|
Dear Member,
A Town Hall Meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 10, at 8 p.m. Central, for the purpose of discussing the pros and cons of the table, ramp, and floor designations for examination of the Miniature American Shepherd at conformation shows. The Miniature American Shepherd is currently designated as a ramp breed. The pros and cons of each designation will be collected and included with a survey that is to go out to the membership following the town hall meeting. The Board will instruct AKC Judging Operations to designate the Miniature American Shepherd according to the wishes of the majority of the membership responding to the survey. The survey may look something like the following, with the pros and cons added:
The Miniature American Shepherd (13 to 18 inches) is currently designated as a ramp breed for the purposes of showing in AKC Conformation. The designation is easily changed at any time by the Parent Club. A survey will be conducted to determine what designation the majority of the membership feels is best for our breed. Clarifications to the AKC policies were sought and received from AKC Judging Operations.
SURVEY - Select ONE:
- Table
- Table Optional
- Ramp
- Table & Ramp Optional
- Floor
The choices are explained as follows:
- Table - Breeds designated as table breeds are always examined on the table, even in Group and BIS.
- Table Optional - Breeds designated as table optional may be examined on the table, at the judge's discretion. If the judge chooses to examine a breed on the table, all entries are examined on the table. Otherwise all entries are examined on the floor.
- Ramp - Breeds designated as ramp breeds may be examined on the ramp, at the judge's discretion. If the judge chooses to examine a breed on the ramp, all entries are examined on the ramp. The ramp is a bit of a hassle for the judges and show personnel and thus is not used much. A judge has to request the ramp in advance. Even if a judge chooses to use a ramp to examine the entries, the ramp is not used in Group or BIS.
- Table & Ramp Optional - Breeds designated this way may be examined on the table, ramp, or floor, solely at the discretion of the judge.
- Floor - Floor breeds are always examined on the floor.
Some general rules:
- Whenever there is a choice (ramp, table optional) it is always at the judge's discretion.
- All entries in a breed are always examined the same way (on table, ramp, or floor) once a judge make a decision.
- It is never the exhibitor's choice.
For comparison purposes, here are the designations of the other breeds in the Herding Group, and their sizes.
Table Breeds:
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
10.5 to 12.5 inches
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
10 to 12 inches
Puli
16 to 17 inches
Pyrenean Shepherd
15 to 21 inches
Shetland Sheepdog
13 to 16 inches
Swedish Vallhund
11½ to 13½ inches
Ramp Breeds:
Polish Lowland Sheepdog
17 to 20 inches
Floor Breeds:
Australian Cattle Dog
17 to 20 inches
Australian Shepherd
18 to 23 inches
Bearded Collie
20 to 22 inches
Beauceron
24 to 27½ inches
Belgian Malinois
22 to 26 inches
Belgian Sheepdog
22 to 26 inches
Belgian Tervuren
22 to 26 inches
Border Collie
18 to 22 inches
Bouvier des Flandres
23½ to 27½ inches
Briard
22 to 27 inches
Canaan Dog
19 to 24 inches
Collie
22 to 26 inches
Entlebucher Mountain Dog
16 to 21 inches
Finnish Lapphund
16 to 21 inches
German Shepherd Dog
22 to 26 inches
Icelandic Sheepdog
Males - 18" tall at the shoulder; Females - 16½"
Norwegian Buhund
16 to 18½ inches
Old English Sheepdog
21 inches tall and upward
|
