Breed Supported Entry Classes to Enhance Open Show Scene

Each breed club to sponsor at least two shows per year

In a move designed to enhance the open show scene, each breed club will sponsor classes for its breed at a minimum of two general open shows per year, the Kennel Club has announced.

This initiative has been brought in by the Kennel Club’s Dog Show Promotion Working Party, and will commence in 2019. This follows the recent announcement regarding the Judges Competency Framework (JCF) which will become effective in the same year.

When supporting breed classes at a general open show, breed clubs will be allowed to do some or all of the following:

  • Recommend at least two judges from which the show society will make its selection. Proposed judges must be either at Level 2 or Level 3 (or B list or A3 list during JCF transition period).
  • Provide rosettes.
  • Provide special prizes.
  • Pay for the judge’s expenses – if any.
  • Provide prize money when otherwise none is offered.

There is no restriction on the number of classes which can be scheduled.  Preferably a good number of classes will be scheduled to encourage entries and to provide the judge with valuable hands-on experience.

The Kennel Club anticipates that the sponsoring of breed classes at general open shows will have the following advantages:

  • The quality and quantity of exhibits at such events are likely to increase.
  • The better shows will be encouraged and are likely to flourish.
  • Breed clubs will have greater opportunity to support/influence show events than at present.
  • Breed clubs will have more influence over who judges their breed at general open shows.
  • Provide opportunities for judges to be mentored at the ringside and observed while judging to meet the JCF requirements.
  • The numerically smaller breeds with, say, only one breed club, will have an additional means of having their breed scheduled at open shows and this should provide more practical experience for judges.
  • Breed clubs will be encouraged to take a greater part in general canine society shows, thus broadening the outlook of the overly specialist breeds.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “This initiative will enhance open shows and the ‘exhibitor experience’, but only if everyone works together – breed clubs, general canine societies and exhibitors. The judges selected to judge these classes will have undertaken all the mandatory introductory judging education and, most importantly, under the Judges Competency Framework will have attended a breed appreciation day and passed the multiple choice exam thus demonstrating that they are interested in the breed concerned.

“Breed clubs should make direct contact with any general open show society which holds a show at which they consider it would be good for their breed to have these sponsored classes. Equally, there is nothing to stop a general society from making an approach to a breed club – the Kennel Club is keen for the various types of club to work together in our mutual aim of the general improvement of the open show scene.”