If you co-own a dog with one of the sweeps judges, can you have a handler show your dogs to them. I assume you can show your dogs in the regular classes.

While the answer might be yes since it's a sweeps judge, it looks REALLY BAD!!! I wouldn't do it no matter who's at the end of the leash! But go ahead and show in the regular classes. There are many other specialties that you can enter sweeps!

I am pretty sure if the Judge in question is listed as an "Owner of Record" then you cannot show this dog at all at this event (sweeps or regular classes). You might confirm with AKC.

If it ends up that you can show the dog in the regular class, you might want to talk with the judge...even if it is allowed, they may prefer the dog not be shown to them. They should be consulted.

A sweepstakes judge cannot show or have a dog they own or co-own shown at an event they are judging at. They can do it on consecutive days if it has a different event number. The potomac is all one event. The judge would be open to discipline or suspension if you enter your dog at this event.

Read Chapter 11, Section 13 of the AKC Rules
Not only may you not have the dog shown to the co- owner judge, the dog may not be entered in any class at the show, regardless of who is judging that class.

I wouldn't do it and I believe it's against AKC rules.

I assumed the OP meant their OTHER dogs, not the co-owned dog. I don't believe there's anything about dogs the sweeps judges doesn't co-own, just the actual co-owned dog. But either way, I wouldn't show any of your dogs to the judge in sweeps, and just show the non-co-owned dogs in regular classes if you wish.

Similar situation, per AKC email,

You can find your answer in the Rules, Policies and Guidelines for Conformation Dog Show Judges (under Ethics: Honesty and Common Sense):



Obviously, some rules, policies and guidelines are clear. For example:

• Never accept any payments or presents for past or future placements.

• Advise potential exhibitors not to enter under you when their presence or the presence of their dogs might give the impression of unfair advantage. For example, if the exhibitor is:

…your employer or an employee.

…a relative.

…a person with whom you co-own dogs.

…a person with whom you travel to dog shows.



So if you still co-own this dog with the judge, you should not enter any dogs under this person.

Who is judging sweeps at the Potomac?

It falls under conflict of interest. This sweepstakes judge is likely thrilled to have been asked to judge at the largest labrador specialty in the world. This is a very important assignment in anyone's judging carreer. Why would you even consider ruining it for them for vanity's sake? It would cause so much damage to their reputation not to mention get them in trouble with AKC because as you know there would be a long line of people waiting to file a complaint. Please don't spoil it for them.
Effective
January 1, 2009 Sweepstake/ Futurity judges may
not exhibit on day(s) they judge. Sweepstake/Futurity judges will continue to be allowed to exhibit the day before and the day after the event they judge. A multi-day specialty is considered one event, and the restriction will apply for the duration of the event
This rule would also apply to dogs co-owned by the judge.

Sweepstakes judges for LRCP 2013 are Rusty Howard and Karen Helmers.

In addition to the co-own dogs. There will be people who's dogs cannot exhibit in sweepstakes. Anyone who has paid Rusty for handling services in the 6 months prior to the show may not exhibit any dog owned or co-owned in sweepstakes. Rusty is judging boys and also Best in Sweeps. So, if you have used him for handling think twice before entering anything in sweepstakes. Even bitches should not be entered as he is doing Best in Sweeps and the bitch could still end up being judged by him.

It will be a great show as always!!

What if the sweeps judge is a co-owner of the dam of a puppy I want to show at Potomac?
The judge never saw the litter because of a distance factor, and does not know me as I bought the pup from the dam owner.
I still would not show the pup to them in sweeps but can the pup be shown in regular classes?

I'll try to summarize some of this, as a judge who has seen all kinds of shenanigans by exhibitors who want to read the AKC governing documents with one purpose in mind: How can I get around this stuff and show to this judge? Hopefully, by keeping it fairly simple most people can find their answers here. I'm not singling Rusty out because this affects any sweeps judge. I mention Rusty by name ONLY because he's judging sweeps at Potomac and is in a situation that is largely the result his intimate relationship to our Lab community gained as a premier handler. Nothing I say here is intended to disparage him in any way whatsoever.

First - there are two AKC publications that provide guidance in the form of 1) Rules, 2) Policies, and 3) Guidelines: One is "Rules, Policies and Guidelines for Conformation Dog Show Judges", and the other is "Rules Applying to Dog Shows".

At the 50,000 foot level all you need to know is these two things:

From Rules, Policies and Guidelines for Conformation Dog Show Judges, page 5: "If you have concerns about whether something is inappropriate, you probably should avoid the situation."

And:

From Rules Applying to Dog Shows, page 50: "The above will apply to judges of sweepstakes or futurities held with licensed or member shows exactly as it does to judges of regular competition at shows." - This is important! Sweeps judges can't skirt the rules just because they are sweeps judges. Furthermore, exhibiters should not try to skirt the rules and show under someone just because they think sweeps is "different" - it's not.

What this addresses is two situations, broadly speaking: the first is that a judge(or any person residing in their household)may not exhibit at a show in which they are judging; also, any of their dogs (owned or co-owned)are ineligible to be entered at the show (even if they are not the judge that would officiate over those dogs). In other words, none of Rusty's owned or co-owned dogs can be shown to any of the judges at Potomac, and Rusty can't judge sweeps and then show under another judge later in the week (which should go without saying). Even though Potomac covers several days, it is considered ONE SHOW for AKC Rules purposes. The key point to walk away with is that the same rules apply to sweeps judges throughout Potomac that apply to the regular judges.

Another point under the same section of the rules is that "no entry shall be made" under a judge if the judge (or a member of his household or immediate family)has owned it, handled it in the ring more than twice, sold it, leased it, or boarded it with a year prior to the start date of the show. This section also applies the same to sweeps and regular judges. This is very limiting in a show like Potomac, and even more when it involves someone in Rusty's situation.

Moving on to the "Rules, Policies and Guidelines for Conformation Dog Show Judges", this document says several times that they cannot possibly address every situation but that it applies to not only actual ethical violations, but anything that might be PERCEIVED (seen as) a violation of common sense ethics.

Judges are instructed to "advise potential exhibitors not to enter under you
when their presence or the presence of their dogs might give the impression of unfair advantage. [P - Policy] For example, if the exhibitor is a person ... with whom you co-own dogs." Note here that it isn't talking about co-owning the dogs you want to enter - it says, and means, "with whom you co-own" ANY dogs. So if you co-own a dog with Rusty and you leave that dog at home all week, you still cannot enter ANY dog under Rusty at Potomac.

AKC recognizes judges can't always control who enters under them. Consequently, situations may arise that require a judge to excuse an exhibitor for some reason known only to the judge. The responsibility for entering dogs that are ineligible or that create a conflict of interest is
with the exhibitor, not the judge. Awards won may be cancelled, and exhibitors with repeat violations may receive reprimands or fines for repeat violations.

This document also seconds what was said in the first one:

No entry shall be made at any show under a judge of any dog which said judge or any member of his immediate household or immediate family has been known to have owned, handled in the ring more than twice, sold, held under lease or boarded within one year prior to the date of the show. [R - Rule]


I hope this helps. I know it is a little long, but every bit of this is critically important. My advice is to be very careful with your entries - don't do anything to put the judge in an uncomfortable position or to embarrass the show committee who hired him. He's in a tough enough spot already without any additional conflict.

Looking for a response from the knowledgable people. Could you please verify that if a person decides to take the judges name off of their dog, it has to be done prior to one year of showing to that judge?
Thank you.

I spoke to AKC today and was told that if you have used a handler and said handler has shown for you in the last four months you can not enter under that handler/judge. She also said that you could not use that handler to show your dog/dogs for four months following the judging assignment. I was surprised that a handler would Judge such a big event as Potomac under these conditions.

I assume this is correct information since it came from the event section, information person. But you never know!!

Let me see if I have this straight -
If I owned a dog with the sweeps judge, then none of my dogs can be shown at all? 2 situations that need clarification........1. What if the dog was placed in a pet home, but he never signed off? Does that mean he still owns it? 2. What if I co-own dogs with other people? Does that mean any dog with my name on it cannot be shown?

Yes you are correct "Checked AKC". Also any dog that is coowned by Rusty cannot be shown AT ALL. However, people that coown dogs with Rusty are able to show their other dogs to the other judges. Would i do it? No, it is more of an ethical issue to me.

Jen

I completly understand and agree that you should never show under a judge that you co-own dogs with. Of course...
At Potomac, if you co-own dogs with one of the sweeps judges, it should be clear that you do not show a dog to them. Your relationship with them makes that a no-no.
I also agree that it is best to not show any dogs in the regular classes that go back to the sweeps judge that you have ownership with.

Here is my question-there was a post from jen L. that seemed to say that it would not be ethical if I want to show some dogs in the regular classes that the sweeps judge has no connection to whatsoever. Did I read that post incorrectly?
Why would this be a problem or unethical?
I would not show under a judge I co-own dogs with.
I would not show dogs connected to that co-owner/judge to another judge at the same show.
But what is wrong or unethical with my showing dogs to the other judges when the dogs have no connection whatsoever to the judge that I do co-own with???

Many people are talking about whether or not they are going to enter the Potomac show.
There are many questions that are flying around since the one judge for sweeps has also handled and co-owns dogs with many of the exhibitors.
(I just want to say that I think Karen and Rusty are great choices and will do a very good job.)
People have even been asking if it is OK to enter the puppy match that the Potomac club has been doing at the beginning of the week!
Since decesions have to made soon, if they can find a hotel, my question is this-
Who do you ask to speak to at the AKC office to have your questions answered?
Would the MBF people know the answers?
Ask an AKC Judge?
Contact LRCP?
I have read comments on here but would like definitive official answers please.
Do not want to waste the entry fee or upset anyone.
Thanks for your time.

I have contacted the AKC office in NY and judge relations is the department and spoke to Tim/Kim and he said since both sweepstakes judges can show clients or dogs they own or co-own the day before potomac and the day after potomac. Potomac is considered a multi-day specialty so it would mean the whole week the sweep judges can not show any co owned or owned by them for regular class. Sweeps if your their client or own other dogs with them and they haven't had anything to do with that particular puppy you still can't show to them. Hopes this makes sense.

Regular judges its 3 days before and 3 days after the judging assignment within a 200 mile radius.

Hopes this helps with the questions feel free to call the judge relations dept in the NY office. 212.696.8200

What happens if you dog was sired by one of the judges dogs and they have never seen the dog? Technically okay right?

It would be worth buying a ticket to watch sweeps judging with a catalog in hand - I bet the hottest thread here the day after will be the trouble makers who probably already have half their crap written.