Finnish show rules starting 1.1.2003

Translated by Sanna Korpela
ATTENTION: we will not quarantee here is all translated right (there might be some mistakes).

New dog show regulations took effect 1.1.2003 in Finland. The Finnish Kennel Club (SKL-FKK) accepted the new regulations and they are observed in all shows accepted by the Finnish kennel club. To this document is collected the most important things from these regulations. The parts changed in essential way from rules we had before, has been written with red colour. As a source I have used Finnish Kennel Club's show regulations, which I downloaded from website of Dog news.

Exhibitor, remember these:

• when you register your dog to the show you bind yourself to observe the Finnish Kennel Club's dog show regulations, Finnish Kennel Club's show ordering regulations and FCI's regulations, and you agree your personal details filled to the registering form may be published and given to outsiders
• you may not speak to judge evaluating at the show before the evaluation or during the evaluation without a forcing reason
• you may not disturb or criticize the judge or otherwise behave unsuitability or in other way against the good manners during the show 
• you shall take care of your dog's well-being and good treatment
• the club arranging the show or its functionaries are not responsible for the damages your dog may cause during the show

Participation rights

The dog entering the show must:

• be registered by the kennel club accepted by FCI
• be indetificated with Finnish Kennel Club's approved way
• come up to the health requirements by the Finnish Kennel Club
• be shown without muzzle or other corresponding controlling equipment

The dog may not enter the show if

• the dog is sick
• the male does not have normal testicles
• the female is clearly having the heat
• the female breastfeeding or which has puppies with it
• the dog is dangerously angry
• there has done some operation to the dog for correcting some quality, which is determined as a fault by the breed standard
• the coat of the dog has been dyed or groomed against the breed standard, as an effort to hide for example long-hairy or real quality of the coat
• the dog's coat, nose or skin has been manipulated with material, which effect to color, shape or structure
• the dog is against the general antidoping rule
• the dog has been docked illegal way (Finnish law)
• the dog is related with the judge or functionary as it is said in the Finnish Kennel Club's general legal incapacity rule
• the dog is owned by the evaluating judge in the same day when the judge is evaluating at the same show
• the dog is owned by the judge candidate which is working as a practise judge in the same ring

Registering

• you may use only the registering form accepted by the Kennel Club
• the filled form with payments and supplements must be delivered to the show committee before the deadline (the payment date and the postmark of the letter must be the deadline date or before it)
• dog must be registered to the show with its own name and breed and to the right quality class, which it is allowed take part to (you may change the quality class after the deadline only if the dog has gained its champion title)
• the registering fee will be returned to the exhibitor (if the exhibitor wants), if
  • the show will be cancelled
  • the dog has got sick or died after registering it to the show (attention, the exhibitor must submit vet's medical certificate during 2 weeks and this certificate may be dated not more than 2 days after the show)
  • the judge for the breed has been changed

Evaluation

• the dog will get the copy of the literary report from the judge written to the Finnish Kennel Club's form and also the prize braid which is showing quality quotation
• the judge may accept only the vet's medical certificate confirmed by the Finnish Kennel Club and observe it when evaluating the dog (for example certificate for the injury taking effect to the evaluation, like missing tooth). Note about the certificate will be written to the evaluation.
• if the judge finds the dog does not have normal two testicles, the dog will not be evaluated
• it is not allowed to disturb the dog or try to impair the dog's competing chances  when it is judged
• if someone is trying to improve dog's performing from inside or outside the ring and is disturbing the judging, the judge or functionary has the right to interfere in it
• the dog coming late to the ring can only have the quality evaluation (may not enter competing classes)
• the dog must be shown in those competing classes, which it has right to enter if the exhibitor has not informed the ring secretaries the dog will not enter the class
• the show committee is allowed to give permission to leave the show before the show is over

Judging

• the dogs are judged one class at the time in order which is determined in regulations
• the judge will give as many mentions of quality as the dog's quality implies
• the quality evaluation must be corresponding with the following definitions:
  • EXCELLENT ("certification qualified") 
    Can be given to dog which is very near to ideal dog of the breed standard and which is shown in excellent condition, which has harmonious, balanced temperament, which is high-quality and which has excellent posture. This dog has very high merits and faults are very little and it must own typical features for the sex.
  • VERY GOOD 
    Can be given to dog owning typical features for the breed and balanced structure and which is in good condition. Some little faults are allowed, but not any structural faults. This quality quotation can be given only to exclusive dog."
  • GOOD 
    Will be given to the dog which is typical representative of the breed, but has some clear faults.
  • SATISFACTORY 
    Should be given to dog, which corresnponds the breed without the general accepted features of the breed or which physical condition has something to improve.
  • FAILED 
    Should be given to dog which is not corresponding the breed standard from the structure, which temperament is not corresponding with the breed standard or it is clearly aggressive, which does not have both testicles, which does not have all teeth or there is deviations is bite or jaws, which color or coat is insufficient or which shows clearly signs from albinism. This quality quotation can also be given to dog, which has so little typical breed features, that it does not seem to be healthy. This can also be given to dog which owns some rejecting fault by the breed standard.
  • CANNOT BE EVALUATED ("EVA")
    This will be given to the dog which may not have any of the quotations mentioned above and the dogs will be leaded out of the ring. This should be given to the dog which is not moving, jumping all the time around the handler or is trying to run away from the ring. This is also given to dog which moves are impossible to judge or if the dog is all the time evading the judge and makes it impossible to check the bite and teeth, structure, tail or testicles. This quotation is also given to dog from which the judge finds tracks about operations or treatments which are looking someone has tried to cheat or if the judge has a reason to doubt some fault of the dog has been corrected (like eyelids, ears or tail). The reason why the dog cannot be evaluated must be mentioned in written critique.
• in every class 4 best will be placed in superiority order if they have had the excellent or very good quotation from quality
• the result from quality classification is indicated with following colors:
  • excellent pink
  • very good red
  • good blue
  • satisfactory yellow
  • failed grey
  • cannot be evaluated brown

Competing class

• in competing class the 4 best dogs are placed in superiority order in every class if they have had the quality quotation excellent or very good and these dogs will get the note for the placement to the written critique and the ribbon indicating the placement

Quality classes

• except for the breeder's class the dog is competing only in one quality class in one show
• males and females are evaluated separately except in breeder's class and when selecting BOB, BIG or BIS
• only the dogs given the excellent prize from quality are allowed to compete for the certification and CACIB
• dog may enter only one of the following classes (notice the age is counted from the age one day before the show):
  • Puppy class (PEK) over 7 months, but under 9 months
    Unofficial competing class. Judge may give honorary prize to one or many puppies. The best male and female puppies which have got the HP will compete for the placement "best puppy of the breed" (BOB-puppy). Puppy class will be arranged only if the show committee wants and BIS-puppy competition can be arranged only in special shows.
  • Junior class (JUN) quality flass for dogs over 9 months, but under 18 months
  • Intermediate class (NUO) quality class for dogs over 15 months, but under 24 months
  • Open class (AVO) quality class for dogs over 15 months
  • Working class (KÄY) quality class for dogs over 15 months
    At international shows this class may enter only breeds which are determined as working breeds by the FCI. The Finnish spitz and Karelian bear dog need the lowest trial result needed for Finnish champion title to enter this class. Other breeds need the lowest trial result needed for international champion title to enter this class. At national shows the breeds mentioned above may enter this class when they have the lowest trial result needed for the Finnish champion title. At international shows the sighthounds must have the valid competing book to take part to the working class. The sighthound also has to had taken part to international trial test (CACIL) and it must be placed there to better half of the participants. When you are registering the sighthound to the working class in international show you must deliver the copy of the dog's competing book to the show committee. In national shows the breeds, which may achieve in Finland the working champion title, but are not one of the breeds determined as working breeds by the FCI, may enter working class when they have gained the working champion title. The character test does not justify to enter the working class.
  • Champion class (VAL) quality class for dogs over 15 months 
    The dog must be international show champion or show champion by any kennel club recognized by FCI and the title must be approved by the deadline of the show. Attention! also the copy of the testimony must be added to the registering form. Finnish show champion must always enter the champion class, if it has not the right to take part to the working class or veteran class.
  • Veteran class (VET) quality class for dogs over 8 years 
    Best veteran of the breed, which got the excellent quotation from quality, will continue competing in BIS-veteran ring (best veteran in show)
• competing classes 
  • Certification class: the judge may give the certification for the best dog which is justified to have it and which has not achieved the show results needed for Finnish Champion title. The reserve certification may have the second best dog (which has not achieved the show results needed for Finnish Champion title). For the CC will compete the following dogs:
    - junior class winner which has had the quotation excellent
    - intermediate class winner which has had the quotation excellent
    - the best of four placed dogs from open, working and veteran classes, which has had the quotation excellent and is justified to receive the certification
    For the reserve certification will compete also the next best dog from the class where the cc winner was competing (which also must be justified to receive the cc and has had the excellent quotation). The breed clubs are allowed to request the permission to give many certifications in one show. They may give one certification per 20 dogs, but at most three certifications for both genders.
  • CACIB-class: in international show sall the class winners from intermediate, open, working and champion classes will compete for the CACIB, if they have had the quality quotation excellent. From the same class as the CACIB winner, comes the second best dog (which has had the quality quotation excellent) to compete for the reserve CACIB. So the judge may propose the CACIB for the best dog the judge likes and the reserve CACIB for the second best.
  • Best of breed (BOB) in national show: competing class for dogs which have in this same show wun their own quality class with quality quotation excellent. The winner will be best of breed (BOB). After this judge will choose the best of opposite sex (BOS) from the dogs which have taken part to the BOB competition. The best dog of the breed will take part to the group finals.
  • Best of breed (BOB) in international show: competing class for dogs which have in this sames show wun junior and veteran classes and for dogs who have won the CACIB. The winner gets the placement best of breed (BOB). After this judge will choose the best of opposite sex (BOS) from the dogs which have taken part to the BOB competition. The best dog of the breed will take part to the group finals.
  • Breeder's class (KAS)
    Breeder is competing with 4 dogs bred by him/her as a group. Dogs must be from at least two different combinations and they must be rewarded with excellent or very good quality quotation in this same show. Breeder may compete in one show only with one breeder's group per breed. If the group is enough high-quality and steady, the judge may give the breeder the honorary prize (hp). 
  • Breeder's class competing class (KAK). 
    The judge places 4 best breeder's groups in superior order. If the best breeder's group of the breed has had the HP, it will continue competing for the best breeder's group in show placement.
  • Best in Show breeder's group (BIS-KAS). 
    The judge places 4 best groups in superior order from the best of breed breeder's groups which have got the HP.
  • Best in Show veteran competition (BIS-VET)
    The judge places 4 best veterans in superior order from best veterans of the breed.
  • Best in group competition (BIG)
    The judge places 4 best dogs in superior order  from dogs which have been best of breed in the show.
  • Best in Show competition (BIS)
    The judge places 4 best dogs in superior order from dogs which have won their breed groups in BIG-competition.

Ribbons and rosettes representin the placement

1. red
2. blue
3. yellow
4. green

• certification blue and white
• reserve certification light blue
• CACIB white
• reserve CACIB orange
• BOB red and blue
• BOS white and green
• honorary prize violet

CACIB

In international shows all the class winners from intermediate, open, working and champion classes which have got the quality quotation excellent will compete for the CACIB. From the class which CACIB winner was competing comes also the second best dog to compete for the reserve CACIB (if ithas got the quality quotation excellent). So the judge may propose the CACIB for the best dog the judge likes and the reserve CACIB for the second best.

CACIB can be given if the dog in question really is excellent quality. So CACIB is not automatic given to every dog which has had the quality quotation excellent. Reserve CACIB can be given to second best dog, which has had the quality quotation excellent. The judge gives the CACIB and res-CACIB without checking if the dog meets the age  and pedigree requirements directed by the FCI. All the prizes, also CACIB, will be given only by the judge which has judged the breed. The dog and bitch, which has got the CACIB, will be competing for the BOB (best of breed) as well as junior and veteran class winners (from both genders) which have had the quality quotation excellent."

The CACIB may be proposed by the justified judge. The final confirmation will be done by the FCI, which has this duty to check the dog has the right to receive CACIB. The card given to the exhibitor is the testimony the judge has proposed the CACIB for the dog. This card must include the note "FCI confirms the prize". FCI office must be confirmed this CACIB has been duly given away. The show arranger must send two show catalogues and a list from dogs, which have been proposed to have the CACIB or res-CACIB, during three months after the show. The list must include the following information: catalogue number, dog's name, register marka dn number, gender, breed and variety, date of birth, owner's name and judge's name. The breeds must be listed using the original breed name and name used in the country where the show was arranged. The males and females must be separated. The numbering msut start from number one and it must continue flowing. If the dog is not found from CACIB-list (for example because of some slip and is not written there) the card may be accepted as a testinomy if there is not other same breed and same gender dog found from the list."

Judge

• judge must be accepted judge by the Finnish Kennel Club
• judge is not allowed to handle any dog in the show where he/she is judging during the same day
• judge's co-operator, family member or any other living in the same household with him/her can register and handle in the show the dog if it is judged by some other judge
• dogs, which the judge is handling in international shows where he/she is not judging that day, must be owned, bred or co-owned by the judge himself/herself, his/her co-operator or by someone who is living in the same household with him/her
• judge may not judge the dog if he/she has owned, co-owned, repaired or keeped it or if the judge has selled the dog 6 months or less before the show where he/she is judging (this same refers also to dog, which is owned by judge's co-operator, family member or some other living in the same household with the judge)
• judge is not allowed to see the show catalogue before or during the judging
• judge is not allowed to smoke during the judging and judge is not allowed to drink alcohol drinks in the ring
• during the judging, the judge must have at least one ring functionary or ring secretary with him