Futurity / Maturity
Futurity/Maturity Nomination forms:
- Individual Puppy Form: PDF
- Litter Form: PDF
- Pedigree template for futurity entries: Microsoft Word .DOC
NATIONAL FUTURITY AND MATURITY RULES
Litter nominations:
Only puppies from nominated litters may compete in the Futurity and Maturity. Litter nominations may be made by NEAA members in good standing. If there are multiple breeders, at least one of the breeders must be a NEAA member in good standing. Nonmembers may submit an application for membership with the nomination form for the litter. If the NEAA Board accepts the membership application, the nomination will be valid for the date the nomination was received. If the membership application is not accepted, the nomination of the litter will be invalid and the nomination fee will be refunded.
Any member who, having nominated a litter, fails to remain a member in good standing with the NEAA, by lapsing of dues, suspension, or expulsion, and has not been reinstated thirty days prior to the Futurity/Maturity, shall lose all rights in the Futurity/Maturity stake. Dogs nominated by the lapsed or suspended member, but transferred to the ownership of another before said lapse or suspension, are eligible to compete. In such instances, monetary awards will be made only to the owner of the dog, and owner of the sire according to futurity stake prize rules. Monetary prizes not awarded will be put into the category of General Expense Fund.
The litter nomination shall be submitted on the form available from the Futurity/Maturity Coordinator or from www.neaa.net with all fields completed. No litter nominations will be accepted after 30 days after the litter is whelped. Fees are as follows:
- prior to whelping, $30
- between whelping date and 30 days after whelping, $70
The Futurity/Maturity Coordinator shall send an acknowledgement of the litter nomination and the assigned identification number within 30 days of receipt.
Individual puppy nominations:
Puppies from nominated litters must be nominated as individuals in order to compete in the National Futurity and/or Maturity. Starting with dogs born in 2008, the dog’s age for the purposes of the Futurity/Maturity will be that as of April 1st of the year of their birth. Once an individual puppy has been nominated once, the puppy then is eligible to enter the Futurity or Maturity during any year that the puppy qualifies with no further individual nomination. The individual puppy nomination shall be submitted on the form available from the Futurity/Maturity Coordinator or from www.neaa.net with all fields completed. The nomination form should include the AKC number of the puppy. If the AKC number is pending, then this should be noted on the nomination form and the puppy owner should forward the number to the Futurity/Maturity Coordinator no later than 45 days from the original puppy nomination submission. Change in ownership of the puppy should also be forwarded to the Futurity/Maturity Coordinator. No individual puppy nominations will be accepted once the puppy is 5 months old. Fees are as follows:
- puppies three months of age or younger, $20
- puppies over three months of age but younger than four months of age, $40
- puppies over four months of age but younger than five months of age, $60
The Futurity/Maturity Coordinator shall send an acknowledgement of the individual nomination within 30 days of receipt. All correspondence will be sent the nominating owner unless a change is requested by the nominating owner (for instance, if the puppy ownership changes).
The National Futurity and Maturity:
Nominated puppies may compete in the Futurity one time and the Maturity one time. Starting with dogs born in 2008, the dog’s age for the purposes of the Futurity/Maturity will be that as of April 1st of the year of their birth. The divisions are as follows:
| Futurity | |
|---|---|
| 6 months & under 9 months dog | 6 months & under 9 months bitch |
| 9 months & under 12 months dog | 9 months & under 12 months bitch |
| Best in Futurity | |
| Best of Opposite in Futurity | |
| Maturity | |
|---|---|
| 12 months & under 18 months dog | 12 months & under 18 months bitch |
| 18 months & under 24 months dog | 18 months & under 24 months bitch |
| Best in Maturity | |
| Best of Opposite in Maturity | |
Non-Monetary Awards
Awards will be funded from sponsors and from the portion of funds allocated to futurity expenses. Ribbon prizes shall be as follows:
| First Place | Pink |
| Second Place | Brown |
| Third Place | Light Green |
| Fourth Place | Gray |
| Best in Futurity | Green with Pink Edges |
| Best in Maturity | Green with Pink Edges |
Two special traveling trophies will also be given:
- The Futurity Breeders Cup
- The Maturity Breeders Cup
The cups are awarded to the breeders of the winners of Best in Futurity and Best in Maturity and are given in addition to the standard awards. It is the responsibility of the winners to return the cups to the Futurity Coordinator before 6 weeks prior to the next Futurity/Maturity unless the current cup holders will be in attendance at the next Futurity/Maturity. If the cups are mailed (at the breeder’s expense), each should be insured for $500 and include tracking of the shipment.
Monetary Awards The money from nominations and entries makes up the Futurity/Maturity pot. This pot is distributed as follows:
- Expenses 25%
- Best in Futurity 15% (divided 50% to breeder, 30% to puppy owner, 20% to sire owner)
- Best in Maturity 15% (divided 50% to breeder, 30% to puppy owner, 20% to sire owner)
- Class Placements 45%
Percent allocated to class = (number in class)/(total entry) From the individual class pot, the division by placement is as follows:
1st = 40% (divided 60% to breeder, 40% to owner)
- 2nd = 30% (divided 60% to breeder, 40% to owner)
- 3rd = 20% (divided 60% to breeder, 40% to owner)
- 4th = 10% (divided 60% to breeder, 40% to owner)
Judge Selection:
Approximately eight (8) months before entry closing date of the Futurity/Maturity, the Futurity/Maturity Coordinator shall send a questionnaire to breeders of nominated litters in which the breeders are asked to nominate a person to judge the Futurity/Maturity. Only the one breeder listed, as the nominator will receive correspondence related to Judge Selection. Correspondence may be sent by email with “return receipt” for those specifying an email address on the nomination forms. Others will be sent via US Mail.
- Every effort should be made to allow a minimum of 21 days from date forms are sent for the return of the form; any nominations received after the specified deadline are void
- The Futurity/Maturity Coordinator shall send a letter to everyone nominated, along with a standardized biography form. The judge nominee shall return it by the date set by the chair (a minimum of 14 days from the time the forms are sent). If the nominee is not interested in judging, he or she shall decline at this time. The form shall have a check box for those nominees declining the judging opportunity.
- The Futurity/Maturity Coordinator will send to the nominator of each litter a list of all nominees interested in judging the Futurity/Maturity. A short biography on each nominee shall be included. Each breeder, before returning ballot, will list four judges in order of their preference.
- The individual receiving the most votes shall be contacted first, and if willing, declared the Futurity/Maturity judge. Each individual shall be contacted in order of most votes received until an individual agrees to judge. The name that receives the most votes is first; the one receiving the next amount is second, and so on. Persons nominated as the Futurity/Maturity judge do not have to be a licensed Norwegian Elkhound judge but must be in good standing with both the NEAA and the AKC.
- Any person elected to judge the Futurity/Maturity who has a litter nominated for that Futurity/Maturity must forfeit that nomination. No members of the judge’s immediate family (as defined by AKC) shall exhibit any dog owned or co-owned by said family members.
- When the judge has been secured, the application to hold the national futurity shall be sent to the AKC for approval at least twenty-four (24) weeks before the closing date for entries of the Futurity/Maturity. (ref: AKC Rules Applying to Dog Shows, Chapter 2, Section 4)