The Budgerigar Society - Judges Panel Conditions

The Judges’ Panel shall consist of:

Subsidiary Panel Members who shall be subject to the conditions set out in sections A & B hereof.
Main Panel Members who shall be subject to the conditions set out in sections A & C hereof.
Retired Panel Members who shall be subject to the conditions set out in section D hereof.

A. General

Admission to the judges’ panels will take place only on 1st February in each year.
Subject to General Rule 23c, removal from the judges’ panels for default under judges’ panel conditions 3, 4, 5 & 6 will take place on 1st February in each year, such removal to be made by The Society.
The annual B.S. subscription must be paid prior to 31st January in each year. Failure to pay will mean automatic removal from the judges’ panel.
A judge must be a current breeder and exhibitor of Budgerigars.
A judge must exhibit and bench Budgerigars at diploma or higher Budgerigar Society patronage shows in each year. A Judge must exhibit at two shows and failure to exhibit a minimum of five birds at each show in any year may result in removal from the judges’ panel.
An annual judges’ return form must be submitted to the B.S. office by 31st January in each year. Failure to submit the return form will result in automatic removal from the judges’ panel.
A judge officiating at a show held under the rules and conditions of the B.S. is not allowed to exhibit in the Budgerigar section at that show.
Before judging the B.S. Club Show a judge must have been on the main judges’ panel for a minimum of three years and have judged a minimum of three championship shows. Confirmation of these engagements must have been shown on a previously submitted annual return form.
A judge must not accept accommodation or hospitality from an exhibitor until judging has been completed.
A judge should not withdraw from an accepted engagement without good reason.
A judge shall not act in an unethical manner.
B.S. panel judges are required to judge all open shows in accordance with B.S. rules and conditions.
All correspondence relating to the judges’ panel must be addressed through the B.S. office.
An overseas member who is currently a breeder and exhibitor in his own country may become a member of the Budgerigar Society’s Panel of Judges if he complies with all conditions of the judges’ panel other than condition 5 above and condition 1d of the subsidiary panel judges requirements.
A member previously resident outside the United Kingdom who in the previous twelve months was a judge registered at the highest level attainable in their former country of residence may apply to become a member of the main Judges Panel upon the following terms:
1. Prior to 31 January next after taking residence in the United Kingdom apply in writing to the secretary of the Society paying the fee provided by Judges’ Panel Condition B 1 (f).
2. Comply with Judges’ Panel Condition B paragraphs 1 (c) and 1 (d) and 8 (c) and 8 (d).
3. Provide written evidence from his overseas Society of his suitability as a judge which evidence shall be referred to the Exhibition Management Committee who shall in their absolute discretion without the need for giving reasons for their decision decide whether such member’s application should proceed.
4. Shall take and pass a final test in accordance with Judges’ Panel Condition B 10 save that he shall not be required to undertake Part 4 under B 10 (d) and the marks gained from Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 under B 10 (a)(b)(c) will determine whether the member can be admitted to the main Judges’ Panel. The total pass mark must be a minimum of 70% with a minimum requirement of 50% for each of Parts 1, 2 and 3

B. Conditions Relating To Subsidiary Panel Judges Only:

To qualify for the subsidiary judges’ panel of the Budgerigar Society a member must either:
1. Have completed a minimum of eight years membership of the Society of which three continuous years must immediately precede the application.
2. Have completed two full show seasons at Intermediate level.
3. Be over 21 years of age.
4. Be a current breeder and exhibitor of Budgerigars at B.S. diploma or higher level patronage shows.
5. Apply in writing to the secretary of The Society.
6. Pay the necessary registration fee as set by the General Council
A subsidiary panel judge will be required to attend a minimum of nine diploma or higher level patronage shows at the rate of three per year for assessment by a main panel judge.
A subsidiary panel judge who is unable to attend an assessment engagement must notify the B.S. office, the show promoting society and the judge appointed to assess him. Where possible another engagement will be allocated.
A subsidiary panel judge who fails to attend an assessment engagement without proper notification to both the B.S. office and the assessment judge will not receive an alternative assessment and may be removed from the judges’ panel.
A subsidiary panel judge is required to pay his own expenses when attending a show for assessment.
At each assessment show a subsidiary panel judge will be asked to judge a minimum of six classes so that an assessment can be made by the main panel judge. The subsidiary judge will also be required to remain with the main panel judge who will instruct on matters of procedure and colour identification etc. as judging proceeds and on completion of judging.
A subsidiary panel judge is not permitted to exhibit Budgerigars at a show where he is being assessed.
To qualify for the final test for the main judges’ panel of The Budgerigar Society a subsidiary panel judge must:
1. Have completed nine assessment engagements.
2. Have been on the subsidiary panel for a minimum of two years six months.
3. Have achieved champion status.
4. Have applied in writing to the B.S. Office to take the final test prior to 30th September of the year in which the test is to be taken.
To attend the final test a subsidiary judge must have requested and hold a valid written invitation from the B.S. Office.
The final test will take place each year at the B.S. Club Show and will comprise of the following:
1. Part 1 — A written test of the B.S. colour standards, correct judging procedures, completion of patronage documentation including challenge certificates etc, and patronage and judging conditions of The Society.
2. Part 2 — An oral test including recognition of varieties and colours.
3. Part 3 — A practical judging and procedure test.
4. Part 4 — Nine show assessments.
5. The marks gained from these parts will determine whether a subsidiary panel judge can be passed onto the main panel. The total pass mark will be 70% with a minimum requirement of 50% for each of Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4.
6. The marks awarded for the four components of the final test shall be in the following ratio Part 1 (written test) 20%, Part 2 (oral test) 25%, Part 3 (practical test) 40%, Part 4 (nine show assessments) 15%.
7. The results of the final test will be notified in writing by the B.S. office to each individual candidate. The subsidiary judge with the best pass mark will be verbally notified of his result during the weekend of the show in order that he may receive the A Dexter Memorial Trophy for trainee judge of the year.
8. Any subsidiary judge passing the final test will receive a Budgerigar Society Judges’ Panel Badge and a Certificate of Proficiency.
9. Any subsidiary judge failing the final test will be notified by the B.S. office of the areas in which he was deficient and he may apply to take the next available test.

C. Conditions Relating To Main Panel Judges Only:

No judge shall be admitted to the Main Judges’ Panel who has not complied with the conditions relating to Subsidiary Panel Judges referred to in section B above.
Main panel judges are required to give instruction to subsidiary panel judges. This instruction should take place throughout the duration of the show but should not delay or interfere with the progress of judging.
A main panel judge who has left the Society and returned within ten years may be readmitted to the main panel after taking and passing parts 1, 2 and 3 of the annual subsidiary judges test subject to complying with all relevant conditions of part A of the Judges’ Panel Conditions.
Main panel judges are required to submit confidential assessment reports on subsidiary panel judges to the B.S. office within seven days of the assessment show.
A main panel judge must have been on the main judges’ panel for a minimum period of two years before becoming an assessor of subsidiary judges.

D. Conditions Relating To Retired Panel Judges Only:

Main panel judges who have retired for good and proper reasons are permitted to apply to The Society for admission to the retired member’s panel.
Admission to the Retired Judges’ Panel will take place only on 1st February in each year by the The Society. The annual BS subscription must be paid prior to 31st January in each year. Failure to pay will mean automatic removal from the Judges’ Panel.
All correspondence relating to the Judges’ Panel must be addressed through the BS office