New Zealand Cavy Council

Becoming a Cavy Judge

APPLICATION FOR ASPIRING JUDGES



The following regulations apply for all applicants for the role of a Cavy Judge:

  1. Must be 16 years of age or older.
  2. Must have been a breeder/exhibitor of Fancy (pure bred) cavies for a minimum of four (4) years.
  3. Must complete a “New Zealand Cavy Council - Application for Approval as a Trainee Cavy Judge" form.
  4. Must have this application form endorsed by the President and Secretary of an affiliated New Zealand Cavy Council Club.
  5. Must lodge the completed "New Zealand Cavy Council - Application for Approval as a Trainee Cavy Judges form with the Judges Training Panel.
  6. Be a member of the New Zealand Cavy Council. 
  7. The Judging Panel is to process any application for the role of a Cavy Judge in the following manner:


  1. Must table the application at the first Panel Meeting after receipt of the application.
  2. Must discuss and either approve or reject the application at this meeting, providing all information that is required to 
  3. Make such a decision is available to the Panel members.
  4. Must advise the Applicant and the New Zealand Cavy Council Secretary in writing of the Panel’s decision.
  5. If the Panel’s decision is to reject the application it must have substantiated reasons for making such a decision and these reasons detailed in the letter to the applicant.
  6. An Applicant for the role of a Cavy Judge whose application has been rejected has the right of appeal and if he/she chooses to do so must follow the Appeals Process as listed in the New Zealand Cavy Council Constitution and Rules. 
  • REGULATIONS FOR TRAINEE JUDGES

The process of training for Trainee Judges is as follows:

  1.  Condition/Pet class training
  2.  Fancy (pure bred) training
  3.  Practical Final Examination

The rules and regulations relating to this process are as follows:

General -

  1. All Trainees are to download an up to date edition of the New Zealand Cavy Council Book of Cavy Standards. All Individual standard updates after the Standards Book has been downloaded will be advised by the Judging Panel. 
  2. The Trainee is to purchase a note book for the recording of judges’ comments on training appointments. This note book must be available for the presiding judge on the day of any training appointment to make comments and sign off seminars.
  3. The Trainee note book must be retained by the Trainee until formally qualified ( i.e. has received there Judging Certificate )
  4. The Trainee note book must be presented to the Judging Panel upon request at any time during the training and probationary periods.
  5. The Judging Panel reserves the right to communicate with Supervisory Judges with regards to a Trainee's performance.  
  6. All Trainee judging must be completed within a reasonable time limit which will be assessed by the Judging Panel.
  7. All Trainees will use the standards approved by the New Zealand Cavy Council.
  8. Trainees must be dressed neatly at all times when fulfilling their judging appointments. A white coat or jacket is to be worn. This white coat or jacket is to be purchase provided for at the trainee's own expense.
  9. No Trainee may judge at a show unless so directed by the Judging Panel.
  10. All decisions made by the Judging Panel during the term of a Trainee's training period are final and no correspondence will be entered into.


  • Condition/Pet class training

   

  1. A Trainee is to complete a Condition/Pet seminar on how to communicate with exhibitors, handle the exhibits, and judge the exhibits and general judging ideals before being permitted to commence judging this section.
  2. All Trainees must judge at least four Condition/Pet appointments, over any period of time, before becoming eligible to commence training on Fancy breeds. 
  3. These Condition/Pet appointments are to be conducted under the supervision of a qualified judge with a minimum of at least one of the three Judging Panel members supervising at least one of the four appointments each.
  4. Upon completion of at least four Condition/Pet appointments the Trainees note book is to be presented to the Judging Panel. Once the Trainee has been approved to judge Condition/Pet classes they can move on to training on the Fancy Breeds. Such approval will be in writing from the Judging Panel.
  5. Once a Trainee has been approved to judge Condition/Pet classes they are awarded the status of Probationary Pet/Condition Judge.
  6. A  Probationary Pet/Condition Judge may be appointed to judge Condition/Pet classes at Club Shows without supervision.
  • Fancy (pure bred) training
  1. A Trainee is to complete a 'Group' seminar, which contains tuition and examination on the relevant breeds within that 'Group' before being permitted to commence judging this section.
  2. Each trainee must pass a written theory examination by achieving a score of at least 75%, without the aid of any notes or other sources, for each of the seven Groups.
  3. The theory examinations will be set, approved and marked by the Judging Panel of the New Zealand Cavy Council.
  4.   If a theory examination is failed, the Trainee is to re sit the examination at a future date as set by the Judging Panel. 
  5. Trainees to judge each of the seven Groups at least twice, with different judges.
  6. Upon completion of at least the two judging appointments in each of the seven Groups the Trainees note book is to be presented to the Judging Panel so that approval to move on to full show training/judging can  be granted.
  7. All trainees must judge at least two complete Club shows under two different judges, before being nominated for their practical final examination.
  8. Upon completion of at least the two complete judging appointments the Trainees note book is to be presented to the Judging Panel so that approval to move on to practical final examination can be granted. 


  • Practical Final Examination
  1. Before a trainee is to be tested, all panel members are to be notified, in writing, of the venue and date of the practical final examination. Then afterwards, the NZCC Secretary is to be advised of the results of the testing. NZCC members are to be advised by the NZCC Secretary if the Trainee has been successful.
  2. The practical final examination must be carried out by a majority of the Judging Panel. The practical final examination consists of judging a complete show under the supervision of the Judging Panel.
  3. The Judging Panel will consider all aspects of the Trainees performance in determining whether to pass or fail the Trainee. These include confidence, decision making, timeliness, communication with the exhibitors, knowledge etc.
  4. If the Trainee is deemed to have failed the practical final examination the Trainee is to re sit the Examination at a future date as set by the Judging Panel.
  5. If the Trainee is deemed to have passed the practical final examination the trainee is awarded the status of Probationary Judge.
  • REGULATIONS FOR PROBATIONARY JUDGES

The Probationary period is broken up into two parts as follows:

  1. Review and Monitoring
  2. Final Qualification

The rules and regulations relating to these two phases are as follows:

General -

  1. Probationary judges may not, during this probationary period, officiate at any show unless so directed by the Judging Panel.
  2. All Probationary judging must be completed within a reasonable time limit which will be assessed by the Judging Panel.
  3. All Probationary Judges, judging fancy (pure breed) classes will use the standards approved by the New Zealand Cavy Council.
  4. Probationary Judges must be dressed neatly at all times when fulfilling their judging appointments. A white coat or jacket is to be worn. This white coat or jacket is to be purchased or provided for at the judge’s own expense.


  • Review and Monitoring
  1. After successfully passing their final examination, each trainee will enter a minimum probationary period of twelve months.
  2. During this period the Judging panel will meet with the Probationary Judge on at least one occasion to discuss the Trainees progress and performance, this discussion may include a request by the Judging Panel, at their discretion, for the probationary judge to repeat any section, or sections, of the training program.
  3. At the completion of twelve months’ probation the Judging Panel will meet with the Probationary Judge to discuss the Trainees progress and performance, these discussions may include a request by the Judging Panel, at their discretion, for the probationary judge's probation period to be extended.
  4. If the Panel’s decision is to extend the Probationary Judges probation period it must have substantiated reasons for making such a decision and these reasons detailed to the Probationary Judge.
  5. If the Panel’s decision is to extend the Probationary Judges probation period it must advise the New Zealand Cavy Council Secretary in writing, of the decision.
  6. Upon successful completion of the probationary period, whether it be twelve months or longer, the Probationary Judge is the ready for Final Qualification.
  7. Probationary Judge whose probation period has been extended has the right of appeal and if he/she chooses to do so must follow the Appeals Process as listed in the NZCC Constitution and Model Rules document.
  • Final Qualification
  1. Upon successful completion of the probationary period a Probationary Judge is deemed fully qualified and eligible to officiate at all shows.
  2. All successful Probationary Judges will receive a Judge's Certificate from the New Zealand Cavy Council, this will qualify them to judge at any show held under the auspices of the New Zealand Cavy Council.
  3. Upon Final Qualification the Judging Panel is to advise the New Zealand Cavy Council Secretary, in writing, of the Probationary Judges passing.
© Copyright New Zealand Cavy Council