01
An introduction to Judge Training
The Jersey Cattle Society runs Judges Conferences and Workshops in order to select and maintain a Panel of Judges who are recommended to officiate at shows across the country and indeed the world.
JUDGES CONFERENCE 2026 to be announced
Date: TBC
Venue: TBC
Registration Form for the Judges Conference will be available in due course.
A Judges Conference covers three aspects of officiating at a show:
- Coming to a consensus on the placings of animals at shows taking particular confirmation traits and breed characteristics into account.
- Reason giving in order to give clear and constructive reasons for the decisions made.
- Ring etiquette in terms of how a judge conducts themselves and works and directs ring procedures.
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Judges Conferences are held every other year and open to all members of both the Full and Probationer Panel plus invited guests. It has a certain competitive element with all judges placing usually four classes of six animals and giving reasons on one of the classes.
A total score for each Judge is calculated by adding the class scores to the reason giving score.
A group of 5 unidentified judges are used to achieve a consensus on the placings for each class.
There is also time for discussion on all aspects of judging and to discuss the Society’s Code of Conduct for Shows and Exhibitions.
CODE OF CONDUCT
JUDGES WORKSHOPS
Judges Workshops are held in the year between Judges Conferences and are usually much less formal and more geared to Probationer judges and first time attendees. There is less of a competitive element and more time for discussion and instruction and advice from experienced judges.