WHY SHOW? Dog shows originally came about because breeders wished to show off the best examples of their prime breeding stock, the males (dogs) and females (bitches) believed capable of producing superior offspring. In time breed clubs formed and "standards" were created to encourage a specific appearance as dictated by the function for which the breed was developed, not merely physical beauty. These standards were then adopted by the American Kennel Club (AKC), the organization that oversees the welfare of the purebred dog, determines registration policies, and governs dog shows and performance events such as the annual Westminster Kennel Club show. Once experienced breeders established a blueprint for their specific breeds, the goal became to meet those standards as closely as possible. Independent opinions on how closely those standards were met were sought of other dog specialists; hence, judges determine which dog and bitch they feel best meets the individual breed standards. CHAMPIONSHIPS To be awarded an AKC championship--and to have the coveted "CH." prefix attached to the registered name--each dog must win a minimum of 15 points. Points--from 1 to 5 per show--are determined via a sliding scale developed by the AKC on a regional/divisional basis. How many points are available in a given breed at a given show is determined by the number of entries in that breed in its regional division. A very popular breed, such as Golden Retrievers, Dobermans, etc., will have a much larger entry and therefore more points may be available, whereas a less common breed, such as the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, will have fewer dogs entered and fewer points available. As with the Olympics, a series of qualifying "heats" is involved. A dog is entered in a specific class, and must win that class to advance. Each class winner then competes in one overall class called "Winners," similar to the Finals in the Olympics. Sexes are divided; the dog and bitch selected best of the Winners Dog and Winners Bitch classes are awarded the points available in their respective sex. To gain a championship, two of the wins must be worth 3, 4, or 5 points. These are called "majors," and must come from two different judges. A dog may win any number of shows worth 1 or 2 points, but will not gain its championship until two majors have also been awarded. Therefore two wins must be worth a minimum of 3 points, with the balance coming in 1- or 2-point increments. Puppies may not compete at less than six months of age, but there is no cut-off date by which a dog must gain its championship. If the shows and entries are large enough and the individual dog is good enough, it is possible for the dog to "finish" (win its championship) at one 3-show cluster. To do so, a 5-point major would have to be available each day, and the dog would have to win all three days. But because travel is generally involved in the quest for points, most dogs require anywhere from several months to years to achieve a championship. It depends on how often the dog is shown, and how many of its breed are entered. SPECIALING Once a dog has achieved its championship it may be retired from the show ring, or it may continue to compete in the Best of Breed class. It is from the BOB class that Group competition is derived, when the BOB winner respresenting its individual breed competes against other BOB winners in its Group. Therefore the BOB Cardigan would move into Herding Group competition and compete against others originally bred to herd, such as German Shepherds, Old English Sheepdogs, Bouvier des Flandres, etc. There are 7 Groups; only the 1st place winner in each Group then goes on to the Best In Show competition. Dogs that have achieved their championships but continue to compete in BOB classes are called "specials." In most cases bitches that have been awarded their championships are retired from showing to have puppies, though often a big-winning bitch is shown for a year or two longer before being bred, and then again between litters. The decision to retire a dog upon completion of its championship, or to continue showing it as a special, is entirely up to the owner. But "specials" are believed to be the cream of the crop of a given breed, capable of competing against and defeating the best of its breed. COMPETITION In most cases, showing dogs is merely healthy competition. People love their dogs and enjoy showing them off, hoping the experts will say they have the best dog in the ring on a given day. Winning of course is more satisfying than losing, but it can be fun just to spend the day with your dog and others who also love that breed. Unfortunately some people consider winning the only thing and may be poor sports when they lose--this happens in all competitive activities--but for the most part dog people support one another regardless of the outcome. The more uncommon breeds, such as the Cardigan, tend to have a more close-knit and supportive community. However, not every dog born is of the quality necessary to attain a championship, and thus breeders make a distinction between promising "show prospects," and "pet quality" puppies. Often the determining factor is simply a matter of color and markings, coat texture, tail carriage, or overall size that results in a puppy being deemed a pet instead of a show prospect. Pet-quality puppies are not bad, ugly, or unhealthy specimens of questionable temperament. In the breeder's opinion, they simply don't quite measure up to the quality required for successful competition in the conformation ring. This in no way interferes with their ability to be loving, happy, healthy members of the family. A "pet-quality" Cardigan, so long as it is registered as a purebred, may compete in AKC performance events such as obedience, agility, herding, and tracking. Purebred unregistered Cardigans rescued from shelters or purchased from pet shops--so long as they are spayed or neutered and are deemed purebred by the AKC--are eligible for a special registration number that allows them to compete in performance events. Applications for the Indefinite Listing Privilege number are available on the AKC website at: www.akc.org. Cardigans are an intelligent, versatile breed, and many champions also exceed at performance events, gaining titles in them as well as a breed championship. |
