Rules for the Pacific Coast Bulldog Club 2018 Top Stars Series

(Approved by the pacific coast bulldog club, as amended 12.31.2017)

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100 Years of Stars

PURPOSE

The Pacific Coast Bulldog Club (“PCBC” or the “Club”) celebrates its one-hundredth anniversary in 2018 and to commemorate this occasion, the Club has planned a Centennial Celebration with special events throughout the year.  These events are intended to highlight what the Club calls its One Hundred Years of Stars, celebrating the people and the dogs from PCBC’s past.  One Centennial Celebration event will be like none others seen before.  That’s the PCBC Top Stars Series (“Top Stars Series”), a series of competitions which will result in the crowning of the Top Stars Series Champion in December 2018, our final Club celebration of this incredible year.  The Top Stars Series Champion will win $500, and the winning connections’ names will be forever engraved on the PCBC Centennial Celebration Trophy.  This trophy is a specially designed masterpiece with a vintage sterling silver bowl surrounded by stars resting atop a base on which the Club has engraved the names of every PCBC lifetime member through 2018 and the names and owners of every Bulldog in the Bulldog Club of America (“BCA”) National Gallery of Winners connected to a PCBC member.   Lifetime membership in PCBC is bestowed upon any individual maintaining at least 25 continuous years of membership.  The BCA National Gallery of Winners includes the Best of Breed and Best of Opposite Sex at each BCA National Show, and the Centennial Celebration Trophy engraves the names of all those dogs in the National Gallery which were either bred by a PCBC member or owned by a PCBC member at the time of its win.  These individuals and dogs represent some of the best of the many stars from the Club’s first one hundred years.  The Club appreciates today all that was accomplished by those who have come before us and honors them through the Top Stars Series and the Centennial Celebration Trophy, which will be retained by the Club and exhibited in the future as a reminder of this special year and all that it commemorates.  The Top Stars Series Champion won’t get to keep the Centennial Celebration Trophy but will receive, in addition to $500, a special one-of-a-kind trophy inspired by the Centennial Celebration Trophy.

The rules for the Top Stars Series (the “Rules”) are set forth here.  The Top Stars Series will consist of two competitions in Southern California during 2018, one on January 6th in Indio, California in connection with five shows over that weekend, and one on April 14th in San Bernardino, California during the Club’s Centennial Celebration specialty weekend with four shows.  At each Top Stars Series competition, based on the Scoresheet described below, the three highest scoring dogs will earn points toward the coveted Top Stars Series Champion.  In addition, the top three scoring dogs at the recently announced BCA Top 20-Plus Competition to be held on October 29th in Bloomington, Minnesota during the BCA National Show will each receive points toward the Centennial Celebration Trophy.  The 2018 All American National will certainly be one never forgotten, and PCBC is pleased to have the chance to partner with the 2018 National Show Committee in the development of these competitions.  The dog accumulating the highest number of points from these three competitions will be the Top Stars Series Champion.  See below for the tie-breaking methods which will be used in the unlikely event of a tie.  The Top Stars Series and the BCA Top 20-Plus are considered “attractions” by AKC and are therefore not subject to any AKC rule, policy or guideline relating to dog shows or otherwise.  Exhibitors at each Top Stars Series competition are expected to wear professional attire of the highest quality and style similar to what is worn at the best AKC dog shows.

Participants are advised that the BCA Top 20-Plus Competition has its own eligibility requirements and rules and although there are similarities between those rules and the Rules, they are materially different in many respects, and any exhibitor wishing to enter the Top Stars Series and the Top 20-Plus is advised to review carefully the set of rules applicable to each.  PCBC undertakes no responsibility for the Top 20-Plus, its rules or the event itself.  None of the Rules here will apply in any manner to the Top-20 Plus event. 

ELIGIBILITY

The Top Stars Series competitions will showcase AKC champion Bulldogs from across Southern California and beyond.  The competition is intended to educate and entertain Bulldog exhibitors, fanciers, and others while they enjoy a cocktail, a bite to eat and time with their fellow Bulldog lovers.   The Top Stars Series will reward breeders and owners who strive to breed and show Bulldogs that excel in structure, movement, health, temperament and conformation as described in the Bulldog breed standard.  Any Bulldog that has earned its AKC Championship Certificate by the date of a Top Stars Series competition is eligible to enter that competition.  You are encouraged to enter any AKC champion in the Top Stars Series and compete for a chance at history by adding your dog’s name to the Centennial Celebration Trophy.  The entry fee for each Top Star Series competition will be $50 payable to PCBC, and exhibitors are reminded that this entry money will support either the 2018 National Show or PCBC’s 2018 Centennial Celebration.  Dogs can be entered up to a half hour prior to the commencement of each competition.  Further details will be provided by the Club prior to each competition.

There are no requirements that an owner or co-owner of a dog entered in the Top Stars Series competitions belong to PCBC, BCA or any other particular dog club.  Exhibitors should be aware, however, that at least one owner of a dog qualified to participate in the BCA Top-20 Plus must be a member in good standing of BCA.   Notwithstanding the foregoing, any person who has been suspended by AKC, BCA or PCBC and is serving such suspension on the date of a Top Stars Series competition is not eligible to be an owner or exhibitor of any dog entered in that competition.  Any dog entered in a Top Stars Series competition which has an owner on suspension by AKC, BCA or PCBC, and any dog exhibited by a person then on suspension by AKC, BCA or PCBC, will be disqualified from such competition.  Should the dog be exhibited and the disqualifying fact discovered afterwards, the dog will forfeit any award given or points earned, and such award and points will be distributed as appropriate to other dogs which participated in that competition.   [Paragraph revised 12.31.2017 under authority of the Centennial Celebration Committee.]

As mentioned above, the Top Stars Series is a PCBC “Special Attraction” rather than an AKC-Sanctioned event and is therefore not governed by AKC Event Rules and Procedures.  Members of PCBC and the Centennial Celebration Committee are permitted to own or exhibit entries in the Top Stars Series, but will be asked to recuse themselves from certain decisions related to the Top Stars Series as described elsewhere in the Rules.  The judging panel for each Top Stars Series competition will be selected by the then current Board of Directors of PCBC, provided that any Board member expecting to have a Bulldog entered in that specific competition will recuse himself or herself completely from the deliberations and decision about the judging panel.   [Paragraph revised 12.31.2017 under authority of the Centennial Celebration Committee.]

Entry forms for each Top Stars Series competition will be available prior to the event and must be completed in full by an exhibitor prior to the commencement of a particular competition.  The dog’s name may be announced to attendees during the competition but no other information about the dog will be shared at that time with the general audience.  Payment of the entry fee entitles the participant to one ballot to vote for the People’s Choice award winner described below.  Additional People’s Choice ballots for other owners, co-owners, handlers, breeders and interested parties for any entered Bulldog must be purchased separately.

THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION COMMITTEE

The PCBC Centennial Celebration Committee will consist of each member of the Club’s Board of Directors for 2018.  This Committee is authorized to assign responsibilities and make the decisions necessary to ensure a successful Top Stars Series, and decisions of the Committee will be considered final and subject to no further appeal of any kind whatsoever.

 JUDGING, RING PROCEDURE & SCORING

The disinterested members of the Centennial Celebration Committee (meaning those without any conflict of interest at a competition as a result of a dog being entered) will select a judging panel for each Top Stars Series competition comprised of three judges who are highly experienced Bulldog owners, breeders or handlers.  A teller committee consisting of at least two people who have not bred, owned, or co-owned any dog competing in the Top Stars Series will be appointed by the Centennial Celebration Committee to tally the scores submitted by the three judges and the ballots submitted for the People’s Choice Winner.

The name of the winner, along with a first runner up and second runner up, will be kept strictly confidential until the scheduled time for announcement (the date, time and location of which shall be publicized in advance with the intent that it not conflict with or disrupt any AKC event).

The name of the judges selected to judge each Top Stars Series competition will be kept strictly CONFIDENTIAL until the day of the event.  The Centennial Celebration Committee shall have the right in its sole discretion to replace any judge at any time who no longer can complete his or her judging assignment for any reason.

RING PROCEDURE AND JUDGING PROCESS

Dogs will enter the ring in a randomly pre-selected order.  After a circuit around the ring each dog will go to the ramp and will be examined by each of the three judges who will then complete a scoresheet for each dog (the “Scoresheet”).  When the judges have recorded their scores for the ramp examination by completing their Scoresheet, the dog will gait while being observed by each of the three judges.  The judges will record their final scores, and the dog will leave the ring.  Judges will turn in a Scoresheet after each dog is exhibited.  Upon the completion of all judging, all entered dogs will return to the ring for a final showcase and, at the discretion of the Centennial Celebration Committee, the winners of the competition may be announced at that time if the teller committee has completed the Scoresheet tabulation.  Based on the tabulation of the teller committee, the Bulldog entry with the highest total score will be named the winner of the competition and a first and second runner up will also be announced.  Trophies or other awards commemorating PCBC’s Centennial Celebration will be presented to the top three finishers at each of the Top Stars Series competitions.

At each competition, in the event of a tie for any of the top three placements, the tie will be broken (i) first by awarding the higher placement to the dog with the highest score from any two of the judges, (ii) if any two or more dogs are still tied, second by awarding the higher placement to the dog with the highest average score of the two judges who gave the dog its highest and lowest individual scores, and (iii) if any two or more dogs are still tied, third by awarding the higher placement to a dog owned or co-owned by a PCBC member over one that is not.  If two or more dogs remain tied for any award after going through this tie-breaking process, then the higher placement will be awarded to the dog (among those that are still tied) receiving the highest score from the People’s Choice ballots.  Any dog losing a tie-breaker shall remain eligible for the next lower placement at each competition.  Should one or more dogs tie in the accumulation of points for the Top Stars Series Champion, that tie shall be broken as explained below under Accumulation of Points Toward the Top Stars Series Champion.

 

Depending on the number of entries, the Centennial Celebration Committee may elect to use, as a means of effective time management, an advance judging period prior to the scheduled time of each Top Stars competition or make such other modifications to the judging process as the Committee deems appropriate in order that the competition remain on a timely schedule.  Any such scheduling decision or further modification thereof shall be at the sole discretion of the Centennial Celebration Committee.

SCORING PROCEDURE

The Scoresheet to be completed by each judge will be derived from the current Bulldog Standard approved by BCA and adopted by AKC and shall reflect such wording revisions, clarifications or other omissions as the Centennial Celebration Committee shall deem advisable in its sole discretion so that the Scoresheet descriptions of breed characteristics are set forth in a simple, direct manner and are easily understood by the judges.

 Scoresheets will be pre-printed and provided to the judges for each entry. The scores submitted by all three judges will be tabulated by the teller committee to determine the winner of each Top Stars Series competition.  A member of the teller committee or the Club Secretary shall retain all Scoresheets and the tabulated score summaries for one year from the date of the competition.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

Each spectator attending a Top Stars Series competition will be allowed to purchase no more than three People’s Choice ballots at a cost of $10 per ticket which must be paid by the time the ballot is distributed.   The funds raised by the sale of People’s Choice ballots will be credited toward the event’s fundraising.  Funds raised from the January Top Stars Series event will benefit the 2018 BCA National Show, and funds raised from the April Top Stars Series event will defray a portion of the Club’s costs in hosting the Centennial Celebration specialty weekend.  The ballots will be tabulated by the teller committee to determine a “People’s Choice” winner using the same scoring method used by the judges.  The winner of each People’s Choice award will receive a trophy or other award and will be announced immediately after the winners of each Top Stars Series competition are announced.  In the event of a tie, the People’s Choice award will be given to the Bulldog with the highest score (among those tied) by the judging panel.

ACCUMULATION OF POINTS TOWARD THE TOP STARS SERIES CHAMPION

The dogs with the three highest tabulated scores from the judging panel at each Top Stars Series competition and at the BCA Top-20 Plus will accumulate points toward the Top Stars Series Champion award as follows:

Bulldog named Winner of a Top Stars Series competition or Winner of the BCA Top-20 Plus:       50 points

Bulldog with second highest score at a Top Stars Series competition or the BCA Top-20 Plus:      30 points

Bulldog with third highest score at a Top Stars Series competition or the BCA Top-20 Plus:           20 points

No points will be accumulated solely by virtue of winning a People’s Choice Award at any of the three competitions referenced above.  Tie-breakers for the highest three scores of each Top Stars Series competition shall be as stated above and tie-breakers for the BCA Top-20 Plus shall be as provided in the rules applicable to such event, with the understanding that if there is no basis to break a tie, then those provided above would apply. 

 The Centennial Celebration Committee shall appoint a Championship teller committee consisting of two PCBC Board members who have not accumulated any points toward the Top Stars Series Champion on any Bulldog entry in any event.  Preference will be given to eligible PCBC Board members actually in attendance at the BCA Top-20 Plus.  Following the announcement of the winner of the BCA Top-20 Plus, and notification to a member of the Championship teller committee of the second and third highest scoring dogs in the BCA Top-20 Plus (each of which would accumulate points toward the Top Stars Series Champion as provided herein), the Championship teller committee shall tabulate the final point totals based on the points accumulation methodology referenced above.  In the event of a tie in total points accumulated by two or more dogs, preference will be given to any dog owned or co-owned by at least one PCBC member.  If there remains a tie after recognizing this preference, the tie would next be broken by excluding from consideration any dog that was not named as a winner at one of the three competitions above.  If there still remained a tie, the tie would be broken by naming as champion the dog with the highest average score of those tied at any one of the three competitions above.

The Championship teller committee shall not disclose to anyone the name of the Top Stars Series Champion prior to its announcement at PCBC’s gala Centennial Celebration holiday party expected to be held on December 12, 2018.  Notwithstanding this, a member of the Championship teller committee is authorized to prepare the engraving plate to go on the Centennial Celebration Trophy in advance of the Club’s holiday party so that it may be unveiled that evening.  If an owner or co-owner of the Top Stars Series Champion is in attendance at the PCBC holiday party, then the top prize of $500 and the championship trophy inspired by the Centennial Celebration Trophy will be awarded at that time.  If the winner is not in attendance, a representative of PCBC will contact them as soon as possible and deliver the check and trophy to them with the Club’s congratulations.

 AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES

PCBC and the Centennial Celebration Committee reserve the right to modify these Rules, at such times as they deem necessary and in their reasonable discretion, and will use their reasonable best efforts to communicate any material revisions in the Rules to all interested parties.

Questions, contact Link Newcomb at [email protected] or Lalaine Policar at [email protected]