AKC PILOT NOHS REGIONAL EVENT PROGRAM: IT’S ALL ABOUT RESPECT
“As we navigate these uncharted waters, the purpose and impact of NOHS comes under scrutiny. Designed to level the playing field for owner handlers, is NOHS intended to do that by competing dog to dog, or is it handler to handler?”
AKC will approve the Regionals on show weekends or as stand- alone events. Financially speaking, it makes sense for the Regionals to be in conjunction with a specialty day within a set of all-breeds. Orlando could model the scenario where the NOHS Regional could be held on the last weekday before the weekend. There would be a competition with a regular (or lower but not higher) fee for the Double Points and the regular fee for the all-breeds with champi- onship points and regular NOHS competition. After examining this Pilot, it is evident that it could be a boon for many NOHS competitors. This will draw quite well in some Regions, particu- larly metropolitan areas. The strategic implications for participating in the Regionals are multifaceted. For some, the allure of double points and the chance to compete against one’s peers rather than professionals may justify the investment. Yet, this decision has risks, as the financial and emotional stakes are high. For those who show NOHS-ranked dogs, it is possible that their dog could be knocked off by a young, up-and-coming dog that is unranked. Remember, this is a competition for ALL owner- handled dogs, not just dogs that end up beating all class dogs or bitches and are in the Best of Breed ring. The Regionals are not a so-called “double elimination” system. Any owner handler can enter their dog, and all the dogs go in together and are sorted out, age unrelated, and judged accordingly. In this way, this is a com- petition unlike Orlando. POSSIBLE GLITCH IN THE SYSTEM The AKC Announcement states, “Selected Clubs are urged to hire judges that exceed the current minimum requirements for NOHS.” The number two concern expressed by owner handlers is that judges who are not approved will be assigned to judge their Breed or Group. AKC has expressed its assurances that only the highest criteria submitted to them will be considered. Accordingly, they may raise the bar and approve those shows for Regionals from the current standards. There is no reason that judges should not be approved for the Breed and Group level. Owner handlers have long requested this policy be put into place by AKC! Point systems will be doubled at all levels: Breed, Group, and Best.
As we navigate these uncharted waters, the purpose and impact of NOHS comes under scrutiny. Designed to level the playing field for owner handlers, is NOHS intended to do that by competing dog to dog, or is it handler to handler? According to my contact at AKC, the double points pilot is intended to let owner handlers compete together. The intention is to show them that their compe- tency is relative, not only to that of professional handlers but also to other owner handlers. Competition is key to improving presen- tation, regardless of the level. Yet, the question arises: How much
of a divide do we want in the sport? CHANGING WITH THE TIMES
Historically, dog shows have been bastions of tradition and predictability. In the past, shows never changed much. They have served as comforting constants in a rapidly evolving world. How- ever, this pilot program signals a shift, reflecting the instability of everything in our world, and places its hopes on the owner han- dlers rather than professionals. Some professional handlers lament that so much rests on the owner handlers, as evidenced by this pilot program. For veterans of the sport, staying relevant amidst change is a challenge. It requires adapting to new competition formats and maintaining excellence in a landscape that increasingly values diversity and innovation. According to my sources at AKC, this kind of competition has long been requested by both owner handlers and clubs. There is no definitive list, but apparently, over a dozen clubs have already submitted applications to hold Regionals. As of this writing, numerous Delegates are debating the wis- dom of this course. The Delegate Body did not have an opportu- nity to vote on this Pilot, which the Board designed initially. It isn’t clear how much support there is for this program, and we won’t
know until it’s in full swing. FOCUS, ALLURE & RISK
The biggest complaint surrounding the program is the exclusive focus on NOHS points, omitting regular points for championships or grand championships. This decision has sparked debate within the community, highlighting concerns about recognizing achieve- ments within this new competitive framework. However, these complaints are unfounded when viewing the program as a whole.
128 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, MARCH 2024
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