by Dave Cottrell

THE 1996 Budgerigar Society Judges Training Scheme final examinations took place at the B.S. Club Show held in Doncaster. The candidate with the highest overall pass mark, and the recipient of the Arthur Dexter Memorial Trophy was that well known personality Geoff Capes from Lincolnshire. As Geoff had made it known he was far from happy with the scheme up to a couple of years ago, prior to amendments put forward by the General Council, his views on the modified scheme, along with suggestions to help future candidates were sought after his success.

Q1. What are your feelings about the judges training scheme overall?

Geoff Capes. In general I think that the training scheme is a good concept at the moment, but with time and slight modifications it could be even better. I believe that we must have in place, an assessment scheme to assess potential candidates, and allow them to get a good level of understanding of what is needed to become a budgerigar judge.

Q2. Please give your thoughts on the written paper section of the test.

GC. I believe most of the questions were relevant and well thought out. Obviously there were one or two that had no bearing on the actual judging of Budgerigars, but gave an overall view and knowledge of the BS and it's workings.

Q3. Give your thoughts on the practical assessment, judging up to six classes.

GC. Overall you were stretched on most requirements of becoming a competent judge, but it was very fair with no trick birds or questions with no relevancy, mostly straightforward situations that you would come across under normal judging conditions.

Q4. Give your thoughts on the Oral section of the examination.

GC. This was one of the sections that was of concern to me personally, but again I was expecting the unexpected. If you thought rationally, and answered within the text and guidelines, you had nothing to fear. Personally, broken down descriptions of birds would test you more on your knowledge of colours.

Q5. What are your thoughts on the Colour Identification section of the test?

GC. The colour identification was again one of the sections that could have caused problems, and it did make you think more deeply. You do have within the rules the ability to confer with other judges and obtain their opinions at shows, but overall this section of the test was fair to good.

Q6. How do you feel the scheme could be improved?

GC. I believe that if you have three years of assessments, a mock exam each year would be of tremendous help, and or each area society or the BS to run judges training scheme days, that would be compulsory for more understanding of the Budgerigar Society and the Judges training scheme.

Q7. What are your thoughts on the suggestion that the qualifying period for the scheme should be reduced to eight years and Intermediate status, as opposed to the current 10 years and Champion status.

GC. As I have only just passed my final assessment I would say keep it the same as at present. But I do think that a reduction to eight years and a further three years to complete the scheme, taking the final part when you are a Champion will benefit many fanciers and should mean many more members attempting the test etc. To enable them to join the judges panels.

Q8. Which part of the final day's assessments did you find most difficult and why?

GC. Generally I did not find any of it very difficult, but nor should it be, provided that you have a good working knowledge of procedure, assessing Budgerigars and overall judging skills.

Q9. How can the final assessment day be altered to help the candidates?

GC. I do honestly believe the final assessment day is nerve racking to those fanciers who are not experienced in taking examinations, but I found myself  very relaxed, and I was quite surprised how the day went, and other fanciers should not fear the unseen and unknown.

Q10. What other comments do you have regarding any aspect of the three year scheme, it's administration, and it's aims and achievements.

GC. Personally because of my other sporting careers at the very highest levels, I could cope with most things by being a very positive person. I do feel that perhaps a two years assessment period would be acceptable provided that the area tests are carried out in the interim period preceding the final examinations. Other than that, on reflection I am quite satisfied with the overall procedures, and the scheme, and feel it benefits all concerned.