ESSC A3 List Criteria
The ESSC A3 List indicates persons who they would recommend as being suitable to award Challenge Certificates in the breed but not yet approved by the Kennel Club for inclusion on JEP L4 lists. Whilst the RKC Judging lists are all now under the auspices of the Judges Education Programme (JEP), the RKC has asked the Breed Clubs to continue maintaining the A3 list until further notice, to aid some judges in their own transitional (i.e. non JDP) judging process.
(January 2026)
A3 List Criteria for Breed Specialists
Persons included on this list must have met all the following criteria:
- To have had a minimum of seven years judging experience in the breed, with appointments spread over a reasonable geographical area and have the support of the ESSC;
- To have owned and exhibited English Springer Spaniels for a minimum of 10 years;
- To have judged at least 50 classes in the breed at Open Show level and to have judged a minimum of 120 dogs;
- To have judged an English Springer Spaniel Breed Club/Society Open Show;
- To have judged at any two shows which have a combined entry of at least 40 dogs present and judged. (Please Note: To achieve the requirement of 2 shows/40 dogs present and judged, a person can add together any combination taken from the following type of shows – Breed Club Open Shows, Championship Shows without CCs, or any other type of Open Shows)
- To have attended a KC seminar given by a Kennel Club Accredited Trainer and passed the relevant examination on the ‘Requirements of a Dog Show Judge’ (**this is not required if the applicant already awards Challenge Certificates in another breed);
- To have attended a KC seminar given by a Kennel Club Accredited Trainer on ‘Conformation and Movement’. (** this is not required if the applicant already awards Challenge Certificates in another breed);
- To have attended and passed a KC ‘50 Points of the Dog’ Assessment delivered by a Kennel Club Accredited Trainer. (**this is not required if the applicant already awards Challenge Certificates in another breed);
- To have attended an English Springer Spaniel Breed Seminar or BAD that has been organised and run in accordance with the KC Code of Best Practice;
- To have passed the multi-choice tick box exam (MCE) on the English Springer Spaniel Breed Standard;
- To have attended and been successful at an English Springer Spaniel Breed Competence Assessment that has been organised and run by an ESS Breed Club in accordance with the relevant KC Code of Best Practice;
- To have bred and/or owned a minimum of 3 dogs when they obtained their 1st entry in the KC Stud Book. (Please Note: KC Policy advises a requirement of 3 dogs in the Stud Book for approval to the A2/A1 & JEPL4 Lists, save in exceptional circumstances) (This is a one-time qualification);
- To have stewarded at 12 shows;
- To have attended a Kennel Club Field Trial at Open Stake level, or an Open Gundog Working Test for the relevant gundog sub-group (KC mandatory requirement from 1.1.2011; i.e. KC Guidance states that if you are attending a Field Trial you need to attend an Open (ESS) Stake or above. If you are attending an Open Gundog Working Test, then you can go to either an Open (ESS) Test or an Open Any Variety (AV) Spaniel Test. You should obtain a marked card signed by the FT Secretary or WT Secretary as evidence of attendance. (This is a one-time qualification)
- To agree to produce a written critique for the first two placings in each class at Championship Shows and Breed Club Open Shows, and also agree to publish the critique in line with KC requirements for judges – within three months of the judging appointment save in exceptional circumstances;
- To have submitted the application on the ESSC Judging Questionnaire;
(ESSC JQ can be obtained by emailing the ESSC Secretary)
and
- Also see Notes 1 and 2 below
A3 List Criteria for Non–Breed Specialists
Persons included on this list are required to have met all the following criteria:
- To have a minimum of 20 years experience exhibiting dogs;
- To have a minimum of 7 years judging experience in any one breed (to include 5 years in this breed) and have the support of the ESSC;
- To award CCs in at least one other breed
- To have judged a minimum of 50 classes in the breed at Open Show level, and to have judged a minimum of 120 dogs. Appointments to have been spread over a reasonable geographical area. Judging at an English Springer Spaniel Breed Club/Society Open Show is desirable;
- To have attended at least one English Springer Spaniel breed specific seminar or BAD that has been organised and run in accordance with the relevant Kennel Club Code of Best Practice;
- To have passed a multi-choice tick box exam (MCE) on the English Springer Spaniel Breed Standard;
- To have attended and been successful at an English Springer Spaniel Breed Assessment that was organised and run by an ESS Breed Club in accordance with the relevant KC Code of Best Practice;
- Where appropriate, to have attended a Kennel Club Field Trial at Open Stake level, or an Open Gundog Working Test for the relevant gundog sub-group. (KC mandatory requirement from 1.1.2011) i.e. KC Guidance states that if you are attending a Field Trial you need to attend an Open (ESS) Stake or above. If you are attending an Open Gundog Working Test, then you can go to either an Open (ESS) Test or an Open Any Variety (AV) Spaniel Test. You should obtain a marked card signed by the FT Secretary or WT Secretary as evidence of attendance. (This is a one-time qualification)
- To agree to produce a written show critique for the first two placings in each class at Championship Shows and Breed Club Open Shows, and also agree to publish the critique in line with KC requirements for judges – within three months of the judging appointment save in exceptional circumstances;
- To have submitted the application on the ESSC Judging Questionnaire;
(ESSC JQ can be obtained from the ESSC Secretary)
and - Also see Note 1 and 2 below.