Match shows are very good hobby with your dog. You may enter match show not only with pedigree dog, but also with cross-bred dog or a dog with not both testicles or with tooth fault. The meaning is to evaluate the co-operation between the dog and the handler. The appearance or look is not very important. So here is just fantastic hobby also for those pedigree dogs, which have not chance to success in official dog shows because of colour faults etc. And this is also much cheaper hobby when comparing to dog shows. I recommend match shows for young dogs. This is just great chance to make your young dog familiar with show world, other dogs and people.
Match shows are arranged here in Finland tens or maybe hundreds every year. They are arranged often by different dog clubs. More information about your living area match shows you get direct from the dog clubs. About Finnish match shows you find often more information from the web at www.koirat.com or www.showdognet.com, but I think in every country where match shows are arranged more information can be found from local magazines and newspapers, notice boards in stores etc.
You should take with you to the match show the vaccination testimony and of course money for the participation fee. The price is here in Finland often about 7-10 €.
The judges in match shows does not always have official judging rights (at least not to all breeds). So here is one reason why the evaluation can not be performed just for the looks and expression. The other reason is of course that also dogs with mixe-breed are allowed to enter match shows and as you know they do not have any standards how they should look like. Still the judges are very often famous and experienced breeders, so they know how to handle and evaluate the dogs.
In match shows you compete in following classes (this is not the same in every show!):
puppies
small pedigree dogs (under 40 cm)
big pedigree dogs (over 40 cm)
mixed-breeds
There is also sometimes a "child and dog" competition and own class for veterans.
The dogs are divided to pairs in registering order. The pair goes to the ring together for judging. Dogs will be shown just like in official dog shows: they stand and run in the ring as the judge says together and alone. The judge also checks the teeth, structure and moves just like in official shows. The judge will NOT give any written evaluation. He just chooses the better of these two dogs and gives the red ribbon to the dog. The second one has blue ribbon. This ribbon is meant to be fasten to the lead. Often all dogs have also some surprise prize at this stage (for example some titbit).
Placing in this pair competition is often depended on which kind of dog will be the other one, but you have to remember match shows are playful competitions. When all the pairs are judged, it is turn to choose the best of the blue ones (second placed dogs). Usually 4-5 of them will be placed and rewarded. Often the best of these will enter the best in show competition (BIS). The custom alternates very often: sometimes blue is not allowed to enter BIS competition at all, sometimes they arrange own best in show competition for the blues. Of course they choose the best dogs of the red ones too from every class, from which the best will enter the BIS-competition. In BIS-competition will be the best red dog from every class (and sometimes best blue one). From these the best will be Best In Show dog in that match show.
The prizes are in match shows very often better than in official dog shows (at least when you think the prize of the participation). Usually all dogs get a little titbit or other prize, but the bigger prizes will be given to the 5 best dogs of the classes and usually 4-5 best dogs of the show. Very often the winner of the class will already have a very nice prizes like 15kg dog food. In BIS-competition the dog has a chance to win even more food prizes and very often also a prize cup as a remembrance.