Judging
In the early 1990's I decided to learn more about the breeds that interested me and so I began attending various lectures held in conjunction with the Victorian Canine Association Judges Training Scheme. I had been invited on several occasions, to bring some of my dogs along to these Lectures for Trainee Judges to assess and I felt it was a good learning tool both for them and for myself.
I was encouraged to enter the Judges Training Scheme and apply for my Collie Judging Licence, which I did in 1993. After passing both a Written and Practical Judging test in 1995, I was granted my Collie (Rough) & (Smooth) Championship Show Licence and have been privileged since then to have judged the following Specialty Shows:
1998 - Collie Club of N.S.W. 2000 - Collie (R & S) Soc. of W.A.
2003 - Collie R & S Club of Qld. 2006 - Wikato & Dist. Collie Club - New Zealand
2009 - South Island Collie Club 2011 - ACT & Dist. Collie & SS Club
2012 - Dansk Collie Klub - Denmark 2012 - Finnish Collie Club
2024 - Smooth Collie Club of Great Britain
In 1998 after being encouraged by some great mentors and a desire to know more about the other breeds I owned and admired, I entered the Judges Training Scheme for the balance of the Breeds in the Working Dog Group (Pastoral Breeds) here in Australia.
I am pleased to say that after 5 years of attending lectures and judging over 250 dogs at Open Show level, (a requirement of the Judges Training Scheme then) I sat another written test and then a further Practical test to be granted my Working Dog Group (Pastoral Group) Championship Show License in 2003. Since then, I have judged at Group Level in most States of Australia and was even invited to judge various Pastoral Breeds in Denmark in conjunction with my Specialty Breed Club appointment.