FAQs for Organiser

Q.  Entries are accepted on the day for the Breeders’ Competition, but can Societies announce that entries will only be accepted up to a certain time?
A.  Yes. Large General Group Societies in particular, may need to limit the time in which entries can be made for logistical reasons. In such cases an announcement to this effect must be placed in the schedule and catalogue, and it would also be helpful to make regular announcements at the show to that effect.

Photo: Ms L Rupniak and her team of Chinese Crested competing in the Breeders' Competition at the Blackpool & District Canine Society, June 2009

Q. Dogs have to be entered at the show and are expected to be shown in order to be eligible to compete in the Breeders’ Competition. What happens if a dog misses its class through no fault of its owner?
A. In such cases, entered dogs may still compete in this Competition.

Q. Can dogs entered in classes such as Veteran and Champion, or variety classes, which do not necessarily form part of the main breed competition, take part in the competition?
A. Yes.

Q. A recent press release said that exhibitors could buy their Record Books from the Show Secretary on the day of the show.  How does a club get hold of a stock of Record Books?
A. Anyone interested in this competition is encouraged to buy their record books as soon as possible from the Kennel Club or the Kennel Club Roadshow. General Group Championship Show Societies will be provided with a limited stock of Record Books, but breeders should not rely on this if they are to be guaranteed to take part in the competition. An announcement will be made as soon as Record Books are available to purchase.

Q. Does the Best Breeder Group competition have to be held in the Main Ring?
A. No. Societies may schedule the Group competition in any suitable ring or rings. It is open to the Society to ask their own Group or Best in Show Judge to judge the Group competition or to appoint a separate, suitably qualified judge who is approved at Championship level to judge either Best in Show or the Group in question.

Q. What if there are too many teams to be safely or easily accommodated in the ring for the Best Breeder in Breed Competition?
A. It is of course open to judges and stewards to split the judging of the teams as happens now with particularly large breed classes. It is also open to societies to combine rings to accommodate a particularly large number of teams.

FAQs for Judges

Q. How and where should winners be listed in the judge’s book/slips?
A. After Best of Breed and Best Puppy have been awarded, the full name of the winning Breeders needs to be added to the end of the judging book. Remember it’s the name of the breeder you are recording and it is not necessary to record the names or exhibit numbers of the dogs in the team. It is up to the Breeder to make sure that that sort of information is properly recorded in their Record Book. If your Judging Books have not been pre-printed with Best Breeder and a space to record the names it is acceptable to write Best Breeder and the winning breeder's name after the spaces for the CCs.

At Group level, the top 4 breeders’ names will need to be recorded in a similar fashion

Photo: Mrs Valerie Beck winning the Breeder Utility Group with Poodles (Miniature) & with Breeder Group Judge Mr KS Wilberg.

Q. How much time should be allowed at the end of breed judging for this award?
A. With entries being accepted on the day this will always be tricky to gauge, particularly until it is established whether some breeds customarily generate more teams than others. A competition similar to this runs very successfully in Scandinavia where the judging of Best Breeder takes only five to ten minutes per breed.

Q. Does the judge have to go over every dog?
A. No. Even if the judge officiated in the other sex and has not been over all of the dogs in the breed competition, there is no need to make a detailed examination of every dog. Time constraints may not allow this.

Q. Can the judge withhold the award if they believe that the dogs do not show sufficient merit?
A. Yes. This competition is similar to other KC competitions and the same principles of custom and practice apply.

Q. Will there be a set procedure for judges dealing with this award?
A. No, but normally judges will be expected to make a quick assessment of the dogs standing together and then, if possible, the dogs will be moved together once up and down the ring. Some judges may wish the dogs to be moved together around the ring once. At some shows time will be at a premium and judges should, as they normally would, give consideration to any breeds following them in that ring.

Q. Does the judge have to write a critique?
A. As the Best Breeder in Breed/ AVNSC classes and the Best Breeder Group in Group awards form part of the breed competition the writing of critiques is to be encouraged.

FAQs for Exhibitors

Q. What happens if dogs required by the breeder for the competition, have to be in the group ring or are in the variety class at the other side of the show ground?
A. This scenario already occurs frequently at shows - a dog may be entered in a breed class or variety or stakes classes and it can just happen that both classes end up being judged at the same time. Obviously the dog cannot be in two places at the same time and the exhibitor must withdraw from the variety class if they wish to continue in the breed competition. When this happens it's naturally very disappointing to the exhibitor who has missed out on the chance of competing again with their dog in the variety or stakes classes, but these sorts of timing clashes are sometimes unavoidable.

With the Breeders’ Competition the same scenario may arise. A dog may be competing in variety or stakes classes or in the Group when their Breeders’ Group is about to be judged in the breed ring. Before competing, the logistics of such a scenario need to be discussed with all the team members. It may become apparent that it is not practical to enter the Breeders’ Competition if one or more members of the team are needed in other classes or in the Group. If so, as is the case now, the team will have to withdraw from the Breeders’ Competition and the Steward at the breed ring should be advised of this.

Q. Will Breeders’ Competitions be held up waiting for dogs not available or ready when called into the ring?
A. Again this is an issue currently faced at many shows for other classes. This will depend upon the show, but it is unlikely that shows will be able to afford the time to wait for teams to be assembled. After calling for the teams a couple of times, the Steward will agree with the Judge that no further time will be allowed and judging of the next breed will be able to proceed. Undue delay in assembling the Breeders Groups will simply not be possible.

Q. Must there be a handler for every dog in the team?
A. No - with some breeds fewer handlers may be possible.The important thing is that the judge can see the dogs properly and that the safety of dogs and people is maintained. So for big breeds it is likely that handlers will be necessary for all dogs but for smaller breeds three, two or even one handler may be acceptable. If, in the opinion of the Show Management, there are insufficient handlers to show a particular team safely, further handlers may be insisted upon or a team may be excluded from competition.

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• Breeders’ Competition main page
• Breeders' Competition dfs Crufts Final 2011
• How to enter the Breeders' Competition
• Breeders' Competition Guides
• Press Releases and History

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