About

About JudgeLab

JudgeLab was founded in 2026 by Kate Thomson and Dave Blakesley to address a growing and widely recognised gap in dog agility judging: meaningful, ongoing professional development.

Like many in the sport, we saw talented, committed people step into judging roles only to discover that the preparation they’d received wasn’t enough. The official Kennel Club course, while well-intentioned, is short, limited in scope, and isn’t able to offer enough support once the course ends. Crucially, it doesn’t fully equip judges with the skills needed to set good courses, manage the psychological demands of judging, or confidently handle the realities of a full day in the ring.

JudgeLab exists to change that.

Raising the Standard of Judge Development

Our goal is to improve continued professional development for agility judges, helping them build the skills, confidence, and judgement required to set thoughtful courses and deliver the kind of trial experiences we want to run – and want to compete in.

We believe judging isn’t just about rules. It’s about:

• Course design that rewards good handling and dog performance
• Consistency and clarity in decision-making
• Confidence under pressure
• Creating an environment where competitors feel fairly assessed and respected

When judges are better prepared, everyone benefits.

Preparing Judges to Succeed – and Stay

Judge dropout rates are high, and we don’t believe that’s because judges lack passion or ability. We believe it’s because we don’t prepare them well enough.

JudgeLab focuses on setting judges up to succeed – not just technically, but psychologically. We provide resources that help judges feel confident, resilient, and supported before they ever step into the ring. By preparing judges for the mental demands of judging, we aim to reduce burnout, increase retention, and help judges feel like they are winning, not just surviving.

Supporting a More Positive, Inclusive Sport

JudgeLab also supports the ongoing shift towards a more positive and inclusive agility environment.

We want to move away from traditional show cultures and towards events that recognise and celebrate good performance. That means judging that is fair, transparent, and focused on the quality of what competitors and dogs bring to the ring – not just fault-finding.

Good judges set the tone for a good show.

An Independent Support Network for Judges

Finally, JudgeLab provides something judges rarely have: a positive, independent support network that exists outside of show-organising bodies.

Judges deserve a space to learn, reflect, develop, and be supported – without politics, pressure, or fear of getting it wrong. JudgeLab is that space.

We believe that when judges are better supported, better prepared, and more confident, the entire sport moves forward.