Dear Breed Education Coordinator
The JEP is not intended to be a deliberately bureaucratic procedure.
We are listening and will keep listening to feedback; and simplifications will be made where possible.
Improved flexibility within JEP levels
We are no longer prescribing a set order in which a judge must complete each of the requirements within a JEP level. This is for the judge to decide. A judge must simply ensure they have completed all the requirements within a level before being able to move up to the next level.
This includes Observation at L3. Securing a judging appointment and an Observer is not always easy. Whilst we encourage Observation to be undertaken at a later stage of L3, it can now be completed at any point within L3.
A judge will still require a successful observation and two of at least three successful mentoring sessions to be completed to satisfy the requirements for L3 to be ready to undertake a Breed Specific Assessment (BSA). Successful means the judge has been assessed by their mentor and observer as being ready to progress.
We know judges do not want to miss out on attending Breed Appreciation Days (BADs) and completing Multiple-choice Exams (MCEs), especially for some of our less numerically strong breeds where such events may only occur occasionally. To date, this has only been possible for judges who have fully completed their L1 requirements. This is no longer the case. Such judges may attend a BAD and MCE before fully completing their L1 requirements. However, they must not upload their BAD and MCE evidence in support of L2 until all L1 requirements have been satisfied.
Simplification of L3 requirements
The current requirement to attend the appropriate sub-group field trial/open gundog working test for a judge’s first gundog breed and completing the online ring procedure at licensed shows (German Shepherd Dog education programme) are no longer mandatory. We encourage gundog judges to attend but this is no longer a requirement.
All breeds should ensure purpose and function are fully explained and covered during BADs. We are aware of breed clubs preparing new materials to outline and explain breed purpose and function as part of their BADs and this is encouraged.
This applies for judges progressing via the JEP only. The requirement remains for those progressing via the traditional JD13 questionnaire route whilst it remains open until the end of 2026.
Mentoring sessions
Mentoring is a key component of the JEP. It should not be rushed. It can and should be a valuable and meaningful learning experience for developing and furthering breed specific knowledge and understanding for the mentee judge in training.
No more than two mentoring sessions should be completed per day for two different breeds.
When are these changes effective?
Immediately. Multiple mentoring sessions already agreed on the same day and due to take place imminently may continue. We expect no more than two mentoring sessions per day for all mentee judges in training from 1 October 2026