I've just been trying to find out how you qualify for crufts. As far as I can see, you qualify by winning 1st, 2nd, 3rd in a breed class where CC's are on offer.

You can also qualify by gaining BIS, RBIS or BPIS at an open show.

If this is correct, to me, it seems too easy - sometimes in our breed classes there ARE only 3 dogs in the class - would this mean an automatic qualification? Or does there need to be a certain number of dogs in the class?

Many thanks in advance.

No there are no rules about numbers present - it is easy for breeds with small numbers although they do not get that many opportunities as they do not get classified as often as more numerous breeds who do have a more difficult job to be placed in the first three of a class.

Just because there are only 3 present does not mean that the judge has to place all 3. If they are not of sufficient quality the judge can withhold awards.

Not all classes give you a qualifier for Crufts even if CC's are on offer.

The KC can and does alter the qualifier, it does not always remain the same.  Below is a link for the 2010 qualifications, cannot find one for 2011

http://www.crufts.org.uk/crufts-2010-qualification

OK thanks. I notice that some schedules have "This is a crufts qualifying show".

Does that mean that schedules that don't have that ARE NOT? Or is it all champ shows with CC's on offer?

Also, how will you know if you qualified? Do you get a qualification card? Or do you have to understand the system?

If the Schedule for a Premier Open Show says  "This is a crufts qualifying show" - some of the classes will qualify you but not all!!!!

No, not all Champ shows with CC's on offer, you have to read the link as above and see what is the qualification for your breed, it is not the same for all.

You have to keep a record of what your dog wins or what your dog gets placed and when the Crufts schedules come out you have to put on the Form where your dog qualified.   You will not receive a qualification card or anything to tell you that your dog has qualified, it is down to you to keep tabs on your dogs placings. 

Yes, you have to understand the system, it is complicated, read through the link above, it is very long.  And if you are not sure it is best to ask someone in your breed.

Hope this helps somewhat.

Might I ask what breed you have?

Jeff.

Does that mean that schedules that don't have that ARE NOT? Or is it all champ shows with CC's on offer

It all depends on your breed. Not all breeds have CCs on offer, ever, (for those it IS easy to qualify, as ALL champ.shows qualify them), and many breeds only have them at some shows. For my breed Malinois we currently have 8 shows a year with CCs, not counting Crufts itself. The shows without the CCs get much smaller entries, but there you cannot qualify.

If the Schedule for a Premier Open Show says  "This is a crufts qualifying show" - some of the classes will qualify you but not all!!!!

Again this is BREED and not class. For certain breeds at Premier Open shows BOB will qualify but no other placings in the breed classes. It's usually only the numerically strong breeds that qualify, such as Goldens, Labradors, Cavaliers.

Even if your breed does have CC's on offer at all championship shows, it is not as easy as has been said, when the breed has entries of 150 (which would be a low entry) to 250(even as many as 280)!!

Thanks for the replies, I think I understand (a little) more!

Jeff, I have a german shorthaired pointer who is 6 months next month.

You cannot qualify even at Ch Shows if CC's are on offer in certain classes i.e. Novice, Maiden and others.  It is best to see which are the qualifying classes for your breed, you need to see what Stud Book Band you are in. 

2011 qualifications aren't out yet, think a friend in my breed said it's going to be August as she checked with the KC at a show to see if she'd qualified and they said that they couldn't confirm ituntil the quals. were out in the summer.

> 2011 qualifications aren't out yet, think a friend in my breed said it's going to be August as she checked with the KC at a show to see if she'd qualified and they said that they couldn't confirm ituntil the quals. were out in the summer. <IMG class=qButton title="Quote selected text" alt="Quote selected text" src="/images/mi_quote.gif" width=20 height=10>

Yes, I could not find them on the KC website, so I assumed that the KC had not, as yet, decided on the 2011 qualifications required, so gave a link to the 2010 qualifications, which could well be changed later.

So if the 2011 qualification aren't out yet, how come a lot of people have been saying "I've qualified for Crufts 2011" ?

Because it doesn't ever change by much. One year it was only the first two places in the relevant classes that qualified, but it's usually the first three.