Only The Official Photographer May Take Win Pictures

By Kit Rodwell

There you stand at the photo area, cell phone in hand (or if you are an amateur photographer, with a camera hung around your neck) while the official show photographer sets up your dog for the win picture. Raise that cell phone or camera and go “click” and you have now made yourself liable for a bench show hearing if the above statement appeared in the premium list.

When you or your handler made the entry you signed an agreement. Now OF COURSE you have read the back of the entry form as to what you agreed to, right? Let me refresh your memory, “In consideration of the acceptance of this entry, I (we) agree to abide by the rules and regulations of The American Kennel Club in effect at the time of this event, and any additional rules and regulations appearing in the premium list of this event and entry form and any decision made in accord with them”.

According to Brandi Hunter, Vice President, Public Relations and Communications whom I queried regarding judges walking outside the ring to take pictures with owners/handlers holding their dogs, and those exhibitors entering the ring with their own cameras to take pictures behind the official photographers – “Anyone (Judges, Exhibitors, Spectators etc.) attending an AKC Conformation event is required to adhere to the restrictions and guide lines that are listed in the premium list.”

Let’s start by defining what is a WIN PICTURE. It consists of three parts, the judge, ribbons and a dog. That is what you CANNOT take a picture of with any form of camera, iPhone, or IPad. You say you need to post it immediately on Facebook? Fine, take a selfie holding your own dog and ribbons, or have another exhibitor take it of the two of you.

So you say, “I don’t need a picture then”. Fine. However, have you any clue how many mistakes are made at the shows on the judge’s books? Several times a year I have a client complain that they counted and thought their dog was finished, moved him or her up to Specials only to get a letter from AKC saying “you boo-booed”! The average age of today’s judges is 74. Now I’m not that far up there yet, but as my clients can testify, I generally make at least one mistake per show, either in sign, armband number, or sex (majorly longcoated breeds).

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Posted by Alex on Dec 12 2016. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.