Activities Showing

All About Showing

Show Classifications - General

MINOR PUPPY—For dogs of six and not exceeding nine calendar months of age on the first day of the Show.

PUPPY—For dogs of six and not exceeding twelve calendar months of age on the first day of the Show.

JUNIOR—For dogs of six and not exceeding eighteen calendar months of age on the first day of the Show.

YEARLING—For dogs of twelve and not exceeding twenty four calendar months of age on the first day of the Show.

MAIDEN—For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate or a First Prize at an Open or Championship Show (Minor Puppy, Special Minor Puppy, Puppy and Special Puppy Classes excepted, whether restricted or not).

NOVICE—For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate or three or more First Prizes at Open and Championship Shows (Minor Puppy, Special Minor Puppy, Puppy and Special Puppy Classes excepted, whether restricted or not).

TYRO - For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate or 5 or more 1st prizes at any show (Minor classes excepted, whether restricted or not)

DEBUTANT - For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate or a first prize at a Championship Show (Minor Puppy, Special Minor Puppy, Puppy and Special Puppy classes excepted whether restricted or not).

UNDERGRADUATE—For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate or three or more First Prizes at Championship Shows (Minor Puppy, Special Minor Puppy, Puppy and Special Puppy classes excepted, whether restricted or not).

SPECIAL BEGINNERS—For owner, handler or exhibit not having won a Challenge Certificate.

GRADUATE—For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate or four or more First Prizes at Championship Shows in Graduate, Post Graduate, Minor Limit, Mid Limit, Limit and Open Classes, whether restrict or not.

POST GRADUATE—For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate or five or more First Prizes at Championship Shows in Post Graduate, Minor Limit, Mid Limit, Limit and Open Classes, whether restricted or not.

MINOR LIMIT - For dogs which have not won 2 Challenge Certificates or 3 or more first prizes in all at Championship Shows in Minor Limit, Mid Limit, Limit and Open classes, confined to the breed, whether restricted or not at shows where Challenge Certificates where offered for the breed.

MID LIMIT - For dogs which have not won 3 Challenge Certificates or 5 or more first prizes in all at Championship Shows in Mid Limit, Limit and Open classes, confined to the breed, whether restricted or not at shows where Challenge Certificates where offered for the breed.

LIMIT—For dogs which have not won three Challenge Certificates under three different judges or seven or more First Prizes in all, at Championship Shows in Limit and Open Classes, confined to the breed, whether restricted or not, at Shows where Challenge Certificates were offered for the breed.

OPEN—For all dogs of the breeds for which the class is provided and eligible for entry at the Show.

VETERAN—For dogs of not less than seven years of age on the day of the Show.

Show Classifications - Special

CHAMPION—For dogs which have been confirmed a Champion, Show Champion or Field Trial Champion.

RARE BREEDS—Confined to those breeds not granted Challenge Certificates in the current year, with the exception of those breeds whose registration is confined to the Imported Register.

BRACE—For two exhibits (either sex or mixed) of one breed belonging to the same exhibitor, each exhibit having been entered in some class other than Brace or Team.

IMPORTED REGISTER—When an Interim Breed Standard has been approved by The Kennel Club, breeds whose registration is confined to the Imported Register may be exhibited in this class only, and are ineligible for any other competition whatsoever.

ANY VARIETY NOT SEPARATELY CLASSIFIED—For breeds of dog for which no separate breed classes are scheduled.

SPECIAL BREEDERS—For a team of dogs bred by the exhibitor (minimum three exhibits, maximum five exhibits). Exhibits declared Best of Breed who are entered in this class and are subsequently beaten, will not be disqualified from competing for Best in Group or Best in Show.

NOT FOR COMPETITION—Societies may at their discretion, accept Not For Competition entries. Societies may accept such entries from breeds of dog not included within the title of the Society and at Shows held over more than one day, such entries may be accepted on any day from any breed. (Full details of the dog to be given on the entry form and marked N.F.C.)

Well it is actually pretty simple, first of all every dog entered in the class will go into the ring and line up down one side. This will be pointed out to you by the stewards who are there to keep the ring in order for the judges.Your dog should always be to your left whenever you are in the ring.

Your dog needs to be stood squarely and calmly at this point and the judge will walk up the line and take a preliminary look at all the dogs in the class. Then you may be asked to move around the ring all together but this does not always happen, once this is done each dog will be seen individually by the judge. Watching where the other exhibitors stand will give you a good idea of where to go and how to do it. This is to allow the judge to get 'hands on' your dog and check the structure beneath.

Once your dog has been examined then you will be asked to move him or her, usually a triangle followed by straight up and down, keep your lines straight and move your dog around the corners on your inside closest to the judge, make use of the full ring.

Once you have finished your last run the judge may want to have another look at your dog so make sure they are stood squarely, practicing this at home is very benificial so your dog knows what is expected of it.

You will return to the end of the line and once all the class dogs have been seen you will need to stand your dog once more for the judge to make thier final decision. You may be asked to move once more before final placing, listen to the judges instructions carefully and keep an eye on your fellow exhibitors.

Once the decisions have been made the dogs will be placed according to the judges preference from 1st downwards.

Don't forget that judging is subjective, we all see the world in different ways and this will mean some judges may place you, some may not.

Ring Do's and Don'ts

Do not start a conversation with the judge when your dog is being examined

Do not allow your dog to sniff or upset other exhibits

Do not allow your dog to run into or up close to the dog in front when moving as a group

Do not be a bad sport of you do not win 'every dog has his day'

Do not get stressed if your dog misbehaves on the move, simply and calmly go back to the start and try again

Do be polite to fellow exhibitors, the judge and the stewards

Do make a mental note of who was the first dog seen so you can be ready

Do make sure your dog looks thier best should the judge turn around

Do enjoy it and remember even the seasoned exhibitors get nervous, thats why we do it, for the adrenalin!

Registration of Dogs for Exhibition in the UK

In order to compete in the UK your dog must be registered with the Kennel Club

Contact details for The Kennel Club are as follows:-

The Kennel Club, 1-5 Clarges Street, Piccadilly, London, W1J 8AB

Telephone (General Enquiries): 0870 6066750

E-mail (General Enquiries):info@the-kennel-club.org.uk

If you live abroad you will need an ATC (Authority To Compete) Number from the Kennel Club, please contact them for more information. If travelling from abroad you will also need to apply for a Pet Passport to bring your dog into the UK without putting them through 6 months quarantine. For more information please visit http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/index.htm

UK Shows Levels

There are three main levels of shows approved by the Kennel Club

Limited:- these shows are open to KC registered dogs with entries open only to club members.

Open:- entries at open shows can be made with any KC registered dog, whilst membership of the club in this category is not required.

Championship:- it is at this level of KC registered shows that Challenge Certificates are offered, thus providing opportunities to win "Champion" status for shown dogs. Entries can be made with any KC registered dog and once again club membership is not a requirement.

REGULATIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF DOGS FOR EXHIBITION F ANNEX B

1. These Regulations must be observed when a dog is prepared for exhibition at a Show. When a dog is found to have been prepared for exhibition at a Show in contravention of these Regulations The exhibitor will be dealt with as if a complaint under Kennel Club rule 42 has been lodged against them and proved to the satisfaction of the General Committee in mitigation of the penalty to be imposed at the discretion of the General Committee under Rule 42. The dog will be automatically disqualified from the exhibition at the show and from any award gained thereat.

2. No substance which alters the natural colour, texture or body of the coat may be used in the preparation of a dog for exhibition either before or at the show, Any other substance (other than water) which may be used in the preparation of a dog for exhibition must not be allowed to remain in the coat of a dog at the time of exhibition.

3. No act or operation which alters the natural conformation of a dog or any part thereof may be performed and nothing may be done, calculated in the opinion of the General Committee to deceive except-

(a) Operations certified to the satisfaction of the General Committee.

(b) The removal of dewclaws of any breed.

(c) The shortening of tails of customarily docked breeds. (AMENDED SEE KC SITE FOR DETAILS)

(d) Operations to prevent breeding provided that such operations are notified to The Kennel Club before neutered dogs are shown.

4. The General Committee without previous notice may order an examination of any dog or dogs at any Show. Any examination thus ordered will be made by a person having executive authority who shall have a written directive from the Kennel Club in their possession. Samples may be taken for further examination and analysis.

5. An individual has the right to lodge an objection to a dog if he/she is the owner or handler of a dog competing in the same breed or class. An objection may however , be lodged by an official of the show or by anyone so deputed by the K.C. It will be the responsibility of the individual who lodges the objection or the official (as appropriate), to substantiate the grounds for the objection. The Kennel Club will substantiate the grounds for an objection made on its behalf.

6, Any objection by an individual related to an infringement of these Regulations must be made in writing to The Show Secretary at his/her office before the close of the Show and the individual must produce evidence of identity at the time of lodging the complaint.