Rules to Judge Futurities

Rules to Judge Futurities

RULES FOR FUTURITY/MATURITY JUDGES    

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Effective with the selection of the 2023 judges. Documentation is required. Approved October 2021.

Judges must be a member in good standing of the German Shepherd Dog Club of America and in good standing with the American Kennel Club.

The following are automatically eligible to judge a Futurity:

1. AKC licensed and provisional judges of German Shepherd Dogs
2. Persons who are licensed to judge German Shepherd Dogs in the country where they reside
3. Persons who have previously judged one or more GSDCA Futurity/Maturity

Breeders who do not meet any of the above criteria:

1. Must have exhibited German Shepherd Dogs for a minimum of 10 years.
2. Must have bred 2 German Shepherd champions and exhibited at least 1 other German Shepherd to its AKC championship while being the owner of record. (Total of 3 AKC champions)
3. Must have completed 4 ring experiences, which would include any combination of judging a match or ring stewarding at a GSD specialty, all breed show, or Futurity/Maturity show.
4. Must have attended a GSDCA National Judge’s Seminar or an approved GSDCA Judge’s Seminar and have a certificate verifying attendance.

Professional handlers who have not previously judged a Futurity/Maturity show must meet the following criteria:

1. Must have exhibited German Shepherd Dogs for a minimum of 10 years.
2. Must have finished at least 10 German Shepherd champions. 
3. Three (3) of the 10 finished must have earned one of the following titles at the GSDCA National Specialty: GSDCA Select, Futurity Victor, Futurity Victrix, Maturity Victor, Maturity Victrix.
4. Must have completed 4 ring experiences, which would include any combination of judging a match or ring stewarding at a GSD specialty, all breed show, or Futurity/Maturity show.
5. Must have attended a GSDCA National Judge’s Seminar or an approved GSDCA Judge’s Seminar and have a certificate verifying attendance.

All judges must agree to the following:

• Judge agrees to follow the AKC rules regarding judging at cluster shows, including the four-month rule. The judge agrees not to exhibit or judge at any shows held in conjunction with the Futurity, either before or after, or at any show within 200 miles of the Futurity site on the same weekend.

• No member of the household or immediate family (husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister) will exhibit or handle any dog at the Futurity where the proposed judge is judging including the National Futurity/Maturity Finals.
• Judge agrees to study and understand the AKC Rules, Policies and Guidelines for Conformation Dog Show Judges and to abide by them.
• Judge agrees to employ the loose lead temperament examination when judging all entrants.
• Judge agrees to write a brief critique within one month of the Futurity/Maturity judging assignment for publication in the “German Shepherd Dog Review”

Additional rules for all judges:

• A person may judge a Futurity once every three years. No person may judge a Futurity the year he/she judges the GSDCA National Specialty Show or the year following judging of the GSDCA National Specialty Show.
• The judge must reside 300 straight line miles or more from the show site.
• Licensed judges agree not to judge German Shepherd Dogs at the breed level at any AKC show within 500 miles of the Futurity show site for a period of 6 months prior to the Futurity judging assignment.
• A National Futurity Chairman or Co-chairman may not judge a Futurity/Maturity show while actively serving as chairman or co-chairman.