FUTURITY RULES

UNITED STATES KERRY BLUE TERRIER CLUB

(revised October 1997 by USKBTC Board of Governors)

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of the Futurity is to stimulate and encourage breeders to give prime consideration to improving the Kerry Blue Terrier by planning their breeding program to conform to the Kerry Blue Terrier standard and its intent.

ELIGIBILITY

Puppies six months old through eighteen months old on October 1st of the year of the Futurity will be eligible to compete in the Futurity. These are Kerries born between April 2nd of the year preceding the Futurity and April 1st of the Futurity year. Since the actual date of the Futurity varies by as much as one week from year to year, the class an entrant should be entered in is determined by the dog's age on October 1st of the Futurity year.

The Futurity is open to all AKC-registered and AKC-recognized foreign registered Kerry Blue Terriers which have a breeder or co-breeder who is a member of the United States Kerry Blue Terrier Club. All futurity litter nominations must be made by a breeder who is a USKBTC member.

If a puppy is sold, eligibility will continue to the new owner provided such owner or breeder of the puppy is a member or has applied for membership in the USKBTC at the time he/she pays any fees.

At the time of competition, ownership will be determined by the same conditions affecting entries as required by the American Kennel Club.

No cryptorchid (unilateral of bilateral), neutered, or any other dog with a disqualifying fault under the Kerry Blue Terrier standard or AKC regulations may compete in any Futurity. The Futurity judge is required to dismiss from the ring any dog with a disqualifying fault(s). Any dog that attacks another dog or a person during judging, with intent to bite, shall immediately be dismissed from further competition.

LOCATION AND DATE

The Futurity is to be held annually on the Fall Montgomery County National Specialty weekend on Saturday. The time and place to be determined by the USKBTC Board of Governors.

FEES

It is the sole responsibility of the breeder/owner to pay all fees and to send them to the Futurity secretary within the time limits specified. Fees and deadlines for nomination are as follows:

Puppies born between April 2nd of the year preceding the current Futurity year date (henceforth referred to as "preceding year") through December 1st of the preceding year:
First Payment: $20.00 per litter due March 1st of the Futurity year.
Second Payment: $20.00 per litter or $5.00 per puppy due June 1st of the Futurity year.
Third Payment: $10.00 per puppy to be submitted with show entry.

Puppies born between December 2nd of the preceding year through April 1st of the Futurity year:
First and Second Payments: $40.00 per litter or $20.00 per litter and $5.00 per puppy due June 1st of the Futurity year.
Third Payment: $10.00 per puppy to be submitted with show entry.

CLASSES OFFERED

Classes shall be as follows (dog's age as of October 1st of the Futurity year):

Puppy Dogs, 6-9 months: puppies six months of age to under nine months of age; born between January 2nd of the Futurity year through April 1st of the Futurity year.

Puppy Dogs, 9-12 months: puppies nine months of age to under twelve months of age; born between October 2nd of the preceding year through January 1st of the Futurity year.

Junior Dogs, 12-15 months: juniors twelve months of age to under fifteen months of age; born between July 2nd of the preceding year through October 1st of the preceding year.

Junior Dogs, 15-18 months: juniors fifteen months of age to under eighteen months of age; born between April 2nd of the preceding year and July 1st of the preceding year.

Similar Classification for bitches.

JUDGES

Judges are not asked to be prophets and anticipate what the dogs will look like in the future. Instead, they are asked to judge the Futurity to the best of their abilities, following the standard for the Kerry Blue Terrier, and according to their visualization of such standard when it is applied to the age of the class that is being judged.

Equal consideration is to be given to each of the class winners in the run-off competitions, realizing that the more youthful dogs will be less mature, provided that such points of immaturity are normal and appropriate for this breed at that time in development and should not be penalized.

Since handlers may range from the novice to the professional, and because it is a breeder's Futurity, it is hoped judges will place emphasis on the selection of a superior specimen and have considerable tolerance for the novice handler.

There will be three judges, one selected from each of three different geographical regions as designated by the USKBTC Board of Governors. Judges are selected by the Judges Selection Committee which is appointed yearly by the USKBTC Board of Governors. Judges will be designated Judge A, Judge B, or Judge C immediately before judging on the day of the Futurity, by random drawing.

A judge's state of residence is determined by their primary address or residence. Judges selected are not required to be USKBTC members. A judge's state of residence is that at the time of their hiring by the Judges Selection Committee; relocation to a different state following their selection will not affect their assignment.

A scheduled judge not in attendance at the Futurity site fifteen minutes prior to the scheduled start time of judging will be replaced. A committee of the USKBTC president, the Futurity Committee chairman/chairmen, and those Futurity Rules Committee members in attendance will select the replacement judge. Any replacement judge will judge the entire assignment.

JUDGING SCHEDULE

Dogs and bitches will be judged separately until selection of Best in Futurity and Best of Opposite Sex to Best in Futurity.

One large ring will be utilized and will clearly be identified as ring #1. The ring will have ring stewards and armbands for the assigned classes (dogs-odd numbered, bitches-even numbered) will be available at the ring from the ring stewards. Prior to the ring being manned, armband numbers may be picked up from the Futurity secretary.

Signs will be provided to display classes being judged.

Each class will be judged by two of the judges as selected prior to judging with both judges evaluating the class simultaneously.

The class placements will be selected by averaging the scores of the two judges. Judge's placements will be assigned by averaging the scores of the two judges. Judge's placements will be assigned a point value as follows: first place-4 pts., second place-3 pts., third place-2 pts., fourth place-1 pt., no placement-0 pts. Each judge will score each class, the points will be averaged, and the dog with the highest average is the winner, second highest total is second, etc. for third and fourth placements. In the event of a tie among placements, the third judge will be used to break the tie or ties.

Classes will be judged in the following order by the following judges:

6-9 month Puppy Dogs: Judges A & B
6-9 month Puppy Bitches: Judges B & C
9-12 month Puppy Dogs: Judges A & C
9-12 month Puppy Bitches: Judges A & B
12-15 month Junior Dogs:Judges B & C
12-15 month Junior Bitches: Judges A & C
15-18 month Junior Dogs: Judges A & B
15-18 month Junior Bitches: Judges B & C

Dogs and bitches from each class with the highest score will be declared class winners and will proceed to the run-off competition. Tabulation and verification of points will be completed by the Futurity secretary and ring stewards.

All three judges will judge each run-off competition. The dog receiving a majority of the three votes in each run-off competition will proceed to the next round of competition. Run-off classes will be judged in the following order:

Best Puppy Dog: 6-9 winner versus 9-12 winner
Best Puppy Bitch: 6-9 winner versus 9-12 winner
Best Junior Dog: 12-15 winner versus 15-18 winner
Best Junior Bitch: 12-15 winner versus 15-18 winner
Best Dog: Best Puppy Dog versus Best Junior Dog
Best Bitch: Best Puppy Bitch versus Best Junior Bitch
Best in Futurity/Best of Opposite Sex to Best in Futurity: Best Dog versus Best Bitch.

In all classes, there is to be absolutely no conferring between judges. Judges will judge classes using normal AKC judging procedures. Judging speed should average 2-2 1/2 minutes per dog.

CASH DISBURSEMENTS

The prize money will include total moneys collected (entry fees, nominations fees, donations, etc.) less Futurity expenses. Purse distributions will be as follows:

Best in Futurity: 20% of total purse
Best of Opposite Sex to Best in Futurity: 10% of total purse
Best Puppy Dog in Futurity: 5% of total purse
Best Puppy Bitch in Futurity: 5% of total purse
Best Junior Dog in Futurity: 5% of total purse
Best Junior Bitch in Futurity: 5% of total purse
First place in each age division: 20% of division purse
Second place in each age division: 15% of division purse
Third place in each age division: 10% of division purse
Fourth place in each age division: 5% of division purse

(remaining 50% of division purses are distributed as described in preceding paragraph)

All prize money will distributed between the owner (75%) and the breeder (25%). Moneys will be sent to addresses given on entry blanks. Prize money will be mailed to recipients within 60 days after the Futurity.

Rosettes will be offered for class placements, Best Puppy Dog, Best Puppy Bitch, Best Junior Dog, Best Junior Bitch, Best in Futurity, and Best of Opposite Sex to Best in Futurity.

Trophies may be offered if money specifically donated for this purpose is given.

RULES

Futurity rules and procedures will on occasion be evaluated and revised as needed by a committee appointed by the USKBTC Board of Governors. Three members will be appointed to this committee. Any revisions require approval by the USKBTC Board of Governors. A Futurity Donations Committee will also be appointed.

Last Updated: 08/13/2006, 3:06 pm