How to Count Championship Points

Understanding the Classes

All classes are divided by sex and championship status. The non-champion male dogs compete for Winners Dog. The non-champion female dogs compete for Winners Bitch. Only animals awarded Winners Dog and Winners Bitch are eligible to earn points toward their championship status. After that, the Champion animals and the Winners Dog and the Winners Bitch compete for Best of Breed.

What are the classes?

Class options and order are:

* 6-9 months puppy

* 9-12 months puppy

* 12-18 months

* Novice class (which is designated for dogs which have not won three blue ribbons in another class. It applies to the dog, not the exhibitor)

* American Bred Class (dogs bred in the US)

* Bred By Exhibitor Class (dogs bred by the person showing the dog or an immediate family member)

* Amateur Owner Handler Class. (defined by the exhibitor not the dog)

* Open Class (any animal, any age, any handler).

In certain breeds classes might also be divided by coat, color or size.

Very seldom will you see entries in every single one of the available classes. The non champion (or class dogs as we call them) males are all judged in class order. The winner of each class remains at ringside to return and compete for Winners Dog. The second place animal in each class (if there is one) ALSO remains handy.

Winners Dog

This can sometimes be a little confusing. The steward will call the winners of each class back into the ring — in the reverse order they were judged. The judge will select Winners Dog from the class winners. This is the dog who is awarded championship points (more on this later). Once Winners Dog leaves the ring, if there was a dog which placed second in the winner’s class, that dog will be called back in to the ring to be considered for RESERVE Winners Dog. If there was no second place animal, reserve is chosen from the dogs remaining in the ring.

Reserve is literally, the animal who could be awarded championship points if the Winners animal is deemed ineligible for any reason.

Winners Bitch

The female entries go through the same process in order to select Winners Bitch and reserve winners bitch.

Best of Breed Competition

All of the champions are called in to the ring, with Winners Dog and Winners Bitch, at the end of the lineup. Generally the judge will ask for male champions first, female champions next, followed by the winners. This is NOT a given and how the champions are lined up is completely at the judge’s discretion. This is one of the reasons it is smart to watch a ring for a breed or two before yours is judged.

At the end of judging, the judge will line the dogs up in order of their placement… Best of Breed winner is first. Next in line is the Best of Winners. This is the judge’s choice of the best of the class dogs. This award can have bearing when counting points, as we will discuss shortly. Next is the Best of Opposite Sex to Best of Breed. If the judge selects a male dog for Best of Breed, this award is given to a female and vice versa. Finally male and female Select awards are presented. These awards confer grand champion points and are only available to champion dogs in the ring which did not win Best of Breed or Best of Opposite.

How to Count the Points

Points are awarded based on the number of dogs defeated.

Dogs can earn from zero to five points at a given dog show. For example, if there is only class dog and one class bitch entered, there will be no points available.

Any time a dog defeats enough animals to earn three, four or five points it’s called a Major.

All dogs have to earn two major wins and accumulate 15 total points to be awarded championship status.

How many championship points are awarded is...