07/10/2025
Attention AKC field trial and hunt test judges. If you have not received the following e-mail from AKC judging operations, please contact them to assure your contact information is correct and to request the training link.
Dear Field Trial/Hunt Test Judge,
In April 2024, the AKC Board of Directors adopted the AKC Educational Requirements Policy and Recommendations as an additional step in creating a safe and respectful sports environment for all. This policy requires all AKC-approved judges to successfully complete the Stewards of Children® training from the non-profit organization, Darkness to Light. Recently, the AKC Board of Directors voted to remove the requirement for judges to complete this training every three years. This means, judges will only be required to complete this training one time.
The purpose of the Stewards of Children® training program is to raise awareness about child abuse prevention. Within our canine-oriented community, it is intended to empower our judges to recognize signs of abuse while also promoting a protective atmosphere for children and families involved in dog-related events.
We ask that you complete this training by September 30, 2025 which is three months from the date of this letter. Judging assignments after this date will be temporarily pended until the training is completed.
A custom self-registration has been created for you. To access this training, please go here. There is a user guide to help you create a user account and take this training. To access the user guide, please click here. The URL to access the training is unique, so neither it nor the user guide should be forwarded or shared with others. It is not necessary to finish the training in one sitting. For convenience, this training can be completed at your own pace where you can start and stop as needed until you finish.
AKC will be notified automatically by Darkness to Light once you have completed the training. To ensure your completion is properly recorded, please include your judge number in the applicable field when registering, and list your name EXACTLY how it is listed in the AKC Searchable Judges Directory.
This program is also widely utilized by educators and professionals across various fields. If you have completed the training within the past year, please submit a copy of your certificate so we can update your judge record accordingly.
In addition, we do recognize there are individuals whose personal experiences may make it difficult or impossible to complete this course or some individuals may have technological obstacles.
If you are unable to complete the training due to personal history, you may complete alternative training: Protecting Children Through Active Bystanding from Darkness to Light. This training will provide the key points to align with AKC’s Educational Requirements Policy and Recommendations and does not use survivor interviews but instead has content that is focused on skill building.
If this requirement presents technical challenges, through the assistance of Darkness to Light, we are offering alternative webinar sessions where you can complete this training through a facilitator-led web session.
If you are interested in pursuing any of these alternatives, have questions or believe you have received this in error, please contact [email protected].
Sincerely,
Chelsea Horton
Judges Education Compliance Manager
Judging Operations Department
American Kennel Club
If you believe you have received this email in error, please contact [email protected].
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