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English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Association
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February 23, 2003
To All Interclub Chairs and Field Trial Clubs:
Effective May 1, 2003, there will be a revision in the ESSFTA Apprentice Program. As a reminder, there is a requirement for an (click on the following link for the form) APPRENTICE EVALUATION FORM to be completed and signed by each teaching Field Trial Judge presiding over an Apprentice Judge. (Changes to this requirement can be found on the new document.) These evaluation forms will then be sent by the field trial secretary to Jerry Barrett and kept on file, until the Apprentice satisfies and passes both apprenticeships required by the ESSFTA "NEW JUDGE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS". The requirement states, "The Apprentice Judge must complete a total of two (2) All Age Trials, (each trial consisting of one Open and one Amateur Stake) under four (4) different Judges with one judge at each stake being designated as the Teaching Judge." Only one apprentice may be invited per trial. Judges now must have judged 8 All Age Stakes (4 trials) before they can be a teaching judge.
The following is a further explanation of the Apprentice Requirement: A new apprentice must complete 2 All-Age trials, (a trial by definition includes an Amateur and an Open stake). Each trial must have two totally different judges. At each trial, the apprentice must be under one teaching judge for the Open Stake, and the Amateur Stake with the other judge. This allows all four judges the opportunity to be with the apprentice during the complete stake, and each judge must fill out and sign the evaluation form. A judge must have judged 8 All Age Stakes (4 trials) before he/she is qualified as a teaching judge. This will give new judges time to refine their own skills before taking on the task as a teaching judge.
Before the apprentice is invited by the Field Trial Committee, he/she must be approved by the Interclub Chair, and by each Judge. Only one apprentice per trial may be invited. Having one apprentice per trial allows the judges to dedicate quality time to the apprentice without any undue interruptions or distractions. Given that both Judges are required to be a Teaching Judge, and must pass or fail the apprentice, they must meet the new teaching judge qualification and be comfortable with this situation. They have the initial option to refuse or accept the apprentice. The Field Trial Committee and the Interclub Chair should use the recommended criteria to invite and approve the apprentice. These recommendations are included in the rules.
So that there is no misunderstanding, Jerry Barrett will need to receive 4 completed ESSFTA Evaluation Forms from the judges, passing the apprentice, before a test will be sent; 2 Opens and 2 Amateurs from the 4 judges, completed in 2 trials. This gives the apprentice the full value of judging a whole trial, walking with each judge, and having the opportunity to observe dogs handled by both Amateur and Professional handlers.
These recent changes have been made due to the concerns voiced to the ESSFTA Field Governors by our field trial community. If there are any problems concerning this issue, please contact Jerry Barrett, ESSFTA Apprentice Program Administrator.
You must download Acrobat reader in order to print these documents. (Icon provided below.) These rules have been made available to all clubs for distribution to club members, along with the APPRENTICE EVALUATION FORM. When an apprentice is invited to a trial, the host club must give the Apprentice a copy of these rules and also a copy of the evaluation form, in order for the Apprentice to be aware of what is to be expected. APPRENTICE RULES-EFFECTIVE 5-1-03.
A short list of all current judges who have gone through the Apprentice Program since 1998 can be found on the ESSFTA website at FIELD TRIAL APPRENTICE JUDGES LIST. For a full list of judges, please use the AKC website to access Field Trial Judges names, numbers and addresses. THE AKC SEARCHABLE JUDGES DIRECTORY.
Thank you for your
cooperation.
To view these files download:
or you may print the web version (rules only) NEW FIELD TRIAL JUDGE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS (Web Version)