rules for aba conformation shows
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.
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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 fees.
Judges for ABA events need to be licensed by the ABA.
Apprentice judges must be sponsored by an ABA club and approved by the ABA. Applicants will apprentice under senior judges to obtain their licenses. Persons sponsored to apprentice for their judges license should have a commitment to and an active background with the breed, and be a respected member of the bulldog community.
We are working on a new Apprentice Judge program, additions to the requirements and new testing procedures will be announced.
Rules Governing ABA Shows
1. No dogs to be staked out. All dogs will be crated while not being shown or exercised.
2. No dogs to be crated or walked near the show ring, minimum distance to be determined by club officials.
3. Dogs may not be entered which are owned *or bred by the judge or the judge's immediate family.
4. If for any reason the assigned judge is unable to officiate, the club officers will select a competent replacement judge. Rule #3 is applicable.
5. The judge's placement at the end of each class is final.
6. A handler may talk to the judge concerning his dog's placement at the end of the class or at the end of the show, at the judge's discretion.
7. The judge may excuse any dog and handler if he or she feels the dog in not under control or exhibits any vicious propensities.
8. The choice of judges lies entirely with the officers of the hosting club.
9. All dogs entered must be ABA registered and show proof when registering. Absolutely no exceptions.
10. No muzzles.
11. Dogs must be shown on a 4 foot (or less) leash.
12. Collars may be of the tie-out type, choke or correction (pinch) type.
13. The ring announcer when calling a dog to the ring or otherwise referring to a entered dog within hearing of the judge shall use the dogs entry number only. The dog, owner, handler or breeders’ name may not be announced to the spectators or to the judge.
14. No Baiting. This is to include any food items such as hot dogs, liver, etc; or toys, clickers or other objects. The judge is allowed to use keys, clickers, or toys other than food items to get a dogs attention.
15. ABA conformation shows are not to be halted between classes for posed photos. Photos can be taken after the show.
16. No “double handling,” which is defined by the owner or one of the owners or someone the dog knows or agent of the owner distracting or making noise to draw the dogs attention or the dog’s competition’s attention from outside the ring. Dogs will be dismissed for double handling.
Order of Classes
6 to 9 month and 9 to 12 month puppy classes and best of sex puppy classes will be shown first. The male adult classes will be held next culminating with Best Male in Show. The Female adult classes are then shown culminating with Best Female in Show, after which the Best Male competes with the Best Female for Best in Show.
To ease the load on the assigned judges, the 6 to 9 month and the 9 to 12 month classes and the Best Male Puppy and the Best Female Puppy may be judged by a third ABA licensed judge if one is available.
The adult classes through best of sex and best in show of either type will be judged by one judge through Best in Show with the exception of a medical emergency, in which case the sponsoring club’s officers shall assign an alternate ABA licensed judge. If an ABA licensed judge is not available the sponsoring club’s officers will choose a qualified emergency judge.
Point Breakdowns
Puppy Classes: 6 to 9 months & 9 to 12 months.
1st place = 3 pts, 2nd place = 2 pts, 3rd place = 1 point.
The 1st place winners of the puppy classes compete against each other for Best Male Puppy or Best Female Puppy of Show. The winners of each receive 5 additional points. No additional points for “dogs placed over” in the puppy classes.
A Best Male Puppy or Best Female Puppy of Show win does not count as the major win requirement for conformation champion.
Adult Classes: JUNIOR 1 to 2 years, SENIOR 2 to 3 years, VETERAN 3 years and over.
1st place = 5 points*, 2nd place = 3 points*, 3rd place = 1 point*.
*Plus one point for each dog you placed over.
*The new point system implemented is the fairest possible. In the adult classes if you win over a small amount of dogs you win a small amount of points, win over a large group of dogs you win more points. With our former point system a lone dog winning in a small class would win the same points as a 2nd or 3rd place a class of 9! A 3rd place dog in a class of 9 that won over 7 dogs would receive less points than a dog that won-over none or just a few, which is just not fair, All other point and major requirements remain the same.
The 1st place winners of the adult classes compete with each other for Best Male or Best Female of Show and each receives an additional 10 points. The Best Male and Best Female then compete for Best in Show, which the winner of receives 5 additional points. Note: there is no Best Opposite at ABA shows.
In addition to the 100 points required to obtain an ABA Conformation Championship, it is required that the dog or bitch must have at least one major win over 15 or more dogs of his or her sex, or 2 wins over 10. This “major” required is a “best male” or “best female”. This type of requirement ensures that an ABA Championship means something.
*Upon compiling 100 points which is to include one major win from sanctioned ABA conformation shows, the dog's owner will receive a notification of champion status with the instructions to mail in their old registration certificate which will be replaced with a new registration certificate with Championship status indicated and a separate ABA Championship Certificate and will therefore be designated as a conformation champion in all official records. The dog then becomes eligible to compete in the Champion of Champion class. A dog is not allowed to show in the champion class on the weekend he finishes because the dog is not an official champion until the report with the final win is received and recorded by the ABA.
A Champion of Champions class can be held in conjunction with each conformation show if 3 champions are entered to compete. A Champion must accumulate three championship wins under three separate senior judges in order to be awarded the title of Grand Champion. Non-sanctioned events (fun classes for under aged pups, demonstrations, fun weight pulls) should be scheduled for before or after the scheduled times of sanctioned events.
A scheduled ABA show, weight pull, or WST & BST certifications should not be delayed by a non sanctioned event.
Promotion of non-ABA sanctioned clubs, associations, or registries (information booths, tables and/or passing out literature) is prohibited at all ABA sanctioned events without written permission of the American Bulldog Association.
The phone number for the ABA Registration office is (580)931-3331; calling hours are Monday thru Friday ,10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. central time.
Any questions, please email to: ababulldog@myrhinomail.com
Contact phone: (580)931-3331