Can someone shed some light on this query please.....Can a Champion be shown at open show level

Yes they can.  It's quite good for up and coming judges to get their hands on top quality dogs

Debs

They certainly can. It seems to depend between breeds whether people think it's 'acceptable' or not, but there's certainly no rule against it.

M.

Yes, Brighteye, open shows are just that 'open' to any dog who is KC registered or has an ATC number.

As suggested there are some breeds who think it wrong but you can't expect good experienced judging at championship shows if the judge has never or rarely before seen a quality dog above the age of 18 months.

It's companionship shows where they can't.  Open is fine.

> It's companionship shows where they can't. 

Or Limit shows.

Debs

Someone who bought a dog with a CC and a couple of RCCs from us has been on the end of some bitchy comments for taking him to the odd open show just to get used to handling him before she went to a champ show, so not even just champions in my breed!

Mind you, it's also very rare for people in my breed to continue to show champions, except perhaps beyond what shows they might have been entered for before they got their title.

M.

It's frowned on to show champions in my breed, in fact I even got a few comments when my Henry won a CC and as he was my only show dog I continued to show him at both open and Ch shows, and he did get his ShCM in the end. Some breeds don't mind Champions at open show though. A friend in a different breed said that how are the less experienced open show judges supposed to know a top quality dog when they see it if they never go over one until their first Ch appointment.

Lily, I want to move to your breed - Henry would almost certainly have been a Ch if we hadn't been around at the same time as the 2 top dogs who are now joint breed record holders who insisted on battling at almost every show for the past 4 years!! Not that they aren't both utterly gorgeous, just that there are a good few dogs worthy who couldn't get past them. I came 2nd to one or other of them a dozen times!

We occasionally show one of our dogs who has 1 CC & 2 RCC's at Open shows; mainly when we want to show our support to a partiuclar judge and therefore take the whole gang along or more often as practice for me!!  I'm not over keen on handling the dogs, but I have honed my skills on him.  We have been on the receiving end of some horrible comments for bringing him to Open shows and now are getting the same with our bitch who has just gained her JW. 
I think if and when we are ever lucky enough to make one of them up we would not take them to Open shows again but only because we have more than one dog that we show regularly that we would enter instead. 

For people who can only have one dog, then why should they not go along to Open shows and enjoy their hobby? 

It's also good for novice exhibitors to learn what a champion looks like    If I hadn't been up against Ch's in open shows I wouldn't have known what a quality dog was like and whether mine was anywhere near good enough for Ch Shows

When you beat a Ch at open level, then you have some idea of whether or not the Ch show Fee would be worth paying

can i ask why it is frowned upon to show a ch at an open show?

> can i ask why it is frowned upon to show a ch at an open show?

I do sometimes wonder and it is only in some breeds, strange enough some breeds that are thin on the ground too, you would think they needed everyone who could to enter everything they had into open shows that give their breed classes in order not to loose them.

In my own breed it seems people do as they wish, some retire their dogs more or less as soon as they get their crown others who may be have less dogs continue showing them, don't think anyone has strong feeling about it although it can be a pain if you are campaigning a dog that is always second to the flavour of the year or years even if you know it is a better example than yours.

Hi Colette... (Brighteye).. yes it is perfectly acceptable for a Ch or Sh Ch to be shown at Open level..

In our breed it doesnt happen very often.. so it is a little unusual to see them at Open level.. but sometimes its nice to take a dog that hasnt been out for a while (maybe concentrating on a younger dog) and putting him up against dogs that he would not normally compete against at Ch Level...

By the way... Well done on your very 1st BPIB... nice critique...

If you are unsure of anything.. you have my e-mail addy... just ask

> We have been on the receiving end of some horrible comments for bringing him to Open shows and now are getting the same with our bitch who has just gained her JW. 
>

That is pathetic, if people don't want the competition then they should not go to OPEN shows but support Companion shows, or at proper show level why have the Limit shows almost died out, where dogs with CC's and champions can't be shown.

People can't have their cake and eat it, they want the Kudos of winning at a particular level (Open or championship) but don't want to chance their luck against the best dogs.

If our champions didn't go to Open shows there would be few shows for them to attend, and also poor support in the breed as we tend to be a top heavy breed with few youngsters coming through at any time and dogs including Champions shown well into Veteran years.

People who complain about showing Champions at Open level would do well to remember, the owner of the Ch is taking a risk that a complete unknown may beat the champion   I've done it, seen it happen plenty of times in our breed, and had it happen to me

I like to see experienced exhibitors and Champions at open shows, they are usually the ones who are more than willing to help new people and give them handling and grooming advice/help  

That's very true Dill - that's mostly why I'm pretty much retiring Henry now - he's pretty good for over 6 years, but I don't like him coming last to the up and coming stars. Same with the companion shows, I don't think I'd like it if he was allowed to enter and got chucked out. I don't mind with my other two, any dog they beat is a bonus!

Champions may not enter Opens in Ireland apart from Champion Stakes, but the usual crowd always bring their youngsters so there is plenty of experienced people to talk with. There are more general champ shows than Opens too so the chances are most exhibitors will be up against the best dogs at those shows. We don't have companion dog shows/exemption shows and we are not permitted by the IKC to compete at Agricultural shows which would be the closest thing so the Opens give novices a good day out and a fair chance of coming home with something, usually huge bags of dog food!

hi there do u no how i can get my female dog kc registered

Is she already registered with another registry with the UK or Outside the UK that is recognized by the UK KC ?

no she is only registered with the kennal club but i want 2 get her kc registered

So your bitch was registered by her breeder with the UK Kennel Club ?

> no she is only registered with the kennal club but i want 2 get her kc registered

UK Kennel Club and KC are one and the same! KC are the initials of the Kennel Club

It has even been known for exhibitors at Open Shows in Boxers to have a go at Ch Show judges when they take their young stock to an Open Show. They were told that "the likes of  them being breeders should leave the Open for the rest"