Clean Run Magazine - January 2008 - 7

Everything you always wanted to know about agility but were to ask afraid By Brenna Fender ? Are judges allowed to judge competitors who are their students? Is it legal if the judge owns the trial equipment and the students train on it regularly? Can judges show at trials they are judging? No agility organization wants to have its judges demonstrating poor sportsmanship or behaving in a way that makes competitors question the judge’s fairness or integrity. Most of the organizations have rules in place to avoid the appearance of improprieties. The AKC judges guidelines state: “All judges start in the sport as exhibitors and trainers. It is natural to want to continue these activities after becoming a judge. It is acceptable to exhibit or have your dogs exhibited at trials at which you are not judging. Because it would give the impression of impropriety, it is not permissible for your spouse, family member, relative, or household member to enter their dogs or any dogs they co-own in an agility trial on the day that you are judging. You, as the judge, are not allowed to exhibit nor have your dog exhibited on the day that you are judging. Additionally, your dog or any dog co-owned by you may not be exhibited in conformation, obedience, or any other AKC venue on the day that you are judging if the show or trial is on the same show grounds.” An AKC representative adds that judges are allowed to judge dogs that train under them at this time, but they are not allowed to judge for their home club, at their own facility, or when their own equipment is used. An ASCA representative says, “Certainly, no one wants to allow situations where some competitors have an unfair advantage over others. Currently, however, the rules may not address specific circumstances that may give people unfair advantages. It’s difficult to think of every situation before it happens and write a rule for it. So sometimes there are loopholes that get exploited.” She continues, “I think if there is someone who is concerned that the rules don’t address a situation where some competitors are given an unfair advantage, [that person] should bring it up directly with the sanctioning organization. It’s hard to address things in generalities. It would be better if the concerned party [would] approach the sanctioning organizations with specific facts and concerns. That way, if there is a situation where competitors Do you have a question about agility rules or anything else agility related? Mail your questions to Brenna Fender: brennafender@gmail.com Brenna collects the questions and forwards them to us so we never see the names. are getting an unfair advantage, we will know about it and can modify the rules as needed.” NADAC representative Becky Woodruff says, “NADAC allows our judges to occasionally judge a trial hosted by their own club/group. We trust that our judges are ethical and that their integrity is such that they will judge everyone equally. Should something be brought to our attention that we need to know, we would handle it on an individual basis.” Concerning judges running a dog at a trial in which they also judge other exhibitors, Woodruff says, “No, unless there are extenuating circumstances: for example, if the judge of record hired for the trial couldn’t make it at the last minute and there was a judge entered in the trial who stepped forward to volunteer to replace the judge of record. Otherwise, this would not be acceptable under any other circumstances.” A USDAA representative says, “USDAA has a firm policy that prohibits a judge showing in more than one class at a trial, and [even] that requires special permission. The condition is that it must not in any way impede the event or present a conflict of interest in the show. As such, it is rarely justifiable.” One circumstance where such a scenario might occur is if a judge has a flight delay and doesn’t make it into the show before it begins, and a competitor in the event, who is also a judge, fills in. The representative continues, “There is no policy against it, but the concern is more administrative than one of impropriety. We do have a policy that limits the judging of students.” That policy, listed in the USDAA regulations, Chapter 1, states: “Competitors (handlers and their dogs) may not enter any class held for a title under a judge who resides in the same household or with whom they have trained in the past ten (10) days.” D NOTE: While it is not permissible to make copies of Clean Run magazine, we wish to give readers permission to make copies of this particular column for personal use. This means you are free to share copies of this column with students, friends, or club members. The information may also be included in not-for-proﬁt newsletters as long as credit is given to Clean Run. January 08 | Clean Run 7

Clean Run Magazine - January 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - January 2008