BMDCA Futurity Rules
Approved by BMDCA Board - Effective
I. Purpose
The purpose of the Futurity is to encourage the
breeding of the best possible Bernese Mountain Dogs and to reward the breeders
for their efforts. For this reason, the
Futurity is weighted in favor of the breeder, who is the one that chooses the
sire, raises and nominates the litter, and often pays the individual puppy
nominations as well.
II. General
A. The Futurity year includes
litters whelped from October 1 through September 30: e.g., the 2008 Futurity
includes litters whelped from
B. Correct and timely
nominations of both the litter and individual puppies are required for stake
eligibility.
C. Prize monies can only be won
through competition in stake judging.
D. Nomination forms and rules
may be obtained from the Futurity Chairman and will also be published
approximately once a year in BMDCA publications.
E. The Futurity shall be open
to all litters bred by BMDCA members in good standing. The owners of nominated puppies must be BMDCA
members in good standing or, if non-members, must be in good standing with the
AKC. All participants must comply with
the Futurity rules.
F. When a Futurity-eligible
puppy is sold, eligibility is transferred to the new owner.
G. The annual Futurity stakes
are to be held at the BMDCA National Specialty Show indicated on the nomination
form. Because the date of the BMDCA National Specialty can vary, the Futurity
will be open only to those puppies that are at least 6 months and up to 18
months old on April 1 of the Futurity year for which they are eligible.
An exception to the age
requirements will be implemented if the BMDCA National Specialty Show for a
given year will be held earlier than April 1. In this case, any nominated
puppies under 6 months on the date of judging will be deferred to the following
Futurity year, and will be allowed to compete in the 15 to 18 Months class.
H. The Futurity Chairman
reports directly to the BMDCA President and Board, except when providing the
name of the Futurity judge to the BMDCA National Specialty Chairman of the
year. BMDCA National Specialty Show chairpersons and specialty coordinators may
contact the Futurity Chairman with questions at any time.
III. Nomination of the Litter
A. The litter must be nominated
by the breeder prior to whelping. The breeder of the litter must be a BMDCA
member in good standing at the time of breeding, as well as at the time of
nomination. If there is more than one breeder of the litter, only one need be a
BMDCA member.
B. The nomination must be
submitted on the litter nomination form. Postmark on the envelope transmitting
the nomination and fee establishes the date of nomination. Consequently,
overnight or special delivery mail is unnecessary.
Nominations may be
submitted to the Futurity Chairman by e-mail if possible with the appropriate
information included. The postmark on
the envelope transmitting the fee will establish the date of the nomination.
C. Fee is $15.00; checks
payable to BMDCA. There will be no refunds.
D. Nomination of the litter
makes each puppy in that litter eligible for individual nomination.
IV. Nomination of Puppies
A. The individual puppies must
be nominated by either the owners or the breeder on or before the date on which
the puppy reaches 4 months. Puppy owners need not be BMDCA members.
B. The nomination must be
submitted on the individual puppy nomination form. Postmark on the transmitting
envelope establishes date of nomination.
Nominations may be submitted
to the Futurity Chairman by e-mail if possible with the appropriate information
included. The postmark on the envelope transmitting the fee will establish the
date of the nomination.
C. Fee is $15.00, checks
payable to BMDCA, for each puppy. There will be no refunds.
D. An entire litter may be
nominated by completing one form per puppy and enclosing the fee for each
puppy. If AKC registration number(s) and name(s) are not available at time of
nomination, this information must be supplied to the Futurity Chairman as soon
as it is available. Providing this information is the responsibility of the
nominator, not the Futurity Chairman.
V. Entry for Judging
A. The puppy must be entered in
one of the regular classes in either conformation or obedience in the BMDCA
National Specialty Show and Obedience Trial.
Fee for this entry must be paid.
B. Futurity entry must be
indicated on the entry form as an additional class. The entry fee for the
Futurity class, as well as the fee(s) for the regular class(s), is in addition
to the nomination fees (III, C; IV, C).
C. The Futurity class entered
will be based on the age of the puppy on April 1, not its age on the date of
the show.
D. All dogs will be eligible
for only one Futurity.
E. The Futurity Chairman will
provide the BMDCA National Specialty Superintendent with the names,
registration numbers, and names of owners of all eligible puppies and the
classes for which they are eligible. This information will be available after
February 15 of the year of the BMDCA National Specialty. The Futurity Chairman will work directly with
the office of the superintendent to address any questions of eligibility and/or
entered classes.
VI. Judge
A. It shall be the prerogative
of the litter breeder(s) to nominate the judge. Each BMDCA member breeder may
nominate one person as judge per year, regardless of the number of litters each
nominated.
B. The nominated person must at
all times from the date of nomination through completion of the judging
assignment be in good standing with the AKC, and, if a member, with the BMDCA.
C. A judge nomination line is
included on the litter nomination form.
D. The Futurity Chairman will
compile a ballot of nominated judges by March 1 a year prior to the future
Futurity (e.g.: for 2009, the ballot would be compiled on
E. The Futurity Chairman will
send the ballot to each eligible breeder. The ballot will be sent to the first
owner listed on the litter nomination form at the address provided. Any
coowners will not be entitled to an additional vote. Each eligible breeder may
vote for five nominees in order of preference (first, second, third, etc.). The
ballots must be returned by April 1 to the Futurity Chairman, who will tabulate
the votes and provide a tally report to the BMDCA Board.
The Futurity Chairman may
not vote but may submit a judge nominee with an eligible litter nomination.
The nominee receiving the
highest number of points (a vote of first choice receives 5 points, second
receives 4 points, etc.) will be offered the judging assignment for the
Futurity. If that nominee is not available, the second choice will be
contacted, and so on until a judge nominee accepts.
F. The Futurity Chairman will
notify the BMDCA National Specialty Chairman of the elected Futurity judge as
soon as the nominee has verbally accepted the assignment.
G. The BMDCA National Specialty
Chairman will contract (written) with the Futurity judge. A copy of the
contract will be sent to the Futurity Chairman as soon as all signatures are
secured.
H. The BMDCA Futurity Fund will
pay for the Futurity judge: travel (not to exceed economy airfare); two nights
of accommodations (night before and night after the judging); meals, beginning
with dinner the night before judging and ending with breakfast the day after
judging; the Judges Dinner (provided the judge speaks at said dinner regarding
the judging assignment). Specifically,
traveling companions of the judge will not be compensated.
I. The contract should
include, but is not limited to the following:
1. Exact expenses that are reimbursable.
2. The Futurity judge is not paid a judging
fee.
3. The Futurity judge is subject to all AKC
and BMDCA rules, including restriction against showing any dogs in the BMDCA
National Specialty. The exact rules will be those in current AKC regulations.
4. The expenses are submitted to the BMDCA
Treasurer for reimbursement.
5. The Futurity judge is restricted from
judging Bernese Mountain Dogs within a six (6) month period prior to the BMDCA
National Specialty.
6. The contract is contingent upon the Futurity Judge being in full compliance
with all rules, regulations, codes of conduct and codes of ethics promulgated
by AKC and BMDCA from the time of nomination through completion of the judging
assignment.
J. The Futurity judge shall
not have judged the Futurity within the past five years.
VII. Class Divisions and Sequence of Judging
A. The Futurity stake is
divided into four age divisions based on age at April 1 of the given Futurity
year:
1. 6-9 Months (at least 6 months and under 9
months old)
2. 9-12 Months (at least 9 months and under 12
months old)
3. 12-15 Months (at least 12 months and under
15 months old)
4. 15-18 Months (at least 15 months and up to 18 months old)
See Section II, General, item G for exception
to age requirements.
B. Each age division is further
divided by sex.
C. Four placements are made in
the judging of each class.
D. The eight class winners will
compete for Best in Futurity and Best of Opposite Sex to Best in Futurity.
VIII. Prize Money
A. All nomination money shall
be pooled in the BMDCA Futurity Fund. The BMDCA shall retain 25 percent for
administrative and judge’s expenses. Any unused expense money will be rolled
over into the next year’s prize money. The remaining 75 percent shall be
divided as follows:
10 percent - Best in Futurity
20 percent - breeder of Best in Futurity
5 percent - Best of Opposite Sex
5 percent - Breeder of Best of Opposite
Sex
60 percent - Allocated to the Classes
Prize money shall be
presented to the handlers of the dogs at the end of each class. All reasonable
attempts will be made to deliver the money to the breeders of Best and Best of
Opposite Sex in Futurity, but the Futurity Chairman, BMDCA, and host club
assume no responsibility to assure such delivery to the breeders.
B. Prize money for each class
shall be determined by dividing the amount allocated by the total entries, and
then multiplying by the number of entries in the class. Class money is to be
distributed as follows:
1. One entry - all the class money
2. Two entries - first 60 percent, second 40
percent
3. Three entries - first 50 percent, second 30
percent, third 20 percent
4. Four or more entries - first 40 percent,
second 30 percent, third 20 percent, fourth 10 percent
C. The prize money shall be assembled by the Futurity Chairman, unless other arrangements are made with the BMDCA Treasurer, and will be delivered to the ring steward just prior to the beginning of Futurity judging.