside is very very different from being inside the ring.  In the middle of the ring and getting your hands on the dogs, you get a whole different perspective on them. 
IMO people should wait at least 5 years before judging if they've just started showing.  I know this may seem a long time but the experience and knowledge gained in that time is something you can't learn on paper.  There's a lot of judges out there who can pick out a decent dog but they can,t tell you why they think it should win....and IMO that's almost as important as finding the right dog to put up.
There was talk at one time about having student judges who would be in the ring with the main judge, seeing what they did and asking questions about placings etc. but this seemed to have died the death.  It would have been a good thing I think, they do it on the continent and (as long as the main judge knows what he/she is doing) experience of thins kind can come in very useful.
When all's said and done though, who judges where and why is all a matter of getting that invite. You can judge 3 classes of any breed (and 5 for some breeds) without being on a judges list at all. 
Hope this helps a little,
Debs

Hi thanks for your help, i wouldn't mind waiting five years, i'd like to be really good at it and knowledgable at the same time, most apprieciated.

Warm regards Susan

Hi Susan, I've been in my breed 3 years, and am thinking it will probably take another 5 or 10 before I dare judge anything except novelty classes! I've passed the hands on assessment, and I went to a stewarding rules and regs, but I'm still waiting for my breed clubs to put on some more seminars. I agree with the advice to go to as many as possible. Also make a point of sitting ringside and trying to pick out your five placed dogs and see how closely you agree. Of course you can't go over the dogs, and you might prefer a different type to the judge, but it helps to assess groups of dogs. :-)

I was in Pomeranian's for over 15 years before I had my first judging appointment.  My BOB went reserve best in show and my BP was in the final 4 of the line-up, not bad as the entries for all the breeds took the whole room up, there must have been all of the 50 breed winners that stayed, as I've never seen so many before in the final BIS and BPIS line-ups.  I've only ever judged again once since then, it's just not my cup of tea, I don't enjoy it.

I must say though that I would love to judge the breed I'm in now especially as I'm the only original importer of the breed that does show their dogs and still breed them, as unfortunately the other original members don't, which is quite sad in some ways, especially as one is due to ill health.

Of course, you do have to wait to be invited to judge....It's not as easy as simply thinking you'd like to do it.  Most people have been in their chosen breed for a long time before their first judging appointment.  I had been in my breed for 13 years before I was asked and then I didn't think I was ready! :)
Gain as much experience as possible in your breed, talk to the senior people. If you don't understand why the judge is putting up a certain dog, then ask someone who you think may be able to help. Gather lots of info, do the seminars, make friends in other breeds ( it makes you appriciate your own breed!) Learn about soundness and general construction then aply it to your breed.
If your breed is anything like mine you will talk about the dogs all day given the chance!
I really enjoy judging, though it is a bit nerve racking!

Also, judging isn't for everybody. I have only had two judging appointments and I hated every minute of them. I find it all to stressful, so I will not be accepting any further offers. It's an awful thing to put myself through, so never again.

Dawn R.

How come you find it stressful Dawn? I'd imagine you'd be very good at it, you do seem very knowlegdable.

Susan

Susan - do you show?

Margot

Yes

Susan

Well, I can see why Dawn gets stressed ;) - I think I will leave Judging for Others :D :D :D

( Cos I ALWAYS go home with the best dogs, even when the Judges cant see that! )

Me to but i'd like to see whats it's like when the shoe is on the other foot, until then i wouldn't know if i liked it until i'd tried it, but i do love showing also.

Susan

I've never wanted to judge. The opportunities to be hated are too numerous!

I wouldn't mind the odd egg flying at me, ha ha ha ha.

Susan

My friends all told me to wear my bullet proof vest, and that was only novelty classes at a companion show! It was fun though, I wouldn't mind judging at open level when I know enough about my breed! :-)

The pain from the knives in your back fades eventually......:)