Top 20 Judging Procedure

Approved by ARC Board of Directors: 11/15/07

1. Each judge will score each dog individually at the same station simultaneously using the scale of points from the Judging Criteria Score Sheet.
2. The winner will be determined on the basis of the total score of each dog. The steward will check the score sheets in the ring to insure that the judge has filled in a score in every category. The scoring committee will add each sheet two times and will tabulate the final scores.
3. In the event of a tie, it shall be broken by using the “Average Placement” (a scale of 1 10), which is marked by each judge prior to the marking of the score sheet. If the result is still a tie, the score for “Overall Impression” that is marked by each judge during the scoring of the dog shall be used as the determining factor. If a third tie occurs, then the scoring committee shall add together the scores for “Head” and “Gait” and use that as a tie breaker. If a tie is still the final result, then the tie will stand and both dogs will be considered Winners of the Top 20 Competition.
4. Any Top Twenty dog who qualifies is eligible to compete, whether he/she has won or co-won the event in the past.

Above are the simple ground rules that will be followed in the judging of this exciting event. The rationale for this system is as follows:

Whenever a judge examines an individual dog and compares it, mentally, to the picture of the ideal, the judge is going through the work of judging by scoring. The scoring system adds the assigning of numerical values to the main factors of the judging, and it demands the judge indicate to what degree the part deviates from the ideal. He must also score each dog before he actually judges it, by using the Average Placement Scale of 1 through 10. In other words, he must look at the dog as a whole, and place the dog on his scale, with a score of 10 meaning that the dog is in perfect harmony with the judge's picture of the ideal Rottweiler.

Scoring is much more time consuming than the comparison judging we are accustomed to in the show ring. The total score gives some sense of the “approximation of perfection” of the individual dog. Scoring has another virtue. It is a strong discipline on the judge. A fault can seem to stand out to a judge. He can become sensitized to one difficulty or even to one virtue; and he can over fault or overemphasize the virtue. Scoring checks this to a marked degree. It reduces the idiosyncrasies of individual judges.

At the start of the Top Twenty competition each judge is introduced. Judging is performed simultaneously by all three (3) judges at one location. All competitors will enter the ring one at a time as their armband number is called, circle twice and exit. The last dog to enter will circle twice and set up on the diagonal for exam. Each judge will evaluate the dog for type and general appearance and score the dog at this time for average placement. Handler will show dentition while all three (3) judges observe. Each judge will physically examine the dog for structure, coat etc, and the handler may re-stack for each judges’ examination. The dog is scored simultaneously by all three (3) judges on movement; coming & going – a down & back pattern; and side gait – a full circle. When movement scoring is completed the dog will circle to the exit.

The judges will give the score sheets for the dog to their steward for the scoring committee. The next dog enters and follows the same judging procedure.

While in the ring, there will be no conversation between judges and judges' conversation with their stewards will only concern procedure. Neither judges nor stewards will have a copy of the catalog.

The competition will be followed by Top Dog Evening. The photographer will be set up so that photos can be taken with the judges during this time.

At the end of the Top Dog Evening, starting with #20, each Top Twenty competitor will be announced (name, owner, breeder, handler, ranking) and will come into the ring, circle once and line up. Once all the dogs are in the ring, the Top Twenty winner will be announced. All other dogs will leave the ring, and the Top Twenty winner will individually circle the ring. The winners’ name will be added to the Top 20 Benno Trophy in Memory of Am/Int’l/European/World CH Benno Von Der Schwarzen Heide, SchH III, IPO, III, FH, AD, Ztp, CGC. This trophy will serve as ARC’s permanent record of Top Twenty winners. A memento donated by Evie & Manson Johnson will be presented for permanent possession. The winning photograph can then be taken.

The judges’ score sheets will be available for viewing the following day at the Show Secretary’s Office on the National Specialty show grounds. Afterwards the score sheets will be destroyed.

FEO: Dogs may be shown For Exhibition Only (FEO) and will be indicated so in the catalog. These dogs will be scored in the ring following the same routine as the dogs that are competing. The judges will not be provided information as to which dogs are FEO and will complete a score sheet. However, none of the score sheets for FEO dogs will be available for viewing by anyone and will be destroyed by the chief ring steward.

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