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<p class=MsoNormal>Dog shows are kind of like elimination tournaments in
sports, with boys teams and girls teams. This is the way it goes:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>The boys (dogs) are divided into “classes”
according to age, by whom they are being shown, or choice. The classes
are Puppies 6 – 9 months, Puppies 9 – 12 months, Puppies 12 –
18 months, Bred by Exhibitor, American Bred and Open. The owner can enter
the dog in any class for which it qualifies by age or category. Then, all
of the dogs entered in a given “class” compete against each other
for 1<sup>st</sup> place in that “class”. Next, the 1<sup>st</sup>
place winners from each class compete against each other for “Winner’s
Dog” (WD). The Winner’s Dog is the ONLY dog that gets
points. The number of points are determined by the number of dogs that
the Winner’s Dog beats. For example, in the Ohio/Michigan region
(the point system varies by region based on the number of AKC registrations in
the region during the previous year) 1 point is earned for beating 1 –
3 dogs; 2 points is earned for beating 4 – 5 dogs; 3 points is earned for
beating 6 – 7 dogs; 4 points is earned for beating 8 – 10 dogs and
5 points is earned for beating 11 or more dogs. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Then the girls (bitches) are divided into the same classes
as the boys and compete against the other girls in the same way. The Winner’s
Bitch is the ONLY bitch that gets points. The point system for our region
for bitches is 1 point for beating 1 – 4 bitches, 2 points for beating 5 –
7 bitches; 3 points for beating 8 – 9 bitches; 4 points for beating 10 –
14 bitches; 5 points for beating 15 or more bitches. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Once the Winner’s Dog and Winner’s Bitch are
selected, they compete with any “Specials” (dogs or bitches that
already have earned their championship) for the Best of Breed award. At
the end of this level of competition, one dog or bitch will be chosen as Best
of Breed. Either the Winner’s Dog or Winner’s Bitch will be
chosen as “Best of Winners” and one dog or bitch will be chosen as “Best
of Opposite Sex” (opposite sex of the Best of Breed). The Best of
Breed dog or bitch will then compete in the Hound Group, representing Basset
Hounds. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Now, here it where it gets a little bit complicated –
If the Winner’s Dog earned 3 points because he defeated 6 other dogs and
the Winner’s Bitch earned 5 points because she defeated 15 other bitches
AND the Winner’s Dog is chosen as Best of Winner’s, then he gets
the same number of points as the Winner’s Bitch (i.e. 5 points).
The Winner’s Bitch still get’s her 5 points also. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>In order to earn a championship, a dog or bitch must
accumulate a total of 15 points. Of these points, two sets of points must
be “majors” (3, 4 or 5 points at a time) and cannot be under the
same judge. This rule is intended to assure that the specific dog or
bitch is of sufficient quality to defeat a large number of other bassets at
least twice in his/her career and did not earn a championship by defeating just
one other dog on 15 different occasions. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>That’s enough for one lesson – the way “specials”
compete and “hound points” and “all-breed points” are another
whole set of lessons.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Is this all about clear as mud ???<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Sandi Wittenberg<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Red Bay Bassets<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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