Showing In The USA.

[windsonguk]

Hi
I have a dear friend who is thinking of moving to the USA next year, she has been showing her beautiful 1yr male rottie within the UK, and has been doing very well.
She has not yet decided where in the USA they may be living, and is finding it quite difficult gathering information in showing there, and what the differences are from UK to USA shows.
Any info would be appreciated

Terri

[RottsNScotts]

She can find a lot of information on showing in the American Kennel Club from their website at akc.org although it can be a bit confusing.

There are a number of other organizations in which one can show a Rottie here in the US including IABCA, USRC and ARV!

Keeps one busy!

[BostonRott]

The AKC is the only recognized body, like the KC over there. USRC is similar to ADRK in the way that the shows are run. ARV is almost defunct. USRC offers breed tests (which are not recognized by anyone but the USRC) similar to the ADRK ZtP. They also have Sieger shows and SchH trials. The SchH titles are recognized by other US SchH groups, but not by the ADRK. The only SchH titles that the ADRK will recognize (which are earned in the US) are DVG trial titles.

Not knowing how the KC shows run.....here's a synopsis of the AKC showing:

Breeds are divided into 7 groups (probably very similar to the KC). For your breed, the dog can be entered in a puppy class (and the actual hosting kennel club decides which puppy classes they will offer: 6-9, 9-12, or simply puppy (6-12)), American Bred (dog must be bred/born in the US, this class is often referred to in short as AmBred), Bred By Exhibitor (a class for breeders, referred to in short as BBE), Novice (a class for a dog who has not yet won 3 First place ribbons.....hardly EVER used, except maybe at a VERY large show as a short-cut to the Winners ring....b/c the class is small, less dogs to beat) and Open (any dog of any age can be put in Open).

Males are always judged first. Placements 1-4 are awarded in each class. Then, when they are done with Open (always the last class to show), the First place winners of each class come back in for Winners Dog. The judge selects amongst all of the 1st place dogs the best dog and he is Winners Dog. Winners Dog/Bitch is the one who gets the CH points. After WD is selected, which ever dog took 2nd in the class that WD came from, comes back in the ring. Let's say that the Bred By Exhibitor dog wins WD. Then the 2nd place BBE dog comes into the ring and from all the 1st place dogs remaining, plus the 2nd place BBE, they choose Reserve Winners Dog. RWD rarely means much. The idea being that if for any reason the WD is later disqualified from his win, the points will then go to the RWD.

After the boys are done, the girls come in and go through the same process: all the classes, then the selection of Winners Bitch and Reserve Winners Bitch.

Both the WD and the WB get points towards their championship.

Now it is time for the finished Champions to come in for judging of Best of Breed (BOB). WD and WB also get to go into this judging. From all of the CH's, plus WD and WB, they choose one dog as Best of Breed (BOB). Next is chosen Best of Opposite Sex (to BOB). So if the BOB is a bitch, then BOS must be one of the dogs.

Finally, Best of Winners (BOW) is also chosen. The WD and WB are compared to each other and one of the two is selected as Best of Winners.

Points towards a Championship are determined by how many dogs are beaten that day. The most points available at any one show are 5. Each region of the US has a points schedule, determined by how many dogs have been showing in that region over the past 5 years. In California, you may have to beat 20 dogs to earn 2 points, but in Idaho, you only need to beat 5 dogs to earn 2 points. It's based on the showing population and adjusted every few years.

Winners Dog earns points based on how many males he beats. Winners Bitch is the same. When Best of Winners is selected, this gives the BOW the chance to increase their points. Lets say there were 4 points available in dogs, and only 3 in bitches. If the WB then takes BOW, she moves up to 4 points won that day instead of only 3.

If either WB or WD happens to also win Best of Breed, then again they are eligible to increase their points, based on the complete number of Rottweilers shown/defeated that day.

To earn a CH, the dog must accumulate 15 points. Shows where 3, 4 or 5 points are available are referred to as Majors. The dog must win 2 majors under 2 different judges. Therefore, you can't just take a bland dog to a lot of small shows, win 1 or 2 points over and over and have a CH (in Canada, you can do this.)

After the breed judging, then begins the Group judging. Each Best of Breed (BOB) dog goes into the ring with it's respective group. Rottweilers are in the Working group. The remaining groups are: Sporting, Herding, Toy, Terrier, Non-sporting, and Hound. Placements are made for Group 1 through Group 4. The 7 Group 1 dogs then compete for Best in Show (BIS).

If your dog wins Group 1, or BIS, there is again the availability to increase the number of points won, if the dog is not already at 5. 5 is the most you can earn in any one show.

Hopefully this makes some sense. Again, not sure how things are done at KC shows and if this is all the same, my apologies for explaining something you already understand.

[RottsNScotts]

Well Gretchen, that was WAY more complete than I posted! The only thing I would add is that if the dog/bitch wins Best of Breed, it still can receive points only one or the other of the sexes, not the total. So if there are more bitches than dogs and Winners Dog wins Best of Breed, the number of bitch champions plus the number of classes bitches determines how many points the WD gets for the day, not to exceed 5 (so you don't get to add the dog points and the bitch points). We call getting the higher number by BOW or BOB, sharing!

I know you knew this Gretchen; just wanted to clarify for others.

[windsonguk]

Thankyou almost the same procedures as in uk.
I presume you can obtain a schedule from akc, for where CH shows are being held the year ahead, the vast travelling from one show to the another, looks a pain, easy here being a much smaller country we can manage, most shows and fit each into the same day (travel /show/ home).
In the most we handle our own dogs, have heard many in USA have a pro to do the job, travel/train etc together, so many months of the year, not sure she'd like that. I know I wouldnt.
How about the different states, seems alot of laws in place especially those forbidding our lovely rotties, I guess that is another issue of where, to, or the case be, not to live.
Also the laws of permits etc for having dogs, guess that too depends on where you live.
How easy do you think it would be to get into it over there, does it go on faces!
sorry to ask so many silly questions
Terri

[BostonRott]

In this area of the country (New England), if you don't use a handler, you shouldn't expect much. There are some who show their own dogs successfully, but they are the exception, not the rule. Too many judges look at the wrong end of the leash.

You can find show schedules on AKC's website, via a search function (you can search by state). It is quite easy (in most states) to find shows that are not too far away .... such that you can show and return home in the same day.

The bigger challenge becomes (sometimes) chasing down the majors. We used to have Majors here every few months. Now I would suspect that maybe 3 or 4 show weekends per year offer majors, otherwise you'll be travelling.

AKC's website is: http://www.akc.org

[windsonguk]

Thanks will pass the info on, its interesting knowing how different countries operate.
Shame that quite often it depends on who, is on the end of the lead, heard that alot, I guess seeing so many faces come and go and all that!!!
Makes you wonder what it is really all about - here there really isnt megga bucks involved, not that I can see.
So to strive for the perfection of this bred, learn, and move forward has to be the drive force.
What else makes us do it.
If there is anything else you think of let us know
kind regards
Terri

[RottsNScotts]

The "handler required" does appear to be a somewhat regional thing. Here in the Pacific NW, you see many owner-handlers, and sometimes o-h-breeders!, showing and finishing their own dogs! Here, too, the biggest problem is finding the majors.

What is really good to see is more and more people putting working titles on their dogs as well!

[targonrotts]

place that is great to see show schedules-www.infodog.com mb-f -superintendent website of upcoming shows,results to their shows,enter, etc.
class to enter if born outside of usa is open class.
get the akc gazette events magazine,list of events,clubs,superintendents,and handlers.
rottweiler nationals-check out the ARC website for info.done yearly around may.
there is a show almost every weekend of the year.they close 2 1/2 weeks before day of show.
vendors sell all kinds of show stuff needed at almost all shows.there is always someone in our breed willing to help a new comer to our shows.
good luck!

[RottsNScotts]

Actually, as was pointed out on another show site, foreign dogs can enter anything BUT American bred! Used to be - or was commonly accepted - that they could only enter Open but that is not now the case, if it ever was.