Why is there no governing body for handling?
by Averil Cawthera-Purdy
10 Jul 2008 09:00
SUE TUBB has written on an issue that crops up like a bad penny far too frequently and has never been properly addressed, partially because, as I have ‘rabbitted on’ about previously, junior and adult handling do not have a governing body as such.
Yes, we have the long standing JHA and also the YKC which forms part of the Kennel Club but neither really fulfils the role.
So what is the issue – the quality of handling judging.
I bet a few of you had guessed that one. Back in Nov ’07 Sue had a letter on the subject published in the letters’ page of DOG WORLD.
Here’s a reminder of what Sue wrote then: “I train juniors at a local ringcraft club and wholeheartedly agree with the points raised in the Are Juniors being Short Changed? article. I think it is really unacceptable that some societies are still appointing judges who do not possess this area of knowledge.
“In my opinion introducing a list of people who have either attended a seminar by UK Dog Handlers and/or competed in or trained handling over a number of years would be a useful addition for societies, but would they refer to this if there was still no actual requirement for them to do so?
“If the only way to raise the standard of handling judges is to make people attend seminars and build up the number of dogs judged in handling classes to progress up a list then maybe this is what should happen.
Hopefully by highlighting the facts in this article and others in future issues, as an on-going campaign, the standard of judging for both junior and adult handling will improve. Most juniors will fully accept a lower placing when judged by someone who knows what they are doing but get very disheartened when marked down by someone who doesn’t have a clue.”
Sue has felt compelled to bring up the subject again after watching the handling judging at a recent championship show.
Are the lists used?
As long time readers of YHIS will know I have been round this particular mulberry bush on numerous occasions over the years. I have to say that the situation has improved over this time, however, I do not to say by any means that there is not still a problem.
Handling judging lists do exist and what is more they are quite good ones. The YKC, JHA and UK Dog Handlers have all kept and up-dated lists for years now.
The issue is more with whether they are used or not. Whereas, societies have to use lists for breed judging there is no compunction on them to use them for handling. The fact that many do is a credit to them and shows how things have moved on in recent years.
The fact that some still don’t is disappointing to say the least. The only way to totally solve the problem would be regulation, bringing the policy for appointing handling judges in line with that of appointing breed judges would certainly seem like a solution.
However, this would be costly and difficult to manage and the only body with the resources to take this on would be the Kennel Club and, while it provides some guidance via the YKC, it has never really taken full responsibility for either junior or adult handling.
It would be an interesting discussion as to the ramifications of this and again it is a discussion I have aired from time to time in YHIS. One thing that I will never give up campaigning for is quality, well prepared judges for both junior and adult handling classes.
All secretaries have to do to receive copies of the handling judging lists I have mentioned is request them from either YKC, the JHA or the UK Dog Handlers.