The Kennel Club has approved the following changes to the regulations for heelwork to music.
The below regulation has been amended to ensure clarity around what is expected when a show is cancelled.
Amendment to Regulation L2.c
To:
- Any cancellation or abandonment of a competition without prior permission of the Board must be reported in writing to the Kennel Club without delay, and must be carried out in accordance with the relevant Kennel Club published event cancellation policy.
(Insertion in bold)
(Effective 1 January 2022)
The below regulation has been amended address a perception that marks would be deducted if the full time was not used, and make it easier for newcomers to progress.
Amendment to Regulation L10.h
Regulation L10.h.
To:
- The duration of the routine should be a maximum length as detailed below. An over-run of 5% is permitted, but 2 marks will be deducted from the final score for any time taken in excess of this.
Starters maximum time limit - up to 2½ minutes
Novice maximum time limit - up to 3½ 3 minutes
Intermediate maximum time limit - up to 3½ minutes
Advanced maximum time limit - up to 4 minutes
(Deletion struck through. Insertion in bold)
(Effective 1 January 2022)
The below regulation has been added to allow competition organisers the choice of how they wish to accept entries.
Additional Regulation L11.a
To:
Societies have discretion to accept online entries only, postal entries only, or both online and postal entries. Schedules must clearly state the way in which entries may be made.
(Insertion in bold. Subsequent paragraphs to be renumbered)
(Effective 1 January 2022)
The below regulation has been amended to bolster the requirements for a judge starting out on their journey. It also adds the requirement for mandatory mentoring, which will not come in to effect until 1 January 2023 and further details on this will be made available in 2022.
Amendment to Regulation L14.
To:
- Competition organisers must be satisfied that the following minimum conditions have been met for all judges for any Heelwork to Music/Freestyle class:
(i) All judges must should have qualified a dog out of Starters' class in either Heelwork to Music or Freestyle classes and have a minimum of two years’ experience competing in standard classes at a minimum of six Kennel Club licensed Heelwork to Music Competitions.
(ii) A judge’s first three appointments for shows must be restricted to Starters and Novice.
(iii)(ii) Judges must demonstrate a good knowledge of heelwork to music the sport and a thorough understanding of the rules of heelwork to music the sport.
(iv)(iii) Additionally judges must have attended a Kennel Club Heelwork to Music Regulations and Judging Procedure Seminar and passed the Regulations and Judging Procedure examination. From 1 January 2016 this will apply to new and existing judges. The initial Regulations and Judging Procedure Seminar and examination must be classroom based.
(v)(iv) All Judges must have attended a Regulations and Judging Procedure seminar every four years since passing the Regulations and Judging Procedure examination. From 1 January 2022 all Judges must have attended a Regulations and Judging Procedure seminar, either classroom based or online, and must have passed the examination, every five years since passing the Regulations and Judging Procedure examination.
(v) A judge’s first three appointments for shows must be restricted to Starters and Novice.
(vi) From 1 January 2023, prior to being fully qualified, a judge
must undertake mentoring by an approved Heelwork to Music
mentor on three separate occasions:
(1) observing a whole class from the ringside and discussing it with the mentor
(2) carrying out two judging appointments, at starters or novice, and discussing the marking and results with the mentor.
(vii) The third judging appointment must be restricted to starters
or novice. After the third appointment the judge may undertake any further appointments
(vi)(viii) Or judges have otherwise been approved by the Board
(Deletions struck through. Insertions in bold)
(Effective 1 January 2022)
The below regulation has been added to allow for competitors to gain an additional qualification while competing in the form of the Heelwork to Music Warrant and Freestyle Warrant.
Additional Regulation K3.e
A Heelwork to Music or Freestyle Warrant will be issued on application by the registered owner at the time of qualification in respect of a dog that has obtained points in standard classes at Premier and Open Competitions. The requirements for the three levels of warrant, Bronze, Silver, and Gold are:
Bronze 100 points
Silver 200 points
Gold 400 points
The following titles may be used after the name of the dog on competition entries and in catalogues:
Heelwork to Music
Bronze HTMW(B)
Silver HTMW(S)
Gold HTMW(G)
Freestyle
Bronze FSW(B)
Silver FSW(S)
Gold FSW(G)
Points awarded will be as follows:
Standard heelwork to music OR freestyle classes
Points will be awarded at any level as long as a minimum score of 18 is achieved. Places must have been awarded by the competition organiser.
1st place 20 points
2nd place 19 points
3rd place 18 points
4th place 17 points
5th place 16 points
6th place 15 points
7th place 14 points
8th place 13 points
9th place 12 points
10th place 11 points
5 points will also be awarded to any unplaced routines that have achieved a qualifying score or above.
(Insertions in bold)
(Effective 1 January 2022)