BCSA Accredited Judges

An Accredited Judge of exhibition budgerigars is a highly respected role within the BCSA. There are processes to become a Trainee Judge and to advance to Judge, Major Awards Judge, and then finally to an ANBC Accredited Judge. Judges at all levels are subject to certain Requirements, Conduct and Expectations.

Trainee Judge

Applicants nominating as a Trainee Judge must submit their request to the BCSA Secretary via their affiliated Society in time to begin the course of instruction as close as practicable to the beginning of the year.

• An applicant must be at least 18 years of age and have been a member of the Budgerigar Council of South Australia Inc. or equivalent interstate body/s for a minimum of 5 years.
• Applicants must be conversant with The Standard including the Pictorial, the Descriptions of Perfection, the Scale of Points, the Matrix, the Variety Standards, and the Penalty and Disqualification Clauses as current on the ANBC website: The Standard.
• Applicants must be Open breeders with considerable exhibition experience to qualify as a BCSA Judge.

Once a Trainee Judge’s application has been received by the BCSA Secretary and accepted by the Judges Executive, the course of instruction will extend over about 18 months consisting of the following:

• Collaboration with Show Managers to participate in the judging of classes alongside a designated BCSA Judge. The Judge will report progress of the Trainee to the BCSA Judges Coordinator/Secretary.
• Monthly assignments, currently 14, each themed on a Variety Standard, extending to the Descriptions of Perfection, the Pictorial, the Scale of Points, the Matrix, and the Penalty and Disqualification Clauses.
• Each assignment will include 10 questions to be assessed, requiring an average mark across all assignments of at least 85%. Candidates are required to navigate The Standard to ensure they achieve the 85% pass mark.
• Assignments will be instructive and include, but are not limited to, the following:

• A Colour or Variety as the theme of each assignment
• Steps in judging a class of budgerigars
• Judging tips, basic and advanced
• Judges’ etiquette
• Qualities of a good Judge
• The role of Stewards
• Judging Golden Faced Blues and Yellow Faced Blues in de-melanised and partially de-melanised varieties
• Distinguishing features of the de-melanised varieties

Trainee Judge to BCSA Judge

• Upon completion of all assignments there will be a 30-minute, 20 question multi-choice written examination paper based on The Standard, including the Descriptions of Perfection, the Scale of Points, the Matrix, the Variety and Colour Standards, and the Penalty and Disqualification Clauses, with a pass mark of 75%.
• Once passed, the candidate then proceeds to practical testing consisting of:

• Identifying correctly by Variety and Colour 10 varieties that are listed within The Standard, with a pass mark of 100%.
• Judging down to ten places, birds in two classes of at least 10 birds at the State Selection Show with nominated time limits per class, one class to be from the Normal series and the other to be a variety class.

Upon successful completion of the practical assessment at the State Selection Show, the Trainee Judge from that day onwards is formally recognised as a BCSA Judge and will receive a certificate in recognition of this achievement.

The Judge is eligible henceforth to judge at BCSA approved shows after reading, signing and dating a copy of the BCSA Judges Requirements, Conduct and Expectations, without exception.

BCSA Judge to Major Awards Judge

• Eligible to submit through the BCSA Judges Coordinator/Secretary an expression of interest to the Judges Executive to be assessed for Major Award status at the State Selection Show on or after the third anniversary of becoming a BCSA Judge.
• Acceptance for assessment is contingent upon having adhered to the BCSA Judges Requirements, Conduct and Expectations over the previous three years and having enough exposure to warrant promotion.
• The BCSA Judge may proceed to practical testing, judging down to ten places birds in two classes of at least 10 birds at the State Selection Show with nominated time limits per class, one class to be from the Normal series and the other to be a variety class.
• Upon successful completion of the practical assessment at the State Selection Show, the Judge from that day onwards is formally recognised as a BCSA Major Award Judge and will receive a certificate in recognition of this achievement.

Major Awards Judge to Nationally Accredited Judge

Please refer to ANBC Judges Panel By-Laws for eligibility, which includes at least two years as a Major Award Judge.

Further Comments

• If a Judge of any level is not successful in passing their promotion examination, they are able to reapply to sit after a 12-month period has elapsed. Two such attempts without success will see this period extended to 24 months.

BCSA Judges Requirements

• Keep and breed exhibition budgerigars.
• Exhibit at least five different owner bred budgerigars every two years at BCSA approved shows, inclusive of the State Selection Show.
• Attend at least one Judges meeting every two years, if such meetings are held.
• Maintain membership with the BCSA.
• Be conversant with and understand the Australian National Budgerigar Council Inc. (ANBC) – The Standard and any amendments.
• Be conversant with the Penalty and Disqualification Clauses for the Guidance of ANBC Judges and their application.
• Major Award Judges must not enter birds at any show that they are officiating as the Major Award Judge of the show.

Notes to the Above

• ANBC – The Standard, and any appendages thereto, is the sole reference source when judging as to colour, variety, and exhibition points. Schedules of a Society may, for their own needs, differ from the ANBC Matrix, noting that this will not change the judging parameters for colour, variety, or exhibition points.
• The Judges Executive through the Judges Coordinator/Secretary and/or the BCSA Committee may ask Judges to provide an explanation if they do not adhere to the above rules, and they may face removal from the Judges Panel.
• A written request is to be submitted to the Judges Coordinator/Secretary for a leave of absence to cover any extenuating circumstances that may arise from time to time.

BCSA Judges Conduct & Expectations

• Where possible, accept appointments to judge at meetings or shows so invited and, if unable to accept, promptly advise the inviting Society, enabling maximum time for an alternative Judge to be approached by that Society.
• Be suitably attired, presenting a reasonable professional image.
• Be ready to commence judging at the appointed time.
• Act in a courteous manner during and at the completion of judging.
• Be available to answer questions from exhibitors at the completion of judging appointments and explain the basis of decisions if so requested.
• Be noncritical of a fellow Judge’s decision. This includes verbal, print, electronic and social media.
• Be a good ambassador of the BCSA and the budgerigar fancy in general. This includes while officiating as a Judge or attending any events under the BCSA umbrella.
• Not travel to a judging appointment with an exhibitor nor carry any exhibits entered at that show, other than one’s own exhibits that one will not be judging.
• Not be placed in a position where any competence or proprietary could be questioned.
• Report any alleged exhibiting infringement in writing to the Judges Coordinator/Secretary within 24 hours of the appointment at which any alleged infringement occurred.

Judges Uniform Requirements

• It is mandatory for Judges to wear a BCSA issued charcoal grey shirt/blouse, BCSA issued short or long-sleeved charcoal shirt, or BCSA issued charcoal/anthracite polo, all complete with BCSA logo, the word Judge, and Trill logo on the right-hand side, as supplied by the BCSA.
• Wearing a tie is optional and will not be supplied by the BCSA.
• Judges are to wear their own dark slacks, dark dress jeans, dark dress shorts or dark skirt, together with dark footwear at all BCSA approved shows, including the State Selection Show.
• Black sleeveless vests with a similar distribution of logos and wording will also be distributed to judges but are not forcibly required to be worn due to heat.
• Track suit pants, sport shorts, runners, sandals, thongs and the like are not permitted.
• If for any reason a Judge cannot comply, the Judge is to submit a request for an exemption with the applicable reason to the Judges Coordinator/Secretary.

Notes to the Above

• Any alleged digression shall be lodged with the Judges Coordinator/Secretary within 24 hours and may require an explanation from the Judge in question.
• The BCSA Committee will, within 14 days of receipt of the alleged indiscretion from the Judges Coordinator/Secretary, advise the Judge if there is deemed to be a case to answer. If so deemed, advice will be given on the procedures that will take place to have the allegation/s heard.
• If after the case is heard, the Judge is deemed to have digressed, that Judge may incur a suspension from judging. That suspension will be applied by the BCSA Committee and officially recorded in council minutes as to the offence and the determined penalty.