American Bulldog association

club, judge, and registration information

Starting an ABA sanctioned Club

For owners of ABA registered American Bulldogs who have an interest in forming an ABA sanctioned club for the purpose of holding weight pulling competitions and/or conformation shows for ABA registered dogs, the following information is provided.

Requirements for ABA Sanctioned Clubs

All clubs must have at least 10 members; an annual updated list of all members with their addresses must be filed with the ABA.  When the required number of members have been met, an organizational meeting should be held and officers elected and a name chosen for the club or association.  This organizational meeting will be termed the first official meeting with subsequent annual meeting to be held the same month the following year.

Meetings should be held at least every other month.  Elections must take place annually, with the results filed with the ABA. The following officers must be elected at the annual meeting: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Corresponding Secretary.

A constitution which states the objectives of the club must be drawn up.  A separate paragraph must be included which states "No member of (name of) Club nor any participant at any club function may hold the American Bulldog Association responsible for any liability whatsoever which may occur at any scheduled club meetings or functions."  A copy of the constitution must be on file with the ABA.  A similar disclaimer statement listing the ABA and the club itself as not being liable for any damaging incident must be signed by all club members and participants (including spectators) at all ABA sanctioned events.

ABA Sanctioning

When all the requirements are met, and the ABA receives written confirmation, we will print an official announcement in the Bulldog Review along with a contacts name and phone number. After which, space will be made available for a club column in the Bulldog Review.

A club must have at least one fun or practice show before a license for a sanctioned event will be issued.  The Fun Show should follow all the rules for a sanctioned event including the filing of the show report to familiarize your members with the required procedures.

After your club has had a Fun Show and has the confidence to hold a sanctioned event, a show date and location must be chosen.  A request must be made in writing, and will automatically be approved if the date does not conflict with a previously licensed event.  Show dates may be chosen and reserved up to one year in advance and must be set up far enough ahead that the event can be advertised in the Bulldog Review preceding the show date.  Said advertisement will be printed in the Bulldog Review at no charge to the club.

An established club or association that desires to sponsor an ABA sanctioned conformation or weight pull show must make application in writing to the ABA with the signatures of two club officers requesting the desired show dates. Sanctioned clubs are usually allowed two 2 day shows (total of four) per year.

The dates requested will be assigned if they do not conflict with another club in your area.  We will assign dates up to one year in advance, so plan ahead to avoid disappointment.

A camera-ready ad (1/4 to full page) with dates, location, events and other relevant particulars [or the info so we can put an ad together] must be submitted for publication in the American Bulldog Review magazine and the American Bulldog World website at least one issue prior to the show date. Example: A show in July must be announced in the January issue of ABR. The July issue would not be acceptable.

A show license and show report form will be mailed to the sponsoring club prior to the show date, which must be returned completed and signed by two club officers and the show judge within one week after the show with the required fee, $1.00 per dog with a $30.00 minimum per show.

Judges for ABA events need to be licensed by the ABA.

Judge Selections

Clubs are free to choose their conformation judges from the ABA Approved Judges list. A judge may officiate one show per day maximum, and can judge the other type than he judged the first day on the second day of the two day show. (Standard type on Saturday, Bully type Sunday or Bully type on Saturday and Standard type on Sunday.)

We are working on a new Apprentice Judge program, additions to the requirements and testing procedures to be announced.

Apprentice judges will apprentice under senior judges and get 3 senior judge’s recommendations and pass a judging test.  Successful applicants approved by the ABA will receive their probationary junior judge license. After the probationary junior judge judges for one year or 3 shows, he or she will be evaluated and with the approval of the ABA, granted a Junior Judge’s license.  After the one year Junior judge period, ABA approved Junior Judges will be granted a Senior Judge License.  A junior judge cannot approve an apprentice.

Persons sponsored to apprentice for their ABA judges license should have a commitment to and an active background with the breed and be a respected member of the American Bulldog community.

A lot of time and effort by many experts went into the drawing up of the Official ABA standard for the American Bulldog. We feel that it adequately describes both types of the breed without placing unwarranted emphasis on any certain type.

The total fee payable to ABA for keeping track of points per event is $3.00 per dog entered or a $15.00 minimum if fewer than 30 dogs are entered.  When the required points per dog are accumulated, the ABA will furnish the dog's owner with the proper championship certificate at no charge and the dog's file will be updated with its new degree.

Judges travel expense/compensation and all ribbons and trophies will be paid by the hosting club.

No non-sanctioned events may take place until sanctioned events are completed.

All dogs competing at ABA events must be registered with the ABA on the day of the show and the owner or handler must have the original ABA registration certificate so the registration number can be verified before entering the show. ABA single registration may be available day of show at the discretion of the sanctioned club’s ABA representative. All the regular single registration requirements must be met.

The entry fee amount for sanctioned events is left entirely up to the hosting club.  It is suggested that a discount be available for multiple entries from kennels or individuals to encourage more participation.

The American Bulldog Association reserves the right to make changes at our discretion of any or all requirements.

ABA Sanctioned Club Benefits

1. Space will be available in each edition of ABR for sanctioned and forming clubs’ newsletters at no charge.

2. A directory of sanctioned clubs and clubs forming will be posted in each issue of ABR and listed in the AB Home Page of the Internet on a perpetual basis at no charge.

3. A full page ad to announce a club’s first sanctioned show at no charge. Thereafter each club will receive a free ¼ page ad to announce sanctioned shows and trials. (Clubs have the option of upgrading to a half or full page ad by paying the difference in rates from the ¼ page free ad.)

4. Each club will receive from one to three pages (depending on availability) of space in the ABR for show reports, winners’ listings, and photos for all sanctioned events.

The phone number for the ABA Registration office is (580)931-3331; phone hours are Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. central time.

Any questions, please email to: ababulldog@myrhinomail.com

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