Has anyone else seen the news that the Kennel Club are developing a new 25 point system for a new title for Open Show winners.

1 point for Best of Breed
1 point for Best AVNSC
1 point for Group4
2 points for Group3
3 points for Group2
4 points for Group 1
4 points for a BIS at a single Group Show
5 points for a BIS at a all breeds Open Show

Could this be the answer to falling Open Show entries?
I for one think it could be a good start.The title will be allowed to be used in show catalogues ( ShCM )
Dawn R.

It is really weird, as I had been thinking of writing into the dog papers with almost the smae idea, something woth 25 points, a step below a Champion, but for adults, not just the pups that try for JW. I would hate for our system for making Champions to be made easier!

Glad I didn't now, as would have felt foolish!!!

what it doesn't say is when the eligibility for the scheme started, can I claim for past wins?

is nt it more or less aglorified junior warrant :rolleyes: -for all ages

Do you not think that falling open show entries are due to the rise in petrol costs, people just don't have the cash to do open & championship? There's more rewards (CC's!) to be gained at Ch. shows and that's where the "up & coming" folk want to be seen at, isn't it? No bideing your time and working your way up now...just move in, get on loads of commitees, get judging appointments and put up the ones who'll award you in the future etc.......

As a newbie.. I love the open shows.

I do agree that they can be costly as well but for me I feel it is great not only for handling it means I need to keep on top of my grooming.

I think you can build your confidence at the open shows also.

Everyone needs to start somewhere and I think the openshows are certainly the place.

Pam

Forgive me for being ignorant - I am new to showing - but what does junior warrant mean?
Hilda

Is this a different scheme than that published on our dogs website??

I enjoy the open shows and would love to see a far better turn out in my breed.

Some open shows I go to there are a few of my breed and others I have travelled to I am the

only one.

I feel sorry for the judge and spend my whole time apologising for the lack of entrants.

One thing I have noticed and never really 100% found out the reasons is that I see a few

entrants and then they don't show up, this happens a lot certainly in the shows I went to last year.

BFN

Pam

The way I saw the new scheme appealing to me is this. I have an Irish Setter which has had a very successful Open Show career in the recent past. 2X BIS 5X Group 1 1X Group 2 3X Group 3 and 1X Group4 15X BOB. He would have qualified easily for the new award. As I have long since given up on the dream that he would ever become a champion, I would have been thrilled and over the moon to have had this new award,and I would have felt really REwarded.Championship Show entries are huge in Irish Setters and it's an uphill struggle just to get placed. I am a nobody, certainly not a 'face', so when my dog was well placed I was able to be confident that he had won on his merits. However I'm not under any illusion as to his faults. Therefor I welcome an award that encourages competition on another level.Long live Open Shows, not all dogs can have success at Champ Show level, and exhibitors that don't taste a little success from time to time end up giving up through lack of encouragement.
Dawn R.

Have to agree with you, as at the moment there is no reward for attending Open shows, other than how you do on the day. With a numerically small breed, even with a Champion you don't often get anywhere in the Group or best in show competition, so ypou end up concentrating your efforts on Champ shows.

with the numerciaclly strong breeds good examples of the breed often don't get a look in in a huge entry, especially if not expertly handled.

I will certainly want to support this new award.

When does it run from, will past wins count??

Hi Guys,

As you are aware the atmosphere at the open shows generally is a bit more relaxed which for a newcomer is great. It lets people find their feet and I also think people have a bit more time to talk and be helpful.

I have done quite a lot of open shows and and quite confident at them now but I am a wreck at the champshows and funnily for all the wrong reasons.

When I finish my masters in May I am going to give a bit more of my time to one of the clubs and try and help out a bit.

BFN Pam :-)

The award will count any wins from January 1st 2003. I think it's a really good idea as I love open show because of the atmosphere and the fact I know most of the other exhibitors. We seem to take turns in winning as different judges like different things and we are all really pleased when each other wins. I just hope that this doesn't encourage people to push their dogs too hard like the Junior Warrant does although with no age limit hopefully it won't.
Nicky

Its a great pity that the open shows are going down hill. I can remember showing puppies in classes of thirty or more in the late seventies and early eighties and having great fun and making many new friends. Unfortunately ill health and the fact that all our dogs were getting too old to show we did not show at any level for about ten years. Now the open shows just have four or five in many classes, but there are still of lot of new people trying their hand, they have even offered me advice on how to show 'your first dog'. I don't travel too far to the open shows because of my health but I must say I am really enjoying myself and I have been back showing since July 2000. We have been very successful with the two young dogs that we are showing which makes it even nicer. Anything the KC can do to make the open shows more competitive the better, I'd love to see a return to large classes. As far as judges go where else are they going to learn, most will make mistakes, but we all learn by our mistakes. The jewel in the crown is not just qualifing for Crufts its the fun you have along the way. If open shows continue to flounder then we shall all be the poorer for it.