Showing
Whether or not you decide to show your Golden Retriever obedience classes are of
advantage to both you and your dog. Obedience and Ring Craft classes are held in
most areas and information on these can be obtained from the Irish Kennel Club (I.K.C).
Once a puppy is fully inoculated he can be taken to these classes. The younger he
starts the better, as he will get used to mixing with people and other dogs. These
classes are great fun for both puppy and owner. Once a puppy is registered in your
name and over 4 months old you can commence showing. Check the I.K.C. Website for
a list of shows for the year. Decide which ones you might be interested in going
to and contact the secretary about 3 months before the show date for a schedule.
There are varying types of shows:-
All shows have different classification and this will be explained in the schedule, which should be read carefully. Choose the class or classes most suited to your dog's age or previous wins (if any). Always check the closing date for entries and make sure to post same, with fee in plenty of time.
Green Star and Grading System
When grading dogs and bitches in each class, judges will check their movement as they walk around the ring and also examine their teeth, structure and posture. They are then graded by the judge as Excellent, Very Good, Good, Sufficient, Cannot Be Judged or Disqualified. Dogs in Puppy class are graded either Very Promising or Promising, while the other grades of Sufficient, Cannot Be Judged or Disqualified apply as before. The judge will mark a grade card for each dog and give this to the exhibitor. The dogs and bitches placing first in each class will then compete for a Green Star and Reserve Green Star. Winners of the Green Star Bitch and Green Star Dog awards will then compete for Best of Breed
CACIB (Certificats d’Aptitude au Championnat International de Beauté)
The CACIB award is an international certificate for dogs from all breeds. Winners of the Intermediate, Open and Champion classes who have received an Excellent grade can compete for this award. There is also a Reserve CACIB award for dogs with an Excellent grade that missed out on the top CACIB award.
Junior Diploma
If your dog is aged between six and 18 months, you can apply for a Junior Diploma award and title. To do so, you must first request a Junior Diploma card from the IKC. This card should be brought to each show so that the judge can sign for each place awarded. Championship and Open shows count towards the Junior Diploma. Your dog will have to earn 12 points in total, made up of two class wins at Championship shows (two points each) and eight class wins at Open shows (one point each). Multiple wins at one show do not count, but a bonus of two points will be given on one occasion for a group win. When you have the required number of points, simply sign the card and send it to the IKC and Junior Diploma certificate will be sent to you.
Junior Champion
A dog can earn the title of Junior Champion if it has placed first in five Junior classes in its breed and was graded Excellent by judges at All Breed Championship Shows. Owners can apply to the IKC for this certification with details of the shows at which the classes and correct grading were won. Once confirmation is received, the title can be added after the dog’s name.
Annual Champion
A dog can also win the title of Annual Champion in its breed. This is awarded to the dog or bitch that achieved the highest number of Green Stars over five in the course of a year. If there is a tie between two dogs, the award falls to the dog with the greater number of Best in Breed wins.
Irish Champion
For your dog to become and Irish Champion, it must have earned seven Green Stars from seven different judges in IKC Championship Shows, and one of these stars must have been awarded after the age of 15 months. Even if your dog already has seven Green Stars before the age of 15 months, it still has to win an additional star after this age in order to be an Irish Champion.
For more Information visit the IKC Website www.ikc.ie