Showing / Judges

The swabbing program has been introduced to deter the unacceptable practice of using any prohibited or banned substances to enhance performance.  The use of these substances is a welfare matter as well as sportsmanship issue.

Once you have been notified a Swabbing Steward will stay with your horse at all times until the completion of the swabbing. Your horse can not go back into its stable once it has been selected.  No food or liquid may be given to the horse until the completion of swabbing. The horse or pony may be hosed down and may have its tack removed before making its way to the sampling box/area. However, after notification the exhibitor must present the horse or pony at the swabbing area as soon as possible for sample collection

The Swabbing Steward will take you to the ‘Swabbing Box’ or a similar area that is quiet and as private as possible. You or the responsible officer for the horse is required to stay with the horse and sign all the appropriate forms (the Swabbing Steward will give these to you to sign on the day).

You can nominate a ‘Responsible Office’ who formally agrees (signing a form to indicate accepting responsibility) to be with the horse from the beginning to the finish of the swabbing process.

Only appropriately qualified personal will be testing the horses, this includes a veterinarian, and an EA Steward who will all be at the event.

Checking all the appropriate forms are signed, sighted and completed properly; ensuring samples are kept in a safe secure place at all times and are sent to the testing laboratory. They stay with the horse at all times once the rider/owner or representative has been notified that swabbing is to take place, until the procedure is finished.

Upon receipt of a positive result from an “A Sample” the laboratory will notify the Committee of Management (COM) of the WPCSA. The COM shall conduct a review to determine whether:

• an applicable *ETUE has been granted, or
• any apparent departure from the testing procedure that undermine the validity of the positive result.
  *ETUE is the Equine Therapeutic Use Exemption. This is the authorization to compete when a prohibited substance or prohibited method has been administered or used for legitimate therapeutic purposes in a horse, as provided for in the FEI Veterinary Regulations through the use of an applicable medication form as therein specified.

The COM shall promptly (within ten days of the WPCSA National Office receiving notification of a positive result)  notify the Person Responsible of; The Adverse Analytical Finding (positive swab); of the rule that has been violated; the right to request the analysis of the “B-Sample”; the right to be present at the identification and opening of the “B-Sample”; the right to request copies of the A & B sample laboratory reports; the Option to waive certain rights by accepting an administrative penalty

If “B-Sample” proves negative, the entire test will be considered negative

Refer to the WP&CS Swabbing Policy

Tier 3 judges are eligible to judge:

• Welsh & Part Welsh classes at non WPCS of A events and non medal award shows.
• Futurity events at any show with at least one Tier 1 judge.
• Judges who are on another judges panel for ridden and/or harness may be approved by the Committee of Management, subject to submission of a suitable resume, to judge these events at all Tier level shows including medal award shows.

Tier 2 judges are eligible to judge:

• Led Welsh & Part Welsh classes at WPCS of A & non-WPCS of A events excluding State All Welsh Shows, National Show, Royal Shows and Overseas shows.
• Bronze medal events.
• Futurity events at any show.
• Ridden & harness classes at WPCS of A events providing they are approved to judge these events. Judges who are on another judges panel for ridden and/or harness may be approved by the Committee of Management, subject to submission of a suitable resume, to judge these events at all Tier level shows including medal award shows.

Tier 1 judges are eligible to judge:

• Led Welsh & Part Welsh classes at all shows in Australia and Overseas.
• Gold, Silver & Bronze medal events.
• Ridden & harness classes at WPCS of A events providing they are approved to judge these events.

Senior Tier 1 judges who due to age, illness or infirmity no longer wish to judge for long periods of time but are prepared to judge in a reduced capacity and/or assist with judge training may apply to be transferred to the Guest Judge category.
Eligibility:
You must have been a Tier 1 judge of the WPCS of A Inc and due to age, illness or infirmity to judge in a reduced capacity and/or assist with judge training.
You must have been a member of the WPCS of A Inc or an approved overseas Welsh Society for a minimum of 5 consecutive years and be the nominee of that membership.
Membership must be a Full Membership unless the applicant is associated with a Full membership in which case being the nominee of a separate Associate membership is accepted. If the judge is no longer breeding then Associate membership will suffice.
In order to maintain the Guest Judge status
You must remain a member of the Society and be the nominee of that membership. (Membership level applicable is the same as for an applicant).
It is recommended that Guest judges attend a WPCS of A judges’ seminar at least once every three years & attend an annual Zoom Judges Workshop when applicable. You must sign the Judges Code of Conduct document.

You must adhere to the Judges Code of Conduct and all Society Codes of Conduct and Rules & Regulations.
Successfully complete an Open Book Test and sign Appointment Documentation as sent by COM annually.

Eligibility to apply:

• You must have been a Member of the WPCS of A Inc or an approved overseas Welsh Society for a minimum of 5 years and currently be the nominee of that membership. The 5 years need not be consecutive but you must be a current financial member of the WPCS of A Inc. Membership must be a Full Membership unless the applicant is associated with a Full membership in which case being the nominee of a separate Associate membership is accepted.

• You must be able to declare that you have never had any conviction relating to animal cruelty or child abuse.

• You must be a minimum of 21 years of age.

• You must have attended a WPCS of A judges’ seminar within the previous 2 years.

• You must submit an application with resume on the WPCS of A application form for consideration prior to beginning the judge process.

Assessment Process

• You will be expected to successfully complete an Open Book assessment which will cover topics such as the Rules & Regulations, Judge Code of Conduct, conformation, type and Standard of Excellence.

• You will be interviewed by two judge examiners who will submit their report to COM. Subject to the report, you will either be approved for inclusion to Tier 3 or it will be recommended that further education or mentoring in the form of Probationary Judging assignments be undertaken prior to applying again. Where an applicant resides in a remote location it may be possible to have the interview conduced by one judge examiner via electronic methods.

In order to maintain the Tier 3 Judge status

• You must remain a member of the Society and be the nominee of that membership (Membership level applicable is the same as for an applicant).

• You must attend a WPCS of A Inc judges seminar at least once every 3 years. It is strongly recommended that you attend as many as possible.

• You must sign the Judges Code of Conduct document.

• You must adhere to the Judges Code of Conduct and all Society Codes of Conduct and Rules & Regulations.

• Successfully complete an Open Book Test and sign Code of Conduct & Appointment Documentation as sent by COM annually.

Eligibility to apply:

• You must have been a member of the WPCS of A Inc or an approved overseas Welsh Society for a minimum of 5 consecutive years and be the nominee of that membership.

Membership must be a Full Membership unless the applicant is associated with a Full membership in which case being the nominee of a separate Associate membership is accepted.

• You must be able to declare that you have never had any conviction relating to animal cruelty or child abuse.

• You must be a minimum of 25 years of age.

• You must have bred at least five animals from the Welsh breed sections, excluding Part Welsh in order to be appointed to the Welsh In-Hand panel. This does not apply for appointment to the Part Welsh, Ridden or Harness panels. Consideration will be given to members who have owned or produced at least five animals from the Welsh breed sections, excluding Part Welsh but it must be remembered that as a Stud Book society it is paramount that judges are able to assess breeding stock.

• You must have attended a WPCS of A judges’ seminar within the previous 2 years.

• The Society must be in receipt of at least 4 satisfactory probation judging reports from Tier 1 judges, in states where there are very few Tier 1 judges then reports submitted by Tier 2 judges or Federal panel Welsh APSB judges may be accepted. At least two of the probationary judging appointments must be with Mentor judges. The probation judge reports must be submitted to the Society by the assessing judge and not by the judge candidate and the assessing judge must not be an immediate family member of the Tier 3 judge. The judge candidate is responsible for ensuring that sufficient reports have been received prior to making application for upgrade. The reports will detail such things as your ability to conduct and organise a ring efficiently, consistency of judging, attitude towards the show and exhibitors. In order to be assessed for a section, three of the Probationary Judge reports must include classes relevant to that section ie to be assessed for the ridden panel at least 3 Probationary appointments must include ridden classes. One of these appointments may be replaced with a ringside Mentor session, a probation judge report completed by the mentor judge must be submitted to COM. Where a judge is already on a recognised judge panel at National level for the performance discipline being applied for then this requirement shall not apply ie a National Panel EA Show Horse judge would not be required to complete the three probationary ridden assessments. Such judges may be advanced to Tier 1 for the Performance section upon submission of a suitable resume following successful completion of the Tier 2 Judge assessment.

• You must have independently judged at least three shows with details submitted to COM.

Assessment Process

You will be expected to successfully complete a full judge assessment which will include judging a minimum of two classes, completion of a written test and an extensive interview conducted by two judge examiners who will submit their report to COM. Subject to the report, you will either be approved for inclusion to Tier 2 or it will be recommended that further education or mentoring be undertaken prior to applying again.

In order to maintain the Tier 2 Judge status

• You must remain a member of the Society and be the nominee of that membership. (Membership level applicable is the same as for an applicant).

• You must attend a WPCS of A Inc judges seminar at least once every 3 years. It is strongly recommended that you attend as many as possible.

• You must adhere to the Judges Code of Conduct and all Society Codes of Conduct and Rules & Regulations.

• You must attend an annual Zoom Judges Workshop when applicable.

• Successfully complete an Open Book Test and sign Code of Conduct & Appointment Documentation as sent by COM annually.

Tier 1 judges will be invited to apply periodically by COM following receipt of suitable reports.

Eligibility:

• You must have been a Tier 2 judge of the WPCS of A Inc for a minimum of 5 years or be a Silver/Gold medal approved judge with the WPCS (UK)

• You must have been a member of the WPCS of A Inc or an approved overseas Welsh Society for a minimum of 5 consecutive years and be the nominee of that membership.

Membership must be a Full Membership unless the applicant is associated with a Full membership in which case being the nominee of a separate Associate membership is accepted.

• You must be able to declare that you have never had any conviction relating to animal cruelty or child abuse.

• You must have attended a WPCS of A judges’ seminar within the previous 2 years.

• You must have judged a minimum of 3 x Tier 2 judging appointments with favourable reports received by COM.

In order to maintain the Tier 1 Judge status

• You must remain a member of the Society and be the nominee of that membership. (Membership level applicable is the same as for an applicant).

• You must attend a WPCS of A Inc judges seminar at least once every 3 years. It is strongly recommended that you attend as many as possible. Speciality performance judges who are only on the panel for a performance discipline must attend a seminar relevant to the section they are appointed to judge at least once every 3 years and confirm attendance with COM. Tier 1 judges who have been on the Society judge panel for a minimum of 10 years and who have judges at least 10 welsh shows since their appointment will only be required to attend a WPCS of A seminar at least once every 5 years.

• You must sign the Judges Code of Conduct document.

• You must adhere to the Judges Code of Conduct and all Society Codes of Conduct and Rules & Regulations.

• You must attend an annual Zoom Judges Workshop when applicable.

• Successfully complete an Open Book Test and sign Appointment Documentation as sent by COM annually.