How to qualify for Crufts 2008 ( Dutch Version )

As you will know, from 1 January 2007 the Kooikerhondje breed will be removed from the Import Register of the Kennel Club in Great Britain and transferred to the Main Breeds Register. The most important effect of this is that both British Kooikerhondje owners, and those based abroad, will now be able to qualify their dogs for Kooikerhondje breed classes at Crufts, with these first appearing in the Crufts schedule in 2008. We know that many Kooikerhondje exhibitors outside Britain have been looking forward to taking part in these classes as much as we have and we certainly look forward to seeing them there and making the classes as well-supported and high quality as possible. However, we also know that qualifying for Crufts is not easy for owners based outside the UK – especially where meeting Authority to Competes and the UK Pet Travel Scheme are concerned -- so we hope this guide will be of some help.

What is in this guide?

This guide covers the following aspects of showing your dog at Crufts: •  how to qualify •  from outside the UK •  by competing at qualifying championship shows in the UK •  how to apply for Authority to Compete •  how to meet import regulations •  how to enter for Crufts but should you have any questions the Kennel Club web site www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/crufts/overseas and Crufts own web site www.crufts.org.uk should help. These sites will also list the full list of qualifying shows outside the UK, but for the 2008 show this information will probably not be available until March 2007.

How to qualify your Kooikerhondje for Crufts There are two entirely different ways of doing this, but please note that any dog – however well qualified – that is less than 8 months old on the opening day of the show, is ineligible to enter.   (i) From outside the UK The Kennel Club liaises with overseas Kennel Clubs and nominates specific awards at particular shows in each of the overseas countries entitled to take part in the UK PETS Travel Scheme (Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA, as qualification for Crufts 2007).

The qualifying dogs will be the winners of the following Kooikerhondje classes: Junior Dog, Junior Bitch, Best Dog, and Best Bitch at the nominated shows (these alter from year to year and are announced on the web sites mentioned above.

The following dogs are also automatically entitled to enter Crufts:

• any champion from a country with which the Kennel Club has a reciprocal agreement qualifies automatically if it is domiciled in the UK and is on the Kennel Club Breed Register

•  any FCI International champion wherever domiciled

•  winners of Junior Dog, Junior Bitch classes plus CACIB Dog and CACIB Bitch at the FCI World Winners 2007 and the winners of the Junior Dog, Junior Bitch, Veteran Dog, Veteran Bitch plus CACIB Dog and CACIB Bitch at European Winners Shows in 2007 (provided they are resident in countries entitled to take part in the UK PETS Travel Scheme

•  Specific shows and classes in Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the USA in 2007 as specified on the Kennel Club and Crufts web site (ii) by competing at qualifying championship shows in the UK This route is only open to animals that already have their Authority to Compete (ATC) already confirmed by the Kennel Club (see below) and have complied with the UK PETS Travel Scheme requirements in advance (also see below).

To qualify for Crufts by attending a Championship show in the UK a Kooikerhondje must be declared Best of Sex or Reserve Best of Sex of the breed OR have gained any of the following prizes in Kooikerhondje or Variety classes at a Championship show in the 12 months from 9 January 2007: •  1st, 2nd or 3rd in Minor Puppy, Puppy, Junior, Post Graduate, Limit, Open or Veteran •  Won a 5-point or higher Green Star at an Irish Show •  Been declared Best of Breed at a Premier Open Show (provided that there were more than 3 breed classes scheduled) •  Won Best in Show, Reserve Best in Show or Best puppy in Show at a General or Group Open Show.

Currently the following qualifying shows have indicated that they will be holding Kooikerhondje breed classes: •  Championship shows: National Dog Show, National Gundog Show, Paignton Show •  Premier Open Show: Coventry Ladies But many others may well be holding classes but not yet have informed us and almost all will be holding qualifying Variety classes in which Kooikerhondje can compete to qualify. How to apply for Authority to Compete If you decided to qualify for Crufts by competing in shows in the UK or have qualified for Crufts some other way and want to enter the show then you must apply for Authority to Compete (ATC) from the UK Kennel Club and be in possession of an ATC number for your dog as this will need to be quoted on all entry forms. The ATC form is available as a downloadable PDF file from the Kennel Club web site www.the-kennel-club.org.uk but it is fairly complicated (requesting information on owners details, dog details (including microchip number), breeders details, plus a copy of the (at least) 3 generation pedigree of the dog, so if you have problems with it we suggest that you contact the Kennel Club's own specialist advisors on ATC on +44 870 606 6750.

The cost of the ATC application is approx 40 to 45 euros per dog.     How to meet import regulations Before you may enter the UK with your dog, you will need to comply with the strict regulations laid down by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in the UK. These are explained in the Pet Travel Scheme section of the DEFRA web site at www.defra.gov.uk and you are advised to look at this as soon as possible as it may take up to 9 months for a dog to be fully compliant, which means that you should begin the process no later than June 2007 to be sure that your dog can fulfill them..

How to enter for Crufts Armed with your ATC, your qualified dog and the knowledge that it complies with the UK Pet Travel Scheme you may now enter Crufts. Entry forms are usually downloadable from the Crufts web site www.crufts.org.uk where useful guidelines can also be found for foreign exhibitors.

Entries can be made by hard copy or on line and entries usually close in the first week of January (i.e. about 8 weeks before the show itself). The Shows and Crufts department of the Kennel Club is very helpful – and very experienced with dealing with foreign exhibitors – so do contact them if you have any worries about the process or need further advice.

In the hope that you manage to work your way successfully through this process, the Kooikerhondje Club of Great Britain looks forward to seeing you – and your dogs — at Crufts 2008. Celia Clarke Hon Secretary, Kooikerhondje Club of Great Britain