Introduction to Judging

Judging for dog agility is much like officiating at any other sport. It requires poise, a good “eye”, and the ability to apply a standard set of rules to a variety of situations, some of which may be somewhat unpredictable. To be able to do this effectively, a judge must have a good understanding of the philosophy and objectives of the sport.

In dog agility, the judge has perhaps a broader range and depth of responsibilities than in many sports. In addition to observing performances and signaling penalties, this official must design the playing field and be capable of transforming that visual idea into a three-dimensional performance ring that fairly challenges handlers and dogs in the context of competitive sports. The judge must also be knowledgeable of dogs (large and small, and of different breeds) and their performance and training abilities, resulting in a framework of knowledge from which to develop their creative ideas in course design. A person who has these necessary abilities and talents can find judging to be both fun and rewarding.

As indicated by the range of tasks above, the person who will become a judge must be adept in more than one discipline and be able to apply several talents to fully satisfy their responsibilities as a judge. In addition to a thorough knowledge of the rules, a judge needs to be–

Creative-minded
Analytical
Educator and Resource
Diplomat
and perhaps first and foremost—A Good Student.

Good judges continue to learn as they apply themselves to their sport, learning through their successes as well as their mistakes. Because a judge is human and does make mistakes, they must be humble. A judge must be willing and able to admit their mistakes, otherwise they cannot learn from them.

Finally, a judge must recognize that they represent both their sport and their organization. They must always be positive and put their best foot forward in fulfilling their responsibilities. Failure to do so not only reflects poorly on the sport and the organization, but on themselves as an individual.