In love with
judging...
 Angelo
'Doc' Docherty's path into judging was not an easy one as he did not come
through the usual agility training route. Nevertheless he is celebrated his
300th Kennel Club appointment in 2018 and looking for more.
My wife Jude used to drag me along to
agility, first to Easington DTS and then to Barnard Castle to train with Jacqui
Tarn. Then we went to fun shows and eventually graduated to Kennel Club shows.
Truthfully, not running a dog was boring so one day, when Eileen Jamieson asked
me to hand out tickets, I jumped at the chance. At the time, I wasn't at all
confident, but I gave it a try and have loved doing this job ever since. What an
opportunity to talk to people it was, something I really enjoy!
Then John Jacobs asked if I would like
to learn how to scribe. Feeling very nervous, I gave it a go and loved it
especially the bit about having lunch with the other scribes and judges and
listening to all their agility stories.
Then came the biggest challenge. I
was asked if I would consider judging.
I never thought I would be accepted as I
had only occasionally run and trained our German Shepherd who was Jude’s dog.
So when Jude was training with The
Tossers (def. Anyone trained by Jacqui Tarn), I was out there judging. The
Tossers provided a lot of helpful advice, especially those who were already
judges or had competed for a long time. They never got fed up of my endless
questions.
I started judging at Dianne Talbot's Up
North fun shows and Michelle Ainsworth's Delinquent Dogs in Rotherham, a two
hour drive. A big thank you to them both.
Endless fun shows followed where I
learnt a lot about judging, course building and I discovered a passion that has
continued to grow every time I step into the ring.
 First
appointments
In 2008 I took my KC judging exam at a
course organised by Ian Malabar and
presented by Cath Keith and Joanne Hart.
I enjoyed doing the course and thankfully passed.
What next? Would
I ever get an invitation to judge?
My first invitation came from Woodside
DTS. Before I was able to take it up, I saw a post on Agilitynet from Pam
Costello from Otley DTS who needed a replacement judge. Did I dare? I offered,
and she agreed. My first contract, therefore, was
the Otley show on 5th July 2008 at the
beautiful Pontefract Race Course. My classes for the day would be Medium and
Large G1-4 Combined Agility and Medium G3-5 Combined Agility, a total of 245
dogs.
Off to the shops I went for new suit,
shirt and tie. I wanted to be smart as I was representing Otley, myself and the
Kennel Club. I wanted to do well and hoped that maybe someone would invite me to
judge at their show.
What I remember of that first
appointment was quite a few nights sorting courses. Then it was off to the
Pontefract to build my course, tweak it, tweak it again and again and again. I
did not get a wink of sleep. I was so desperate to get it right I would have
been out with a torch if Jude had not stopped me. After a very long night time,
I gave the course a final check and did my briefing. Not
even the heavy rain could dampen my enthusiasm.
I loved my first KC judging appointment.
It was brilliant. I just wanted to judge more.
I was still unsure if I would get any
more appointments but amazingly by Woodside I had five.
Milestones
Over the years, the appointments have kept coming.
-
27th May 2012 -
At Hare 'n Hounds in Stanhope I
reached my 100th
-
21st August 2015 - At Adams my 200th
-
24th June 2018 - At Lune Valley my
300th
Currently I am at 333.
 Since
I started judging, I have judged over 100,000 dogs and travelled over 100,000
miles. I think nothing of finishing work on Friday at 17.00, driving 4-5 hours
to a venue, judging two days and then driving back home, ready for work Monday.
My
philosophy is to try my very best to make my courses open and grade friendly and
I like to have an open course.
More
than anything, I hope I bring an enthusiasm and encouragement to the table.
No matter how many I have judged, I will not put out that same course again or
not for that grade.
People often ask me which appointment or
show has given me the most enjoyment, I can honestly say I have loved every one.
You could say
I live
for it.
It has been
quite a journey
I have a saying that every time I leave the ring hopefully
I will hopefully be a better judge than
when I went in. I continue
to learn and have enlisted in the Global Judging Programme.
Writing
this article has not been easy as I find it hard writing about myself. Looking
back, I am proud of all my judging and hope to continue for many years to come,
basically for as long as I am invited.
I am grateful for this opportunity to
thank every single person who has nominated or invited me to judge. Also a
massive thank you to anyone who has worked on my ring. I hope if we came to the
ring as strangers we left as friends.
To those who continue to give me advice
and support, thank you. And not forgetting Jude who has always been a great
help.
But my biggest thanks goes to every
handler who has come into my ring and shared their beautiful dogs with me. It
has been the biggest honour of my life.
 Author
credit...
Born in
a pit man's town Seaham (Co Durham) on North East coast in 1960, Doc Docherty
admits to being an Aquarius.
He currently works as a transport clerk
at Sunderland Royal Hospital where he was previously a porter.
In addition, he runs
a
support group for people suffering with fibromyalgia.
He lives with his wife Jude and seven merlie
girls in Durham.
First published 31st January 2019
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