Page 29 - Chow LIfe - Spring 2019

Understanding The New 1+1=1 Rule

Revision to the Rules Applying to Dog Shows

By Judging Operations on December 21, 2018

The Delegates at the December 2018 meeting approved a revision to Chapter 16 Section 1 of the Rules
Applying to Dog Shows. This revision, which relates to the calculation of points for Best of Winners, is
effective January 1, 2019. The revised rule provides a provision where a single point may be earned by the
dog awarded Best of Winners if neither sex had sufficient dogs in competition to qualify for one point for its
breed in the region the show was held.

The revised paragraph 5 of Chapter 16 Section 1 will read as follows:
The dog awarded the Best of Winners shall be credited with the number of points calculated for Winners
Dog or Winners Bitch, whichever is greater. If no points are credited to the dog awarded Best of Winners,
the regular class dogs of both sexes shall be counted in calculating championship points. A maximum of one
championship point can be awarded when combining sexes for the Best of Winners point calculation.

In Summary:
• The championship criteria remains unchanged
• The sexes may only be combined if there is not a point available in both sexes.
• The combination of animals has to be compared to the applicable point schedule to determine is a point
was earned.

To explain, when neither sex has sufficient entry for one point, Best of Winners will now earn one point if the
sum of the class dogs and class bitches equals or exceeds the number required for one point in the breed for
that sex in the region the show was held.

To illustrate:
Under the following point schedules, there is 1 regular class dog and 1 regular class bitch in competition.

Results:
Example 1: BOW is eligible to earn a point regardless of the sex.

Example 2: Winners Dog is eligible to earn a point if awarded BOW; Winners Bitch is not eligible to
earn a point if awarded BOW.

Example 3: BOW is not eligible to earn a point regardless of the sex.

While the purpose of this post is to inform and educate on changes to rules and policies which relate to
the sport, it is essential to understand that this change does not effect in any way the manner in which
judges are to judge at AKC conformation dog shows.
Winners Dog and Winners Bitch remain by definition the respective entry in the regular classes (puppy
through open) who in the opinion of the judge on the day, are worthy of championship points and
represent the greatest assimilation of positive attributes of that breed; Best of Winners remains by
definition the judges preferred exhibit between Winners Dog and Winners Bitch.
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