Clean Run - August 2020 - 37

COURSE DESIGN
& JUDGING:
Safety in Course
Design
By Greg Derrett

When designing courses, safety must always be at the forefront of a judge's mind.There are many
areas that make up the subject of safety in course design, some are obvious and agreed on by all,
whilst others are less so, and these can evoke an array of often strong opinions. Grey areas are
not only more ambiguous because of differing viewpoints but also because what is considered
safe can change depending on who you are judging and where. For example, the level of handler
and dog, surface, ring size, and ring boundaries can all make a difference.

At Global Judging Program (GJP), our goal is for judges to
have safety in mind at every stage. When designing, they
should look to create courses that are both safe and level
appropriate. It is a balancing act to provide relevant technical tests whilst maintaining safety. We encourage our judges
to use "skill labeling" in their designing, and around each of
those areas, they must ask themselves, "what if the dog fails
that test?" Failing a skill test should only ever result in a
fault and never the injury of a dog or handler.
As a judge, we need to accept that not everyone will agree
with our opinions on this, but if we have actively considered safety at each stage of our course design, we can be
confident to stand by it if challenged by someone.
During the GJP safety lecture we review several areas of
safety in course design.
Venue Issues
A course could be considered extremely safe on paper, and
in some venues, yet there must be a consideration of the
specifics of the actual competition area a judge has been
designated. Around the competition ring there are many
things that can be a potential danger: unused equipment,

type of ring boundary (ring ropes with metal stakes, a solid
wall, surface changes), the proximity of that boundary and
other competitors, and specific venue issues such as pillars,
drain covers or the surface. A good judge would try to be
prepared and find out many of these in advance but otherwise be ready to adjust on the day if necessary.
Safety for You, the Judge
A good judge's path not only gives you the best view in the
house but also keeps you safe.
The route must try to avoid tripping hazards as you walk
around equipment, a key one being contact equipment, and
the high end of the teeter!
One aspect that is sometimes overlooked is the distance a
judge needs to cover throughout an appointment in order
for them to see each and every dog around their course.
It must be achievable for them and their fitness level. It is
my opinion that the best judges follow a dog around the
course for several reasons, but in relation to safety, having
a dog and handler run toward a judge risks collision as well
as the potential for dog aggression.

At Global Judging Program (GJP), our goal is for judges to have safety in mind at every stage.
When designing, they should look to create courses that are both safe and level appropriate.
August 20 | Clean Run

37



Clean Run - August 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - August 2020

Contents
Clean Run - August 2020 - Cover1
Clean Run - August 2020 - Cover2
Clean Run - August 2020 - Contents
Clean Run - August 2020 - 4
Clean Run - August 2020 - 5
Clean Run - August 2020 - 6
Clean Run - August 2020 - 7
Clean Run - August 2020 - 8
Clean Run - August 2020 - 9
Clean Run - August 2020 - 10
Clean Run - August 2020 - 11
Clean Run - August 2020 - 12
Clean Run - August 2020 - 13
Clean Run - August 2020 - 14
Clean Run - August 2020 - 15
Clean Run - August 2020 - 16
Clean Run - August 2020 - 17
Clean Run - August 2020 - 18
Clean Run - August 2020 - 19
Clean Run - August 2020 - 20
Clean Run - August 2020 - 21
Clean Run - August 2020 - 22
Clean Run - August 2020 - 23
Clean Run - August 2020 - 24
Clean Run - August 2020 - 25
Clean Run - August 2020 - 26
Clean Run - August 2020 - 27
Clean Run - August 2020 - 28
Clean Run - August 2020 - 29
Clean Run - August 2020 - 30
Clean Run - August 2020 - 31
Clean Run - August 2020 - 32
Clean Run - August 2020 - 33
Clean Run - August 2020 - 34
Clean Run - August 2020 - 35
Clean Run - August 2020 - 36
Clean Run - August 2020 - 37
Clean Run - August 2020 - 38
Clean Run - August 2020 - 39
Clean Run - August 2020 - 40
Clean Run - August 2020 - 41
Clean Run - August 2020 - 42
Clean Run - August 2020 - 43
Clean Run - August 2020 - 44
Clean Run - August 2020 - 45
Clean Run - August 2020 - 46
Clean Run - August 2020 - 47
Clean Run - August 2020 - 48
Clean Run - August 2020 - 49
Clean Run - August 2020 - 50
Clean Run - August 2020 - 51
Clean Run - August 2020 - 52
Clean Run - August 2020 - 53
Clean Run - August 2020 - 54
Clean Run - August 2020 - 55
Clean Run - August 2020 - 56
Clean Run - August 2020 - 57
Clean Run - August 2020 - 58
Clean Run - August 2020 - 59
Clean Run - August 2020 - 60
Clean Run - August 2020 - 61
Clean Run - August 2020 - 62
Clean Run - August 2020 - 63
Clean Run - August 2020 - 64
Clean Run - August 2020 - 65
Clean Run - August 2020 - 66
Clean Run - August 2020 - Cover3
Clean Run - August 2020 - Cover4
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