News and updates

Our previous advice concerning the contracting of Judges from FCI National Canine Organisations (NCO’s) to judge at FCI International Shows has raised queries from a number of Member Bodies as to how the new regulation will affect overseas FCI judges being contracted to non FCI Championship Shows in Australia. 

Approvals for overseas judges are granted in accordance with Dogs Australia Regulations 9 Non Resident Judges Section 2, which sets out a number of scenarios where judges may be approved to judge breeds in Australia which they are not approved for in their country of residence, which are used for judges from the UK, America and Canada, however FCI judges are bound by FCI Judges Regulation 6 e A judge may under no circumstances agree to judge a breed at any show for which he is not approved by his own national organization. The same applies for judging at Best in Group and Best in Show level. This means that with FCI judges we can only approve them for breeds that their own NCO approves them for. 

This presents a challenge for the Dogs Australia Office as many applications for FCI judges are supported by letters from their NCO approving them for Best in Show, Best in Group or breeds which are not listed in their entry in the FCI Judges Directory. Although the new FCI regulation pertains only to FCI International Shows we believe that the same criteria should be applied for Australian Championship Shows. We have written advice from the FCI that if there are discrepancies between the FCI Directory and the NCO’s statement, Dogs Australia should advise the NCO that their information is different from what is reflected in the Judges Directory and that, according to FCI, we must follow the Judges Directory.

Please be advised that the DOGS NSW grounds will be closed on Sunday 11 August 2024 from 7.00am to Midday whilst the Endurance Test is being conducted.  

During this time no vehicle may enter or exit the grounds, and only Endurance Test competitors and Helpers are permitted on the grounds during this time. The grounds will be reopened at the completion of the test, which will be approximately Midday.

The National Breed Standards Coordination Group has confirmed the Norwegian Buhund was incorrectly noted on this listing as a Table or Ramp breed and should have been classified as a Ground or Ramp breed and has requested for the listing to be updated accordingly.

Please click here for the updated Ramp/Table/Ground breed listing as referenced in Regulations Part 5 – Conformation Shows Clause 2.7 on Dogs Australia website, where the correction has been made.

19.13.1   The “Finish” call is used in Classes that contain multiple hides (Advanced, Excellent, Master and Ultimate) and is required to stop timing of the search.

19.13.2  The handler is required to call “Finish” when all hides have been located for the search area or, for Classes/Elements with an unknown number of hides, when the handler believes that all hides have been located or a “blank room’ cleared. 

19.13.3  In the Advanced Class, if the handler fails to correctly call “Finish” within the maximum time allowed for the search or before leaving the search area precinct, the team will receive a Qualifying Fault and the maximum time allowed for that search.

19.13.4  In the Excellent Interior and the Master Classes, the number of hides in the search area is unknown. The handler must call “Finish” within the search time (including each area in multiple area searches). Failure to do so will incur a Non-Qualifying Fault.  

 22.3.1    The following actions are deemed to be Non-Qualifying Faults:

(a)      the maximum time for a search has been exceeded

(d)     in the Excellent, Master and Ultimate Classes, where the number of hides is unknown, the handler does not call “Finish” before the expiration of the search time 

19.13.1   The “Finish” call is used in Classes that contain multiple hides (Advanced, Excellent, Master and Ultimate) and is required to stop timing of the search.

19.13.2   In the Excellent, Master and Ultimate Classes, the handler is required to call “Finish” when all hides have been located for the search area or, for Classes/Elements with an unknown number of hides, when the handler believes that all hides have been located or a “blank room’ cleared. The handler must call “Finish” within the allotted search time (including each area in multiple area searches). Failure to do so will incur a Non-Qualifying Fault.

19.13.3   In the Advanced Class, if the handler fails to correctly call “Finish” within the maximum time allowed for the search or before leaving the search area precinct, the team will receive a Qualifying Fault and the maximum time allowed for that search.

19.13.4   In the Excellent Interior and the Master Classes, the number of hides in the search area is unknown. The handler must call “Finish” within the search time (including each area in multiple area searches). Failure to do so will incur a Non-Qualifying Fault.

(a)      the maximum time for a search has been exceeded

(d)     in the Excellent, Master and Ultimate Classes, where the number of hides is unknown, the handler does not call “Finish” before the expiration of the search time 

The attention of DOGS NSW Regional Committee Secretaries is drawn to DOGS NSW Regulations Part VII-Regions - Meetings, Office Bearers and Related Matters, Duties of Secretary, Clause 1.7(c), which reads as follows:-

Duties of Secretary

1.7      The Regional Secretary shall:

(c)       notify the Secretary in the month of December each year of the date, time and place of each of the 3 Regional Meetings to be held in the ensuing year.

Regional Secretaries are requested to ensure that they comply with the above Regulation.

Please note Regulations Part 5 – Conformation Shows has been amended in accordance with the June 2024 Special Board meeting minutes – refer to Item 5.1.

These amendments are effective from 1 July 2024.

Dogs Australia website has been updated and the amended Regulations can be viewed by clicking here.  

Lastest Amendments to the Regulations Part II -  Show  

ADVERTISEMENTS BEING APPROVED BEFORE BEING PUBLISHED

THAT Recommendation 8B, which reads as follows, be approved:-

THAT DOGS NSW Regulation Part II-Show, Clause 5.3, be amended as follows:-

CURRENT READS:

5.3       A Journal Advertisement Form for any Recognised Show may be sent to the DOGS NSW Secretary with the Draft Schedule which, at the expense of the body conducting such Show, may be published at least once in the Journal. Such notice shall contain at least the following information: (03/06)

(i)        the name of the Affiliate conducting the Show;

(ii)       the venue of the Show;

(iii)      the date of the Show;

(iv)      the closing date of entries;

(v)       the amount of the Entry Fee;

(vi        the name of the Judge/s:

(vii)     the time of commencement of judging:

(viii)    the order of judging; and

(ix)      the name, address and telephone number of the Show Secretary.

BE AMENDED TO READ:

5.3       A Journal Advertisement Form for any Recognised Show may must be sent to the DOGS NSW Secretary with the Draft Schedule which, at the expense of the body conducting such Show, may be published at least once in the Journal. Such notice shall contain at least the following information: (03/06)

(i)        the name of the Affiliate conducting the Show;

(ii)       the venue of the Show;

(iii)      the date of the Show;

(iv)      the closing date of entries;

(v)       the amount of the Entry Fee;

(vi        the name of the Judge/s:

(vii)     the time of commencement of judging:

(viii)    the order of judging; and

(ix)      the name, address and telephone number of the Show Secretary.

ONLINE SERVICE PROVIDERS – CREDITS

THAT Recommendation 2, which reads as follows, be approved:-

THAT DOGS NSW Regulations Part II-Show, Clause 10.4, be amended as follows:

CURRENTLY READS:

10.4    (08/17) An Affiliate shall be responsible for each prize or the monetary value thereof offered for competition at a Show conducted by it.

**       A Category A Club is one which at its equivalent show in the previous year achieved an entry in excess of 500 dogs or one which has been declared by the DOGS NSW Show Committee to be one at the time of approving a change of show date.

***     A Category B Club is one which at its equivalent show in the previous year achieved an entry of 500 dogs or less or a Club which did not conduct an event in the previous year.

The Category applicable to an event is to be shown in the Prizes section of any advertisement for the show, eg, Category A Trophy & Sash.

(b)       At an All Breeds Parade, Open Show or Sanction Show and a Breed Specialty Championship Show held under the regulations the following shall apply:-

(i)        There shall be at least one trophy, and a sash or rosette, for each in Show Award as follows:-

BE AMENDED TO READ:

10.4    (08/17) An Affiliate shall be responsible for each prize or the monetary value thereof offered for competition at a Show conducted by it.

**       A Category A Club is one which at its equivalent show in the previous year achieved an entry in excess of 500 dogs or one which has been declared by the DOGS NSW Show Committee to be one at the time of approving a change of show date.

***     A Category B Club is one which at its equivalent show in the previous year achieved an entry of 500 dogs or less or a Club which did not conduct an event in the previous year.

The Category applicable to an event is to be shown in the Prizes section of any advertisement for the show, eg, Category A Trophy, Cash or Voucher and Sash or Rosette.

(b)       At an All Breeds Parade, Open Show or Sanction Show and a Breed Specialty Championship Show held under the regulations the following shall apply:-

(i)        There shall be at least one Trophy, Cash or Voucher and Sash or Rosette, for each in Show Award as follows:-

REJECTION OF ENTRIES

THAT DOGS NSW Regulation Part II-Show, Clause 13.1, be amended as follows:-

CURRENTLY READS:

13.1(a)     A dog shall not be exhibited at a recognised show unless an application for its entry in such show has been lodged and paid for online or received by the Secretary of the Club by mail.

13.1(b)     An entry for an exhibit can only be rejected if the online or paper entry is not received by the closing date of entries or without full payment.

BE AMENDED TO READ

13.1(a)     A dog shall not be exhibited at a recognised show unless an application for its entry in such show has been lodged and paid for online or received by the Secretary of the Club by mail.

13.1(b)     An entry for an exhibit can only be rejected if the online or paper entry is not received by the closing date of entries or without full payment.

*Sporting Disciplines that have limitations on Judges are not included in this restriction.

The Regulations in full can be found here.