Bearded Collie Club

WORKING TEST FIXTURES

The Working Tests due to be held on Wednesday 17th July 2024 at Westhall Village Hall, Suffolk have had to be postponed. A revised date will be announced shortly.

For details of Scottish Branch event at which working tests will be offered see here.

BEARDED COLLIE BREED APPRECIATION DAY

A Bearded Collie Breed Appreciation Day (BAD) is being held in September. The BAD is open to everyone who wishes to gain a better understanding of the Bearded Collie and for those who wish to progress on the Kennel Club's Judges Education Programme, here is a reminder of JEP Level 1 requirements:

JEP Requirements Level 1
We draw your attention to the eligibility of candidates to sit the multiple-choice exam (MCE). Only candidates who have met the Judges Education Programme Level 1 requirements may sit this exam. These requirements are as follows:

1. Minimum of five years proven interest in pedigree dogs
2. Attend a conformation and movement seminar
3. Complete a minimum of two full-day stewarding appointments
4. Attend a Requirements of a Dog Show Judge seminar and pass associated exam (either in person or online via Kennel Club Academy, exam effective from 1 January 2024)
5. Pass the Points of a Dog assessment conducted by a Kennel Club Accredited Trainer (effective from 1 January 2024)

Candidates not meeting these criteria are permitted to listen to the ‘Breed Talk’ only (which, by the way, is really interesting!)

Download the flyer here

JUDGES EDUCATION PROGRAMME (JEP) AND MENTORING

Following a discussion between Breed Education Co-ordinators (BECs) there seems to be some confusion as to how Mentoring under the JEP can be arranged, with some judges trying to arrange their own mentoring sessions. This is not how it works, and the BEC must be asked to arrange a session with an approved Mentor, as we have to keep accurate records of how many sessions and which Mentors have carried them out. This is important as each Mentor can only carry this out once for each judge, and the subsequent Observation must be done by a different person.

To be mentored judges must be at Level 2 of the JEP (having passed a MCE). There must be a year between the first and third mentoring sessions which can take place in any of the following scenarios:

1. Group mentoring with a hands-on element, organised by a breed club.
2. One-to-one at the ringside.
3. As a judge for Special Award Classes at a breed club show.
4. As a Student Judge in the ring with Mentor/Judge at a show.

If you require mentoring to be arranged please contact your BEC who will do their best to find a suitably qualified Mentor - please give enough time as it is not always easy to pair up judges with someone who is going to be available at certain shows etc.

If you are on the list of Mentors please try to make yourself available if requested as in some breeds it is the same few people who are carrying out these sessions, and judges are having to wait quite a while before they can get another session arranged.

The Breed Education Co-ordinator (BEC) for Bearded Collies is Angela Pedder - email angelapedder3@gmail.com

BEARDED COLLIE CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW BALLOTS

With the Committee’s continuing concerns regarding the increasing costs of printing and postage incurred in selecting our Championship Show judges, the subject was taken to the AGM to look for support from our members in determining ways in which the process could be more viable yet remain fair and reasonable.

Following discussion, it was agreed that with immediate effect, there would be one ballot rather than two for our Championship Shows.  In order to keep the selection for the members ballot to a reasonable number and to try and ensure there are clear winners, we have outlined the revised process as follows:

The Club Secretary (or other non CC giver) will use an independent online selection programme as approved by the General Committee.  All the names on our A1 list will be entered and the programme will be asked to select an initial 24 judges names, 12 names to judge Dogs and 12 names for Bitches. The Secretary will check the availability of those selected and more names will be randomly chosen if necessary to provide the 24 required.  These names will then form the list for ballot.  In line with the current procedure, the winner of the ballot will get the choice of the July or December show for the sex they have won, with second place being offered the alternative show. Should such an invited judge no longer be eligible when the ballot is drawn the Secretary will proceed to invite the next down the list.  The process for inviting a Referee remains unchanged.

THE BEARDED COLLIE ANNUAL HEALTH SURVEY 2023

This review has been published and can be found here.

HEALTH PAGES

These have now been updated to include health information for guidance in respect of Elbow Dysplasia. You can find this new information here.

JUDGES' SUB-COMMITTEE

The Bearded Collie Club's Judges Sub-Committee has recently agreed changes to the Qualifications for the Club's Judging Lists and full details can be found at jsc.php.

Our Breed Education Co-ordinator (BEC) is Angela Pedder (Caldermist) and all matters or queries relating to The Judges Education Programme for aspiring judges should in all cases be directed to Angela either by emailing her or by contacting her by telephone on 01964-527716 / 07896-660857.

BEARDED COLLIE BREED STRATEGY

Exchange of health information between breeders and stud dog owners when planning a mating. As part of the Breed Strategy and following the request from breeders to produce a checklist with guidance for the exchange of health information between breeders and stud dog owners when planning a mating, the JBLC has produced a checklist as to the type of questions that breeders can ask potential stud dog owners, and a longer article which expands on the checklist and covers other points to consider when choosing a stud dog - see the JBLC Breed Strategy page.

POPULAR SIRE USAGE

An analysis of sire usage has been done as part of the Bearded Collie Breed Strategy to show what effect the recommended annual limit of 2 litters per year would have had, if it had been in place during the period 2011 - 2016. You can find the analysis here.

WEB PAGE UPDATES - LONG-TERM BREED HEALTH

New links added to the following items:
Bearded Collie Health - Useful Websites for Information: a downloadable list provided by our Breed Health Co-ordinator Liz Ayrton.
Maintaining and Improving Breeds: an article on genetic diversity covering many of the issues raised in the recent workshops and the Breed Strategy event. The article is written by Dr Jerry Bell, who has also recently completed a study on genetic diversity in AKC-registered Bearded Collies.