Approve slate of judges for the 2020 USCA Working Dog Championship

EB Motion #04-20

EB Motion #04-20 – Approve slate of judges for the 2020 USCA Working Dog Championship

Motion made by Nathaniel Roque, Director of Judges, on behalf of the USCA Judges Committee, seconded by Michele Clubb, Secretary, to approve the following slate of Judges for the 2020 USCA Working Dog Championship (WDC).

  1. (Tracking) — Al Govednik, USCA
  2. (Obedience) — Michael Caputo, USCA 
  3. (Protection) — Vicente Ferré, RCEPPA, SV Foreign

Background:  Based on the USCA Judge Program Requirements the USCA Judges Committee has reviewed the applicants and USCA judges that are eligible to judge at the 2020 WDC. The Judges Committee unanimously recommends this slate of judges for the 2020 USCA WDC as qualified and able to provide an excellent and fair evaluation of each phase and performance.

All members of the Judges Committee that will be involved in the WDC either as a competitor or as a Judge recused themselves in the committee vote.

It is the intent of the USCA Judges Committee to always provide the best-qualified judges for our championship events and always attempt to use USCA Judges as our first selection. This slate of Judges includes two USCA Judges that are not only highly qualified to judge a championship event but have actively judged over the past 3 years or have met the newly implemented Bi Richter Program and attended a Judges College passing the required written test with 96% or above. Both Michael Caputo and Al Govednik are USCA teaching judges with significant championships experience.

Our judge selection for Protection (C) Vicente Ferré, RCEPPA, SVF is an internationally recognized judge, member of the WUSV club from Spain (RCEPPA), former President of his organization, actively trains and competes at the highest level, has judged the WUSV in both Protection and Obedience, WUSV Universal Sieger Obedience and many other championships.

The Judges Committee may also appoint a Head Judge to be on site to oversee the event as well as a Bi Richter in at least 1 phase of the event to continue to prepare a larger slate of USCA Judges for Championship Events.  USCA Judges selection for “Bi Richter” in each phase will be made by the USCA Judges Committee based on eligible USCA Judges with the intent that they will be selected for future events.

(Per the Performance Judges’ Program (Section 16G) we will submit the Judges separately in 3 ballots.  Voting is confidential.)

The proposed slate of judges for this event are:

  1. (Tracking) — Al Govednik, USCA- MOTION CARRIED
  2. (Obedience) — Michael Caputo, USCA – MOTION CARRIED
  3. (Protection) — Vicente Ferré, RCEPPA, SV Foreign – MOTION CARRIED

MOTION CARRIED FOR SLATE OF JUDGES, JANUARY 29, 2020