How to Become an AKC Agility Judge

Agility is a relatively new dog sport, having developed in the 1980s. The American Kennel Club (AKC) has sponsored agility trials for the past nine years. Some agility enthusiasts choose to become judges as a way to broaden their involvement in the sport. The AKC offers training and certification to qualified persons wishing to become agility judges.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Meet the minimum requirements for eligibility. Those wishing to judge AKC agility trials must have competed in AKC agility for five years, earned an AX or AXP title, and also an AXJ or AJP title. This demonstrates commitment to and a clear understanding of the sport.

2. Work at AKC agility trials. Prospective judges must have experience as timers, scribes or course builders at one trial and at the Trial Secretary's table during another. The timer monitors the stop watch during runs and reports times to the scribe, who records these for each entry. Course builders set up the courses for each class according to the diagrams provided by the course designer. Serving in these positions ensures that you know how to implement the procedures and equipment associated with agility trials.

3. Attend a judges' seminar. The AKC agility judges' seminar is a three-day course that requires travel to, and lodging at the seminar location. These seminars offer extensive training in the rules and procedures of judging AKC trials as well as practical instruction on how to be a good judge.

4. Pass all the required exams. Following completion of the three-day seminar, prospective judges are examined on course analysis, course design at all levels of competition, and various dimensions of judging. The examinations are offered at the seminar.

5. Judge an AKC sanctioned agility match. Matches are practice trials for both competitors and judges. The judge-in-training has the opportunity to judge in a real-life setting and receive supervision and feedback from a trained observer.

6. Obtain provisional status. When you have met the initial requirements, passed the exams and completed training you are granted provisional status and permitted to judge Novice Standard, Novice Jumpers with Weaves, Open Standard and Open Standard with Weaves at AKC agility trials. Build experience by taking as many of these judging assignments as you can.

7. Earn full approval for all levels of judging. This requires at least two supervisions deemed successful by the supervisor. Supervisors are experienced AKC agility trial judges assigned by the AKC to observe and comment upon the provisional judge's performance and skill as a judge. Additionally, provisional judges applying for full approval must demonstrate the ability to design courses for all levels and to submit their designs to the trial representatives in a timely fashion.