Kennel Club Announces Two Year Suspension Of AV Stakes Classes & Unbeaten Dog Regulations

The Kennel Club has announced a two year suspension to the regulations which stipulate that dogs must be entered and exhibited in a breed class before exhibiting in an Any Variety Class/Stakes Class, and the regulation that only unbeaten dogs are eligible to compete in a group or best in show competition.

The decision is the second policy change to result from the work of the Kennel Club’s Dog Show Promotion Working Party, which is looking into ways to improve and increase the popularity of dog shows.

As of 1 January 2015, there will be a two year suspension to the regulations which stipulate that dogs must be entered and exhibited in a breed class before exhibiting in an Any Variety Class/Stakes Class. It has been noted by the Kennel Club that exhibitors often withdraw their Best of Breeds from AV/Stakes classes in order to remain unbeaten for the group. Therefore, whilst many exhibitors initially enter the AV/Stakes Classes, not all go on to compete.

It is anticipated that this regulation suspension will not only encourage exhibitors who have dogs entered in both AV/Stakes classes and breed classes to compete in all classes for which they had originally entered, thus reducing the absentee rate for AV classes, but that additional entries will be generated from exhibitors who may not wish or be eligible to enter their dogs in the scheduled breed classes for one reason or another.

The regulation that stipulates that only unbeaten dogs are eligible to compete in a group or best in show competition has also been suspended for a two year period.  Therefore a dog declared Best of Breed which has been beaten in an AV/Stakes class will remain eligible to compete in the group and best in show competitions.

Keith Young, Dog Show Promotion Working Party Chairman, said: “We believe that these proposals will have a positive impact on entries at shows, and will make for better competition in AV/Stakes classes.”

The Kennel Club will shortly publish FAQs to assist show societies and exhibitors with the implications of this new policy. In addition to this, updated specimen schedules will be available on the Kennel Club website to reflect the changes.

The announcement follows a previous change recommended by the Dog Show Promotion Working Party, which permits breed clubs to hold their Championship Shows in conjunction with another breed club, or with a larger General or Group Championship show. Effective from 1 January 2015, this policy will allow two sets of Challenge Certificates in the same breed to be awarded at two different Championship shows on the same day, at the same venue.

Anyone requiring further information about the changes should contact breedshows@thekennelclub.org.uk.

Posted by chesliepickett on Nov 13 2014. Filed under World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.