English Springer Spaniel Club

Established 1921

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ESSC Judging Criteria

Judges_criteria

The A3 List indicates persons who the ESSC 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.  Being included on a breed club A3 list is also part of the KC criteria for ‘grandfathering’.

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; 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 classesin 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; and
  • Also see Note 1 and 2 below.

ESSC/P,P&C/Dec 2016 

Information about the Judges Education Programme (JEP) and the alternative judging route to Breed Club ‘B / A3 and A2’ judging lists can be obtained on the KC website.  

   thekennelclub.org.uk/jep

It should be noted that all Judges must meet JEP Level 1 criteria to judge at all as from 1.1.2021.

Achieving JEP Level 2 in ESS enables a person to judge an unlimited number of classes of the breed at limited, open or championship shows without CCs. This is equivalent to those judges on an ESSC B list.

Once a judge has achieved ESS JEP Level 2, they should liaise with the Breed Education Co-ordinator (BEC) if they wish to achieve further levels of JEP.

Mrs Sue Aston is the BEC, and is also the ESSC judges list co-ordinator. Contact details can be found on the ESSC Judging Questionnaire, which is available to download from this website.

We are advised that Breed Club ‘B’ Lists may no longer be operational from 31.12.2025.

The ESSC B List indicates all persons whom the Club would support to judge the breed without Challenge Certificates. i.e. to judge an unlimited number of classes of the breed at limited, open or championship shows without CCs.
*(Open Show Level includes an appointment at a Championship Show without Challenge Certificates)

 B List Criteria for Breed Specialists

Persons included on this list must have met all the following criteria:

  • To have at least 5 years owning and exhibiting experience;
  • To have attended a KC seminar given by a Kennel Club Accredited Trainer, and passed the relevant examination for ‘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;
  • To have passed the multi-choice tick box exam (MCE) on the English Springer Spaniel Breed Standard;
  • To have stewarded on at least 4 occasions at either Open or Championship Show level;
  • Can prove a depth of interest in the breed;
  • To have judged at least 9 classes in the breed at Open Show level with an overall minimum total of 20 dogs present and judged;
  • To agree to write show critiques as required by The Kennel Club;
  • To have the support of the English Springer Spaniel Club
  • To have submitted the application on the ESSC Judging Questionnaire, and
  • Also see Notes 1 and 2 below. 

 

B List Criteria for Non-Breed Specialists

Persons included on this list should have met all the following Criteria:

  • To have at least 10 years overall judging experience;
  • 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;
  • To have passed the multi-choice tick box exam (MCE) on the English Springer Spaniel Breed Standard;
  • To have stewarded on at least 4 occasions at either Open or Championship level. (**This is not required if the applicant already awards CCs in another breed);
  • Can prove a depth of interest in the breed;
  • To have judged at least 18 classes in the breed at Open Show level with an overall minimum total of 40 dogs present and judged;
  • To agree to write show critiques as required by The Kennel Club;
  • To have the support of the English Springer Spaniel Club;
  • To have submitted the application on the ESSC Judging Questionnaire, and
  •  see also Notes 1 and 2 below.

 

Criteria for Overseas Judges

Applications for any ESSC judges list will be considered on their individual merit and in line with The Kennel Clubs Guidance for Overseas Judges.

Notes:
1. The ESSC considers that an ESS judging appointment at a Championship Show without CCs does not equate to a judging appointment at an ESS Breed Club/Society Open Show. 

  1. The suitability of applicants for inclusion on the lists of judges will be considered by the ESSC JSC at its discretion, using the appropriate criteria detailed above as a guide. The suitability of applicants for inclusion on a list may also be considered on their merit. The decision of the ESSC JSC is final and no reason for non-inclusion will be given. This does not preclude a re-submission of an application in any subsequent year.