This just came form an all breed club I belong to thought some of you might be interested. Sounds pretty cool.

Dear Owner/Handler,

The American Kennel Club, in cooperation with a number of Kennel Clubs around the country, is offering a new competition aimed at recognizing the Owner-Handler. These events will provide a way for owner-handlers to be recognized both regionally and nationally separate and apart from any other recognition they may earn.


If you qualify as an owner handler we urge you to take advantage of this unique opportunity in your area...and give us your reaction to the American Kennel Club Owner-Handler Series.

Owner-Handler Group & Best in Show Competition is offered for owner handled dogs & bitches exhibited in Best of Breed Competition. All Owner/handlers - those who do not make a living handling dogs professionally - are eligible and encouraged to participate.

Professional Handlers are not eligible to present dogs in this competition. Professional handlers are defined as any person who belongs or has belonged to a professional handlers' organization, distributed rate cards, or otherwise advertised or represented themselves as handling dogs for pay.

Dogs must be declared Owner-Handler eligible at the time of entry using the check box on the bottom of the entry form. Eligible dogs will be identified by an asterisk (*) in the steward's book & the catalog.


Dogs must be shown throughout the competition (breed, Group & BIS) by their owner to be eligible. The dogs do not have to have been finished from the AOH Class, nor do they need to be entered in the AOH class to be eligible.

Sincerely,

I like that idea very much.

Will the dogs be the ones judged like in regular competition, or is the owner handler the one being judged for their handling skill, like in juniors?

Per AKC:
The AKC Owner/Handler competition will be conducted following Best of Breed judging in each breed ring. All dogs in the BOB competition (including WD & WB) will stay in the ring after the judge makes their placements in BOB competition. The ring steward will ask all professional handlers to leave the ring and then the judge will then select the Best Owner Handler (BOH). The dog and its owner will continue to accrue points for any group placements or Bests in Show.

Sounds like a very good opportunity for those of us just getting starting in showing. I'm all for it!

Is it the best owner handler, or the best dog handled by an owner handler?

Best Dog. It's not based on handling, but based on the fact the handler is in fact the owner and Not a professional handler (or anyone who takes money for handling even if they are not listed as a professional handler)
Basically it's a Best of Breed by an Owner Handler. So that is why the professionals are asked to leave after BOB is awarded, unless of course the Best of Breed from the beginning is an owner handler, which will be marked on your entry and on the stewards book with an *

It is the dog being judged, with the award going to the best dog being handled by its owner, not by a professional handler. This should help to eliminate some of the political favors (since some judges love to curry favor with professional handlers so that they will get increased entries), but unfortunately, there is no point reward.

What about a professional handler who is the owner of the dog? We all know breeders who have added professional handlers to their dog's ownership and/or put professionals on bitches in whelp so that the resulting puppies can be shown in BBE by the handler. Is this award strictly for amateur owners (as indicated above) or is it for any owner/handler? I'm off to look it up on akc now!

It is my understanding that after talking with AKC this am that Any handler who accepts Money at any time for handling dogs is In Eligible to show towards the amateur owner handler. Even their own dogs, so no, they should not be showing even their own dogs in that class. If someone is paying them to handle dogs, they can hardly call themselves amateurs.

I find this interesting since I do show dogs for other people and do accept money for showing them. However, I do not make a living off showing dogs nor do I now or ever have I belonged to a professional handlers association.

According to the first part of the "rules" it clearly defines a professional as someone who makes a living off showing dogs and belongs to a club for pro handlers.

For someone like me who enjoys showing dogs and competing with them, I find a big discrepancy when in one section they define it one way and now you are saying anyone who has ever taken money to handle a dog is a professional? I breed my own dogs and finish them as well. Just because I am a talented handler, I can't show my own dogs in this competition because people have paid me to show their dogs from time to time? Hardly seems fair to me.

Yes and the second part reads:

Professional handlers-distributed rate cards, or otherwise advertised or represented themselves as handling dogs for pay...

So if you have taken dogs in the ring for people and charged, loaded up your vehicle with client dogs, clearly stating they are client dogs, traveled with them to shows and charged expenses, handling fees, you are in fact HANDLING DOGS FOR PAY!

But yes, take it as a grey area, why follow the rules, they're there to be broken right?

Have you ever advertised your handling services or handling rates on your web site or elsewhere? Do you collect a fee for your services (most people who handle for fun or handle their friends' dogs do not)? If so, you are a professional regardless of whether it is a primary source of income or not. The whole point of this competition is for amateurs to compete amongst themselves - there are plenty of opportunities for pros so not sure why this is an issue.

quote]

So why even bother to have this as part of the rules? Shouldn't it just say that anyone who has ever accepted money to show dogs for other people are not eligible? Would make things a lot simpler.[/quote]

True but when has AKC Every been simple??

What if a person works for someone but does not have the title of professional handler but part of their job duties include, but not limited to, showing all the dogs that belong either in part or whole to their boss? Would they be in eligible to show in this class?

I presume it would mean the person who has been employed by the handler would not be able to show in that class, due to the fact that among other things, they were paid to show dogs.

It's nice to see a class (if it is enforced) that is truly for the amateur, someone who has no "in", no affiliations, never been paid to handle, just a true amateur.

Seems like this could be a precursor to what we now have in Field Trials, FC titles and AFC titles. Could it be that in time we see CH and ACH titles in conformation?

AKC approved and provisional judges are also ineligible for this class

So the pro's get the points and the amateurs get a nice rosette. OOOKaaaay.... Might even make pro-bias even worse because judges will rationalize that amateur with nice dog gets a consolation prize if the pro gets the points.

If the judge is evaluating the dogs on their own merits, then it really should not matter. I think an amateur handler class is nice for people who are new to handling; however, just because an amateur is handling the dog does not make it any worthier of a win. The same applies to a pro on a mediocre dog. While I do believe there are some politics at shows, I do think most judges try to do a good job. I am a horrible handler and my dog has won as much with me handling as he has with a pro handler. A nice dog is a nice dog and a good judge will find it regardless of who is at the end of the leash.

American Kennel Club Celebrates Owner/Handlers In The Sport With New Series
Print This Article
[Tuesday, December 20, 2011]

More than 80% of the dogs being exhibited in the show ring today are family dogs shown by their owners. To celebrate the dedication and enthusiasm of these exhibitors, the American Kennel Club has created a new AKC Owner/Handler Series, a non-titling competition that will showcase owner handled dogs at shows across the country.

“We’re pleased to offer this special competition to celebrate AKC’s owner/handlers, who are the core of our dog sport,” said Robin Stansell, AKC’s Vice President of Event Operations. “We look forward to great competition in 2012 as the AKC Owner/Handler Series visits dog shows all over the country.”

The top-ranked dogs from the AKC Owner/Handler Series will be posted on www.akc.org and the top 10 owner-handled dogs of each breed and variety will be invited to compete at an “end of year” competition show. Rankings of the dogs competing in the series will be compiled based on the Best of Breed, Group and Best in Show placements in this specific series competition.

The first shows offering the AKC Owner/Handler Series are these January/February events:

Dog Fanciers Association of Oregon – Saturday, January 21, 2012
Oakland County Kennel Club – Saturday, January 21, 2012
Sahuaro State Kennel Club – Saturday, February 4, 2012
Colorado Kennel Club – Sunday, February 19, 2012
International Kennel Club of Chicago – Sunday, February 26, 2012

The AKC Owner/Handler competition will be conducted following Best of Breed judging in each breed ring. All dogs in the BOB competition (including WD & WB) will stay in the ring after the judge makes their placements in BOB competition. The ring steward will ask all professional handlers to leave the ring and then the judge will then select the Best Owner Handler (BOH). The dog and its owner will continue to accrue points for any group placements or Bests in Show.

Dogs owned or exhibited by professional handlers are not eligible for this competition. Professional handlers are defined as any person who belongs or has belonged to a professional handlers’ organization, distributed rate cards, or otherwise advertised or represented themselves as handling dogs for pay.

For more information about the series or to find upcoming shows where the AKC Owner/Handler Series will be offered, visit www.akc.org.

If you have questions about hosting these events, please contact the AKC Events department at (919) 816-3514 or glt@akc.org

As if the judges aren't already confused enough over how to award Select Dog/Bitch, now they have another confusing award to try to implement? There will be many breeds where once the pros are excused, won't have any owner/handlers left to award BOH to. This will either lead to a bias for or against the professional. The judge, not wanting to be bothered with the BOH will just put up all handlers or feeling he needs to give the award will award an inferior dog just because it is owner handled.

And can someone have a handler show their dog for the regular BOB class, then switch and go on their dog for the owner BOB class? It also says the WD and WB stay in the ring, what if they have a prohandler on them too? There are a lot of scenario's that this leaves up in the air!

Just read the complete rules on the November secretary's page, it gets even more confusing, for example if the BOB is handled by a pro and the BOS is owner handled then all dogs the same sex as the BOS are to be excused, same thing goes for the selects. The poor judges, yikes! It also says eligible dogs will have an asterisk in the catalog next to their names, but not everyone lists the prohandler on their dog in the catalog so you can't go by the catalog to determine who is eligible.
They are also going to start having "open" shows, which sound no diffent than a sanctioned match shows except that the winners get points towards a new "certificate of merit" title.

https://www.akc.org/pdfs/about/secretary_page/1111.pdf

It is towards the bottom. Don't get me wrong though, I like the idea of being able to compete without the pros. AKC had to do something because it is getting too much about the money making business of dog shows and not about the dogs and breeders. We'll see how many clubs implement these new classes, does mean more money spent in ribbons and judges and a little more time allocated for each breed.

This is the link to the entry form for the show we have in Oregon in a couple of weeks. http://www.onofrio.com/plist/tual1ef.pdf I entered online and there was not a box that I remember to check but the dog I am taking I actually entered in the AOH class which I would guess would automatically make her eligible for the new AOH judging. I love this idea. It will probably take awhile to sort out but I think the concept is good.

Land of confusion wrote: "The judge, not wanting to be bothered with the BOH will just put up all handlers or feeling he needs to give the award will award an inferior dog just because it is owner handled."
If that happens, I say we just vote with our feet and don't hire or enter under that judge. Really, I don't think the judges are THAT bad--or why would you bother?

Another thought: It might be a good thing for specialty clubs, with many owner handlers, to have.

Most of the Specialty shows that I go to are mostly owner handled. I think it is a great idea!

For those of you who have not seen this, here is the official ACK explanation as to how this will all work out.

Not sure how I feel about it yet... We will have to see after the first show if it is worth taking the chance and having me show Mia instead of Lindsay.

We are campaigning her heavy this coming year. Our goal is to get her into the Show dog hall of fame and in the top ten for our breed (goldens).

AKC OWNER HANDLER SERIES
COMPETITION PROCEDURE GUIDE
The Owner/Handler competition is
conducted following Best of Breed judging in
each breed ring. Dogs handled by professional handlers are not eligible to compete.
Eligible dogs that are entered in BOB
competition are identified by an asterisks (*)
in the stewards book and the catalog.
JUDGE AND RING STEWARD PROCEDURAL
GUIDE (FOLLOW PUBLISHED ORDER)
1.All dogs in the BOB competition
(includingWD &WB) are to stay in the
ring after the judge makes their
placements in BOB competition.
2.The ring steward asks all professional
handlers to leave the ring.
3.The ring steward confirms the dogs
remaining in the ring are eligible using
the steward’s book or catalog markings.
4.The judge is to then select the Best
Owner Handler (BOH).
a. If the BOB is eligible they are
automatically BOH.
b. If BOB is ineligible and BOS is
eligible excuse all dogs of the same
sex as BOS and choose BOH from
the remaining dogs.
c. If both BOB & BOS are ineligible
and Select Dog & Select Bitch are
both eligible, the judge is to choose
BOH from the Selects and eligible
WD orWB.
d. If one of the Selects is eligible excuse
all dogs of the same sex and the judge
chooses BOH from the remaining
dogs of the opposite sex including
the eligibleWD orWB.
e. If BOB, BOS, SD and SB are not
eligible the judge may choose any
eligible dog remaining in the ring
includingWD &WB as BOH.