AKCA JUDGE CERTIFICATION AREA REPRESENTATIVES: To be announced
PREAMBLE
1. This judging program has been created to select and qualify amateur koi show judges in order to judge koi show competitions of AKCA affiliated clubs.
2. Likewise, the judging program is to help Service and promote beneficial relationships between AKCA and membership clubs.
3. AKCA reserves the sole right to select, qualify or disqualify AKCA certified judges.
I. JUDGE CANDIDATE QUALIFYING PRE-REQUISITES:
1.An AKCA Judge Candidate Applicant must be a member in good standing of an AKCA affiliate club for a minimum of three (3) years. The Candidate must demonstrate a thorough knowledge of koi keeping and be willing to teach others. These pre-requisites will be verified by the member's club president.
2. An Applicant must be a koi hobbyist and not a professional dealer or breeder. The Candidate cannot buy or import koi for sale, nor breed koi for sale, nor keep koi for sale. The Candidate may however sell his personal koi in order to cull or upgrade his pond only. Likewise, breeding for their own profit is not a problem, but breeding for the purpose of selling koi disqualifies the applicant for this amateur program. If a Candidate has been a koi dealer or breeder, he will be required to show proof in writing that he is no longer in business for a period of at least one (1) year prior to application as a Candidate for judge and the AKCA Judge Certification Committee accepts his resignation as a dealer. This program is to certify amateur judges only, they cannot be professional dealers or breeders.
3. As a prerequisite for application, a Candidate must have both a koi pond as well as raised and cared for koi for a minimum of three (3) years. If an Applicant no longer has koi but could fulfill these pre-requisites in the past, a final decision on acceptance as a Candidate will be made by the AKCA Judge Certification Committee. The same applies to maintaining Certification once fulfilling all requirements to be an AKCA Certified Judge.
4. Also as a prerequisite for application to the AKCA Judge Certification Program the Candidate must have entered koi in a minimum of three (3) koi shows approved and sanctioned by AKCA. Only one (1) of these required koi shows may be the Candidate's own Club Koi Show.
5. In order to demonstate basic knowledge about koi, an Applicant must take an Applicant's Exam sometime early in the applicant proses. This exam will be given annually at the AKCA Koi Seminar. Any other time this exam can be given only by Special arrangement.
6. A $25.00 fee must accompany the applicantion, there is an additional $25. annual fee until the Candidate Judge is certified.
II. Requirements for Certification
1. To contiue in the AKCA Candidate Judge program so as to work toward certification, the Candidate Judge must continue to remain in good standing as a member of an AKCA affiliated or recognized Koi Club. If circumstances arise where the character, professionalism, behaviour or knowledge of the Candidae Judge is in question, then the AKCA Judging Committee will investigate, review and make a determination as to whether the individual in question will remain in the program. The Candidate Judge has the right to appeal any decisions to an ad hoc committee composed of the AKCA Chairman, at least 2 of the 3 members of the Judging Committee, a member of the club making the charges, plus an individual of the charged persons choosing. The decisions of this ad hoc committee will be the final word.
2. As for the Applicants, in order to remain in the AKCA Candidate Judge program, the indiidaul must continue to:
3. AKCA Candidate Judges will be assigned to AKCA affiliated or sanctioned koi show by the AKCA Judge Cerification Committee once the host club either agrees to participate or requests Candidate Judges. These Candidate Judges will participate in the koi show in the capacity of Assistant Judges but at no expense to the host club, that is they will take care of their own expenses. Under no circumstances may an AKCA Candidate Judge solicit a koi show for the purposes of being asked to judge that particular show. In no way does AKCA Judge Certification Committee want to interfere in the Host Club's selection of their own Head and Assistant Judges. However, the AKCA Judge Certification Committee will decide if the Head Judge is acceptable in order to fulfill the AKCA Judging certification process. In this respect, the committee has the right of refusal to send a Candidate Judge. If the Host Club requests help in obtaining a Head or Assistant Judges, then AKCA will be able to also assign them once the Host Club makes such a request.
4. To become certified, the Candidate Judges will judge or have proof of having judged:
Specifics:
5. Once a Judge Candidate's application is accepted by the AKCA Judge Certification Committee, but before the Candidate is certified, he or she must:
6. Both an AKCA Candidate Judge and a Certified AKCA Judge must be willing and able to travel, when requested by the AKCA Judge Certification Committee, to travel to at least one (1) koi show a year at his own expense. If unable to do so, he or she must instead attend the AKCA Seminar Training Session. Hardship cases will be considered by the AKCA Judge Certification Committee on an individual basis. Since there are a limited number of koi shows each year, it is possible that not every Candidate Judge or Certified Judge can be asked by the Committee each and every year. In this case, the above requirement would not apply to those not asked. Failure to comply may result in the loss of Candidate Judge status and/or the loss of certification.
7. The Candidate Judge will continue to pay an annual $25.00 fee until he or she is certified. Once becoming an AKCA Certified Judge, there will be a $25 fee every three (3) years until the ninth year; once a Certified AKCA Judge reaches his ninth year, he or she will then be a Life-time AKCA Certified Judge and pay no more fees.
8. Once completing all of the requirements for the AKCA Candidate Judge, to become an AKCA Certified Judge, the AKCA Judge Certification Committee will make the final decision on whether that particular candidate has demonstrated all of the necessary knowledge and skill to serve and represent AKCA as a Certified AKCA Judge. If so, he or she will be
The AKCA Judging Committee has the sole right to not certify a particular Candidate Judge based upon lack of knowledge, demeanor, behavior or an other demonstraion or quality exhibited by the said Candidate which is not in the best interest as a representative AKCA Judge. It is in fact the duty of the AKCA Judging Committee to only certify judges who are above reproach as to fair and knowledeable judges of whom AKCA can be proud of for their true professionalism.
III Requirements to Maintain Certification as AKCA Judge
1) Once certified, the AKCA Judge will now be known as a CERTIFIED AKCA JUDGE. To maintain certification, the person must continue to be a member in good standing of an AKCA affiliate or recognized club. His or her character, behaviour and actual judging will reamain above reproach. The AKCA Judging Committee has the sole right and duty to remove certification status if it deems in the best interest of the AKCA Judging Program. Such a decision would be based upon adequate documentaed evidence. The appeal process of the Certified Judge in question would follow the procedure as outlined above in removing a Candidate Judge from the Program.
2) As for the Candidate Judge, the AKCA Certified Judge, in order to maintain his or her status as a Certified Judge, must:
3) If the AKCA Judging Committee requests the Certified Judge to judge a particular koi show, he or she must accept at least one judging appointment per year unless their are special hardship circumstance as indicated in the rules above covering Candidate Judges. There may not be enough koi shows per year for every Certified Judge to judge.
4) Once becoming an AKCA Certified Judge, there will be a $25.00 fee every three years until the ninth year, he or she will then be a Life-time AKCA Certified Judge and pay no more fees.
5) An AKCA Certified Judge must attend the Judge Training Session at the Annual AKCA Seminar at least two (2) out of every four (4) years, any exceptions will be the decision of the AKCA Judging Committee.
6) It is the reponsibility of the AKCA Judge Certification Committee to supervise, critique and seek information on the judges' performances at the koi shows that he or she judge. Based upon all of the observations, information and documented praises and complaints of the AKCA Certified Judges, the AKCA Judge Certification Committee is vested with the duty and right to continue or to remove the judge in or from the AKCA Certified Judge Program. In case of removal, the judge has the right to appeal before the special AKCA ad hoc panel as outlined above.
7) The AKCA Certified Judge is to always be above reproach.
1997 Ammendments
A-1 The total number of judges in the AKCA Judge Certification Program will be limited to thirty (30). If there is an inactive judge due to illess or long term absence, the vacancy can be assigned at the discretion of the committee.
A-2 To become officially certified, every Candidate must at some time in the training process serve as a Show Chairperson or Co Show Chairperson.
A-3 The AKCA Judge Certification Program desires to maintian club autonomy. By this, it is meant that in no way does AKCA want to interfere with each AKCA Club in dictating just how the clubs are to operate or design a Koi Show. Indeed, if clubs want advice or request the AKCA Judge Certification Committee to assign their Head and Assistant Judges or just how to set up their Koi Show, the Committee will be more than willing to help advice and recommend procdures.
1998 Ammendments
B-1 Passing grade on both the Pre-Certification Exam and the Certification Exam will be 70%. Anyone who scores less than 70% will be required to repeat the exam the next year. If they fail three times, they will be removed from the judging program.
B-2 To become Certified, the minimum time participating in the program will be three (3) years, (2) of which they must attend and participate in the complete judging seminar. This is in addition to the requirement of a minimum of five (5) shows which they must judge as a Candidate Judge.
Mail completed application and $25 certification application fee to:
Name______________________________________________________________
PO Box or Street_____________________________________________________
City________________________________________________________________
State___________________________________ Zip code ___________________
Phone: Daytime _______________________ Evening ____________________
AKCA AFFILIATE CLUB TO WHICH APPLICANT IS A MEMBER:
Name of Club________________________________________________________
Club President's Name_______________________________________________
Club President's Address________________________________
Club President's Telephone______________________________________
Years a member of the above club (minimum of3 years)_______________
*Do you presently buy Koi for the purpose of sale? Yes______ No______
*Do you ever breed Koi for the purpose of sale? Yes______ No______
*(A yes answer results in automadc disqualification)
Were you ever a Koi breeder or dealer? Yes_____ No
if the last answer is Yes, how long has it been in years since doing either_______
**Do you now or have you ever had a Koi pond? Yes____ No____
Number of years raised or cared for Koi? (minimum of 3 years) years_____________
(no answer results in automatic disqualification)
AKCA Seminar Training Session Attendance:
Year of seminar & Location of seminar
(1)_________________________________________________________________
(2)__________________________________________________________________
(3)__________________________________________________________________
AKCA WRITTEN EXAM: Have not yet taken______ Year taken_____________
AKCA approved Koi shows have you entered? ________
List the three (3) most major shows which you have entered:
(1) Show Name, Year, Location______________________________________
(2) Show Name, Year, Location________________________________________
(3) Show Name, Year, Location_________________________________________
Previous Koi Shows at which you were a Head Judge. Assistant Judge or AKCA Candidate Judge (indicate type of judge which you were designated): Note: Only one may be the Candidate's own Club Kol Show
(1) Club___________________________________Year_____
City_______________Head Judge______ Judge Type________
(2) Club________________________________ Year___________
City________________ Head Judge______ Judge Type_________
(3) Club_________________________ Year____________________
City________________ Head Judge_________ Judge Type_______
(4) Club_________________________ Year______________________
City_______________ Head Judge___________ Judge Type______
(5) Club___________________________ Year___________________
City_______________ Head Judge________ Judge Type________
If you have any other information on your behalf which you feel will help the AKCA Committee toward selecting you as a Judge Candidate, please enclose on a separate sheet of paper.
If the AKCA Committee does not accept your application to be a Candidate Judge your $25 application fee will be refunded.
There will be a $25 annual fee until certified, and then a $25 recertification fee every three (3) years until nine (9) years; after three (3) recertifications there will be no further fee and the AKCA Judge will then be a Lifetime Certified AKCA Judge.
If any of the application information is found to be misleading or untrue as determined by the AKCA Committee, automatic disqualification will result.
Date___________ Candidate Judge's Signature_______________
Date__________ Club President's Signature_________________
AKCA Committee Member's Signature____________________
Mail to: