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New Zealand Ice Figure Skating Association Officials Appointment, Training and Promotion Policy 2 Version 12.0 (16 Dec 2025) are completed by the pre-approved assessor, who must be on the current list of approved Referees/Technical Controllers for the relevant discipline. Stroking test assessors must be acting as the Referee at the test, be graded as a championship Referee (in any discipline) and be graded for Silver stroking or above. g) Assessment reports are valid for a period of three years. For the avoidance of doubt, satisfactory reports achieved under previous versions of this policy remain valid for three years. h) In addition to assessment reports, all Officials seeking appointment or promotion for championships must also pass a written examination as set by the Officials Director. The written examination may be taken either before or after acquisition of assessment reports. i) Upon completion of the requirements for promotion, the Officials Director will make a recommendation to the Board for the appointment or promotion of an Official. Once ratified by the Board, the appointment or promotion is in effect. The list of Officials will be updated and distributed by the General Secretary as per section 6.1 of this policy. j) A judge, technical specialist, technical controller, or data operator/replay operator from another ISU Member, who takes up residency in New Zealand, on that Member’s recommendation, and verification by the Officials Director, may be placed on the classification list at the level attained in their former country but no higher than Tier 1, unless they are on the ISU Officials’ Listing. 3.2 Practice and Probationary Activity a) Practice and probationary activity form an important part of the appointment and promotion process for Judges and Technical Specialists. b) Eligible persons must have reached the age of 16 years to be appointed as a practice/probationary Judge or Technical Specialist for competition or test activities. c) Before first appointment and prior to promotion to a higher level, Judges and Technical Specialists will be appointed to panels in a practice and then probationary capacity. Those wishing to do practice or probationary activity must advise the event secretary and the Officials’ Director prior to the event in order to be appointed. d) Prior to probationary activity, officials are required to practice. Officials should practice each grade (for the appropriate tier) and discuss feedback with a Referee / Technical Controller before determining they are ready for probationary assessment. An official who is practicing will either sit with a Practice Supervisor (off duty Referee or Technical Controller) who can guide and mentor, or close by the officials’ panels to observe and record practice marks for feedback later. Practice technical panel officials will listen and record, but will not actively participate in the technical panel discussion. The assigned Practice Official Supervisor will work with the practice officials and provide feedback and guidance. Ideally feedback will be oral and during the event where the Practice Official Supervisor is not on panel (see Appendix 3). Feedback may also be written. Practice Official Supervisors should inform the Officials’ Director that feedback has been provided. e) The role of the Practice Official Supervisor is to provide guidance to the practice officials. Practice Official Supervisors are to be drawn from active Tier 2 Judges or Tier 2 Technical Panel members. Any Practice Official Supervisor(s) will be named at the same time as the officials’ panels. f) Practice activity may be carried out at club and regional competitions, and at test sessions. A minimum of three practice competitions with feedback are required before first probationary appointment to Tier 1 grades. Two of the three practice competitions required for first probationary appointment can be replaced by NZIFSA pre-approved practice activities, which can be virtual. A minimum of one practice competition with feedback is required before first probationary appointment to Tier 2 grades. A minimum of one practice with feedback per stroking test level is required before first probationary appointment to that level. g) Probationary activity is intended for those who are ready for promotion as indicated by practice feedback. A probationary official will receive an assessment report that can be used as evidence for promotion. Probationary officials sit away from the panel, and record their marks on paper to be assessed by the Referee / Technical Controller. At the conclusion of the event, the official shall submit their sheets to the Referee or Technical Controller for assessment. It is the probationary official’s responsibility to follow this procedure.