News and updates

The Conformation Judges Training Committee is calling for all Clubs to hold an Open Show utilising Trainee Judges from the current Conformation Judges Education Program, where possible.  A list of current Trainee Open Show Judges can be obtained from the Dogs Australia website by clicking here, or from the relevant Group Co-ordinator.

DOGS NSW CJEP Examinations Committee will be conducting Post Practical Examinations on Saturday 24 & Sunday 25 February 2024 in Ring 13 at the DOGS NSW grounds at Orchard Hills.

The Committee is aware that Liverpool & District All Breeds Kennel Club will be conducting a Championship Show on these days.

Exhibitors are required to avoid this area on both days prior to and during the Post Practical Examinations.

Thank you for your co-operation in this matter.

In recent weeks the Dogs Australia Administration has been receiving considerable correspondence from clubs, through their Member Body, protesting decisions when they have been notified that, in the approvals for Canadian Judges for their shows that the judges are not approved by the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) to award Challenges at Championship shows to some breeds. Many of the reasons for the protests are anecdotal and based on past approvals. Dogs Australia has contacted the Canadian Kennel Club in the past few days and has received the following advice:

“In accordance with our policies, CKC licensed Conformation Judges are not permitted to judge CKC recognized breeds or listed breeds that they are not licensed to judge.

This applies in Canada as well as any other country.

If there are breeds in Australia that are not recognised by the CKC or considered a listed breed, then it would be up to Dogs Australia to determine if the judge is eligible to judge those breeds.

In summary, CKC licensed judges are permitted to judge in foreign countries and issue Challenge Certificate for championship points for breeds that they are licensed to judge in Canada.

For breeds that are not recognised in Canada, it would be up to the foreign governing body to determine if the judge is eligible.

Our expectation is that the foreign governing body would communicate with the CKC and request judging qualifications or at the very least, use the CKC website “Find A Judge”.

At its meeting on Wednesday 31 January 2024, the Board of Directors unanimously resolved as follows:-

THAT first time Trainees entering the 2024/2025 Conformation Judges Education Program be given an exemption from the Group Entrance Examination for this Program (year) only.

Therefore, as there will be no examination – NO fee is required.  Aspiring Judges will only be required to complete the amended Application Form to enter the 2024/2025 CJEP as an Aspiring Judge and meet the required criteria.

The amended Application Form can be found here.

* Once the Aspiring Judges Group Entrance Application has been accepted, the Trainee will then be required to enrol in the 2024/2025 Conformation Judges Education Program and pay the relevant fee/s by the due date (9 February 2024).

Due to the extreme temperatures that are predicted for Australia Day, Friday 26 January, the DOGS NSW Library & Archives Committee Australia Day Show has now been moved to the following day, Saturday 27 January at DOGS NSW Grounds, 44 Luddenham Road, Orchard Hills.

Due to the postponement of the Australia Day Show to Saturday, 27 January, DOGS NSW Grounds will be CLOSED ON AUSTRALIA DAY, 26 January, and will re-open at 6am on Saturday 27 January.

Please be advised that DOGS NSW has identified a gap in processes whereby some manual show entries collected by Clubs directly are not accompanied by a matching payment, ie, cash.  Club Treasurers are required to pay particular attention in these situations to ensure that the number of entries balance to the funds received.

At its December 2023 meeting, the Board of Directors approved a recommendation from the Members Education Prefix Working Party to remove the requirement for six (6) months continual membership for members applying for a prefix.  Consequently, DOGS NSW Regulations Part I-The Register & Registration, Clause 11.2, has been amended accordingly.

Click here to view the updated Regulations.

At its recent meeting, the Board of Directors resolved as follows:-

THAT a penalty regime for all disciplines be imposed as follows:-

1^ST Offence                             WARNING

2^ND Offence                            $200.00 fine

3^RD Offence                            $500.00 fine

for all disciplines for Judges signing contracts that they are not eligible to judge at shows and events in accordance with DOGS NSW Regulations regarding time and distance, effective 1^st January 2024, and further, the Judge be responsible for the costs incurred by the relevant Clubs.