PURPOSE
To showcase excellence in Dalmatians, the DCA sponsors a Top 20
event. This event is a part of the DCA National and is intended to educate and
entertain judges, exhibitors, breeders and fanciers. This event provides special
recognition to those Dalmatians with the most outstanding records in the show
ring during the previous calendar year, together with their breeders, trainers
and owners. The event provides a continuing incentive to strive for Dalmatians
to excel in structure, movement, temperament and conformation to our written
standard.
The event offers all who attend a chance to view the very best
Dalmatians in the Country based upon their competitive standings for the
previous year. Using the scale of points, each dog is evaluated according to
how closely it conforms to the breed standard. This procedure is not available
at any AKC show and allows the spectators an opportunity to evaluate the
dogs, scoring them at the same time to see how individual views can produce a
consensus decision, which can then be compared to their own impressions.
STATISTICS AND ELIGIBILITY
- There are no eligibility requirements other than being named among the final
Top 20 Dalmatians in conformation competition standing.
- The Top 20 invitees are based on point standing in breed (total of Dalmatians defeated) or all-breed (total of dogs
defeated) as published by the American Kennel Club, counting on a calendar year basis. Should there be any deceased
or past winners in the Top 20 Dalmatians for the previous year, their name(s) will be eliminated and the list extended to
make a full complement of 20 Dalmatians eligible from both the breed and all-breed systems. Previous winners and
deceased finalists will be noted in the Top 20 List published in the event catalog.
- 3. To compete in this event, all owners and co-owners of finalists must be in good standing with the AKC and DCA, if members, at
the time the invitations are extended and at the time of the event. All dogs must be eligible at the time of the event to
compete at AKC events, with the exception of item 4.
- Spayed bitches or neutered dogs who have been named among the final Top 20 Dalmatians may compete in this event.
- In order to eliminate any possible perception of impropriety, the following prohibitions will apply:
- A person judging any conformation class, including Sweepstakes and Futurity, at the DCA National Specialty Show
may not exhibit or have exhibited a dog in the Top 20 that is owned or co-owned by that judge.
- A person judging any regular conformation class at a Dalmatian Specialty Show immediately preceding or following the DCA
National Specialty Show may not exhibit or have exhibited a dog in the Top 20 that is owned or co-owed by that judge.
- No Dog that is owned, co-owned, bred, co-bred, or shown by a member of the Top 20 committee, or a member of their family
as defined by AKC rules can compete at the Top 20 event. The dog, if qualified, can be listed in the event catalog and shown
for exhibition only.
- A finalist will only be allowed to compete if the owner or agent attends the briefing held prior to the event for the
purposes of assigning arm band numbers and reviewing the staging of the event.
- All participants agree to abide by any and all Rules as may become effective through authorization of the Top 20
Committee and/or the DCA.
- Fees for the event are as follows:
INVITATIONS:
- Each owner of a Top 20 Finalist will be sent an invitation to participate in
this event. There is an entry fee to be returned with the entry form and other required information accompanying the
invitation.
Invitations to appear for Exhibition only will be sent to previous winners of the event. The opportunity to purchase
a double page of advertising in the Top 20 catalog and a ribbon(s) is available for nominal fees.
CATALOGS:
- Each year a catalog is prepared exclusively for the Top 20. They are available
only through the order forms for the DCA National and may be picked up at the show, the night of the event, or mailed after
the show.
The catalog contains a two page spread for each competitor, with photograph and text supplied by the dog's owner or
agent. The catalog also contains score sheets and judging procedures, a profile of each judge, and a page listing all of
the previous winners, the judges, and the year in which they won.
TROPHIES, ROSETTES and CERTIFICATES OF ELIGIBILTY
- The owner of the winner of the event, if a DCA member, will receive an
official DCA Bronze Medallion.
Finalists will receive a formal rosette. The owner of the deceased finalist will also receive a rosette.
Co-owners and Breeders of finalists may purchase additional rosettes by ordering on the order form at the time the
entry is made. The total number of additional rosettes ordered may not exceed the number of listed breeders and
co-owners of the finalist.
Previous winners may purchase a rosette by ordering on the order form at the time the entry is made.
Finalists responding "No" to the invitation and not in attendance at the event will be noted in the catalog.
EVENT SCHEDULING
- The Top 20 Event will be held prior to Intersex Competition of DCA National
Specialty Show.
- The Draw for armband numbers and the order of competition will be held at least one-half hour before the beginning of
the Top 20 competition.
- The winner of the event will be announced at the DCA Annual Awards Banquet by the Top 20 Chairperson or his/her
designee.
JUDGES
- There will be three (3) judges of the Top 20 event. There will be one judge
from each of the following three categories:
- BREEDER JUDGE.
An established Dalmatian breeder who has bred Dalmatians for at least ten (10) years, having produced or shown at least
four (4) Champions of Record as published in the AKC Gazette; or is approved by the AKC to judge Dalmatians. The Breeder
Judge must not own or co-own either a dog in the Top 20 competition or its sire or its dam. The breeder Judge may not exhibit
Dalmatians in any class (including Intersex) at the DCA National Specialty Show and any associated All-breed or Dalmatian
Specialty Shows in conjunction with the DCA National Specialty Show.
- MULTI-BREED JUDGE.
A person approved by the AKC to judge Dalmatians and at least one complete group. If the Multi-Breed judge is a Dalmatian
breeder, this judge must not own or co-own either a dog in the Top 20 competition or its sire or its dam. The judge may not
exhibit as stated in 1-A as stated for the Breeder Judge.
- HANDLER JUDGE.
A professional handler, either active or retired, meeting the requirements for membership in a Professional Handlers'
Association (though not necessarily a member). The Handler Judge must have at least five (5) years experience. The Handler
Judge must not have shown a Dalmatian for an owner of a dog in the Top 20 competition for two (2) years preceding
the event. In addition, the Handler Judge may not handle any dog at the DCA National Specialty Show or Associated Dalmatian
Specialty Shows that is owned or co-owned by an owner of a top 20 entrant.
- Excluded from judging the event will be the following:
- Any person actively serving on the Top 20 Committee.
- Any person that has previously judged a DCA Top 20 event in any of the three judging categories.
- The Top 20 Committee will select the judges in each of the three judging categories.
- Each participating Committee member may nominate one or two (1-2) judges in each category and forward the names to the
Top 20 Chairperson. The Top 20 Chairperson, after reviewing the nominated judges for eligibility, will forward the names of
the eligible nominees to the Top 20 Committee members. The participating members will respond to the ballot, marked in priority
order, to the Top 20 Committee Chairperson who will tally the votes.
- The top 20 Chairperson will secure the acceptance of the winning nominees, based upon availability. The names of the
winners in each category will be revealed only to Committee members.
- . It will be the Top 20 Chairperson's responsibility to insure that the judges understand that their election must remain
totally confidential.
JUDGING PROCEDURE
- Handlers will draw for exhibition order. Conformation judging will be held
in a separate room away from the audience. Each dog will be judged by three different judges, first recording their 1st
impression score, to be used only in case of a tie. After examination, each judge will record the scores for each dog on the
individual score sheets. As the dogs complete the conformation portion of judging, they will then be presented to the audience
in the main ring where the judges will enter the ring to begin judging each dog's movement in a circle and a down & back pattern.
The judges will record these scores on each score sheet. Each dog will then be presented to the audience for the
'Peoples Choice Award', which will be awarded the same evening of the event.
- All dogs will be scored by each judge using the scale of points as provided in the AKC approved standard
for the Dalmatian.
- Immediately following the completion of judging, the judges' marked (but not tallied for total scores) sheets will be
submitted to an independent and impartial person to be tabulated. The scores for each dog, from each of the three judges,
are added together, then divided by three (3) to determine the dog's average score.
- The winner will be determined on the basis of the average score of each dog.
The score sheets and the identity of the winning dog will be given to the Top 20 Chairperson on the evening of the DCA Awards
Banquet.
- In the event of a tie, the winner is determined by consulting the First Impression total. The dog with the highest
First Impression total is declared the winner. The first Impression score is used ONLY to break a tie, and is not
included in tabulation the average score. If there is still a tied score, there will be two (2) winners who shall share the '
title of Top 20 Winner.
TOP TWENTY SCORE SHEET
DOG NO.________ FIRST IMPRESSION (1-10)_______
SCALE OF POINTS
For Evaluation Of Individual Specimen
On The Basis Of The Standard
|
Category |
Maximum Points |
Points Assigned |
General Appearance
Size, proportion and substance
Head
Neck, topline, body
Forequarters
Hindquarters
Feet
Coat
Color and markings
Gait
Temperament |
5
10
10
10
5
5
5
5
25
10
10
Total: 100 |
_____________
_____________
_____________
_____________
_____________
_____________
_____________
_____________
_____________
_____________
_____________ |
FINAL SCORE: _____________
|
PLEASE NOTE: Final
Score is NOT to be tabulated by judges or stewards
|
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