Judges requesting an observation, please send requests to cejdgobs@akc.org.
To qualify as an applicant for TD or TDX judging – you must have:
1. Personally owned, trained and handled two (2) dogs that have been awarded an AKC Tracking Dog title (TD); (if applying for Tracking Dog)
OR
2. Personally owned, trained and handled a dog that has been awarded an AKC Tracking Dog Excellent Title (TDX) and title at least one other dog to a Tracking Dog (TD) title; (if applying for Tracking Dog Excellent)
3. Been active in the sport a minimum of six (6) consecutive years;
4. Observed tracking judges in planning and plotting tracks by serving as a tracklayer ten (10) times at AKC member or licensed tracking tests. (Each event will only count as one track-laying requirement.) Must submit completed charts of two (2) tracks where you served as a tracklayer. (Serving as a tracklayer a minimum of five (5) times may be accepted, depending on other tracking experience noted in the application. Experience such as combination of two or more of the following: Tracking Test Chairperson, Chief Tracklayer and Tracking Test Secretary will help document this experience.) In lieu of track laying requirements, one (1) apprenticeship will be accepted for two (2) of track laying requirements for up to six (6) of the ten (10) tracks required;
5. Actively participated as a trainer or an assistant trainer in a dog training club or similar organization, specifically as a trainer or assistant trainer of the Tracking Dog or Tracking Dog Excellent class, depending on class applying for;
6. Attended an AKC tracking seminar within the last three (3) years.
To apply as a Provisional Judge:
Forward completed application, questionnaire and Part I (open book test consisting of two questions) to the Companion Events Department, PO Box 900068, Raleigh, NC 27675-9068 to begin the approval process. In addition, must submit charts for at least two (2) tracks where you served as a tracklayer.
The application, questionnaire and Part I may be found at http://www.akc.org/pdfs/masterform.cfm#tracking.
Following the initial screening to determine that the applicant meets all minimum requirements and receives a "pass" on the Part I test, the applicant's name will be published on the Secretary's Page of the first available issue of the GAZETTE as an Tracking Judging Applicant. This provides all interested persons the opportunity to comment on the applicant's judging qualifications.
Provisional Approval:
All applicants are required to pass a written test consisting of multiple-choice questions, followed by a personal interview with one of the Tracking Field Representatives. The Companion Events Department will schedule a mutually convenient site where the test and interview may be held with the applicant and representative.
Applications are reviewed at the first available monthly meeting of the Judges Approval Committee for final determination. Following review, applicants will receive written notification of the Committee's action. If approved, the applicant's name will be published on the Secretary's Page of the first available issue of the GAZETTE as a Provisional Tracking Dog, Tracking Dog Excellent or Variable Surface Tracking Dog judge. The judge may then accept judging assignments for the class approved.
As a provisional Tracking Dog or Tracking Dog Excellent judge, they must judge a minimum of five (5) tests with at least three (3) different judges, only one of which may be a spouse. In addition, a satisfactory observation judging the provisional level must be completed within one year prior to the request for regular status. It is helpful for the provisional judge to inform Companion Events when judging assignments are accepted, for ease in scheduling the observation.
Regular Approval:
Upon completion of the assignments and satisfactory observation, the provisional judge should contact the Companion Events Department.
The TD form can be found at http://www.akc.org/pdfs/Regular_Tracking_Dog.pdf
The TDX form can be found at http://www.akc.org/pdfs/Regular_Tracking_Dog_Excellent.pdf
The Companion Events staff will review the request for regular status. In some cases, additional assignments or observations may be requested with approval delayed until the completion of same. In others, however, approval will be granted and the judge's name will be published on the Secretary's Page of the first available issue of the GAZETTE as Provisional Tracking Judging Completed.
To Apply for an Additional Class:
The regular judge must judge a minimum of three (3) additional tests and have a satisfactory observation within one year prior to the request for next level by a Tracking Field Rep. These are in addition to the five (5) judged to obtain provisional status. If meeting these requirements, an application for the next class may be submitted and procedures are followed as explained above.
Overview of Procedures:
- Complete requirements for TD
- Send in applications and Part I Test
- Name published as applicant
- Take written test and interview with Field Rep
- Name published as provisional judge
- Judge a minimum of five (5) tests as a provisional judge, observed one (1) time by a Field Rep
- Request regular status
- Judge a minimum of three (3) tests, observed one (1) time by a Field Rep
- Complete requirements for Tracking Dog Excellent
- Follow procedures 2 through 7
Requirements to apply for Variable Surface Tracking
1. Must be an approved TDX judge or an approved TD judge on regular status who has owned, trained and handled a dog that has been awarded a VST title;
2. Serve as a tracklayer three (3) times at VST test;
3. Attended at least two (2) AKC Variable Surface Tracking workshops
And
4. Judge at least two (2) sanctioned VST matches. Apprentice at two (2) licensed VST tests may be substituted for the match requirements. (Permission to apprentice must be obtained from the test giving club and both judges. Only one apprentice judge will be allowed for each test. Apprentice judges must attend both days of plotting and the day of the event. Apprentice judges must submit their copies of the plotted tracks and a copy of the apprentice document to receive credit) To request apprentice judging forms, e-mail tep@akc.org.
Provisional approval for VST:
1. Complete overview steps 2 through 5
Regular approval for VST:
1. Judge at least 3 VST tests as a provisional judge and observed one (1) time by an AKC Tracking Field Representative within one year prior to the request for regular status
Upon completion of the assignments and satisfactory observation, the provisional judge should contact the Companion Events Department.
The VST form can be found at http://www.akc.org/pdfs/Regular_Variable_Surface_Tracking.pdf
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