As the Royal Kennel Club prepares for the transition into 2026, the Judges Education Programme (JEP) enters a pivotal phase with important deadlines, updates, and changes that will shape the future of judge education and appointments. With the conclusion of transitional routes at the end of 2025, the ongoing JEP Review, and new requirements for Find A Judge and Breed Club Judging Lists, this period marks a significant step forward in modernising and streamlining the judging framework. These updates are designed to ensure clarity, consistency, and fairness across all breeds and levels, while supporting judges, Breed Education Coordinators, and Breed Clubs in adapting to the evolving landscape.
As we approach the end of 2025, it is timely to consider the JEP deadlines and changes that are coming up.
31 December 2025
We must receive applications no later than 31 December 2025 for those using the transitional Grandfathering and A2 routes. Applications received after this date will not be processed. Applications received before the deadline will be processed in January and February 2026; and outcomes notified as soon as possible following the relevant Judges Committee meeting.
JEP Review
The JEP Review Panel continues its work. Thank you to all who have shared their views and ideas for improvements. Please continue to share your feedback with us no later than 9 January 2026. Email your comments to jepreview@royalkennelclub.com
Find A Judge
Judges are responsible for ensuring their information is up to date and correct in Find A Judge. This should include personal contact details and judging eligibility by breed and level. We encourage all judges to periodically check their record. Addresses and phone numbers can be updated by judges themselves by changing the details in the “My Contact Details” section of their online account.
If other changes are needed, please use the online form accessible from the Find A Judge landing page to notify us.
https://www.royalkennelclub.com/forms/find-a-judge-update-details/
Mentors and Observer Lists
Breed Education Coordinators (BECs) should check their Mentor and Observer Lists are up to date and correct. We encourage all breeds to include a mix of breed specialist and breed experienced group judges for balance. Where a Mentor or Observer is not accepting requests for mentoring sessions or observation appointments, BECs should update their lists accordingly. It is important lists only contain Mentors and Observers who are accepting requests for sessions and appointments. BECs should ensure all listed mentors and observers are utilised for sessions and appointments. Where a Mentor or Observer is making themselves available for sessions or appointments but none are forthcoming, we kindly request the Judges Education team is made aware by emailing us at judges.education@royalkennelclub.com with the details.
Breed Club Judging Lists
From 1 January 2026 Breed Club Judging Lists will be of limited practical relevance. The F Regulations have been revised to require judges to be registered at the required JEP level for the breed and classes to be judged.
Judges invited to award CCs at shows up to 31 December 2028 may continue to apply via the traditional questionnaire route, provided their questionnaire is submitted to us by 31 December 2026.
Therefore, Judging Lists will continue to be relevant during this time to assist with the processing of questionnaires; and Breed Clubs should continue to maintain their Judging Lists and make them publicly available through to the end of the first quarter of 2027.
Following this period, Breed Clubs may wish to retain their Judging Lists as an historic record or for other reasons. This will be a private matter for them to determine. For the purposes of judge eligibility, they will cease to have practical relevance for new appointments from 1 January 2026, subject to the comments regarding the limited period during which questionnaires are being processed.
Breed Club Hands-On Assessments
Breed Clubs should continue to hold Hands-On Assessments for those judges progressing via the traditional questionnaire route who meet all other criteria for awarding CCs in the breed; and have been offered, or are likely to be offered, a CC appointment before the end of 2026.
Open Shows
For judging appointments at open shows (and championship shows without CCs), the following points should help to clarify the recent questions we have been receiving.
- All judges must be eligible at JEP Level 1 or above and registered on Find A Judge.
- Judges may have been appointed for open shows (and championship shows without CCs) based on their JEP Level or entry on a B Judging List and Find A Judge registration, this includes shows taking place on or after 1 January 2026.
- All judging appointments with contracts agreed from 1 January 2026 must be based on a judge's JEP eligibility for the breed and classes to be judged; and the judge must be registered on Find A Judge.
- A judge registered on Find A Judge at Level 2 or above for any breed is automatically eligible at Level 1 for all breeds; and is eligible to judge up to 4 classes of any breed, as long as one of those classes is a puppy class.
- A Judge registered on Find A Judge at Level 5 (Group Judge) is automatically eligible to register at Level 2 for all breeds within the group they are approved for. However, they must contact the Judges Education Team to add these breeds to their Find A Judge registration before accepting appointments for those breeds.