Futurity / Maturity
Nomination forms:
NATIONAL FUTURITY & MATURITY RULES
Introduction
The purpose of the Futurity and Maturity competition is to encourage breeders to continually strive for excellence and to reward them for their breeding efforts. Because of this, the competition is weighted in favor of the breeder of the litter. However, recognition is also given to the sire for his genetic contribution and to the owners of the individual entries for their work in the development process as the quality of the individual entry is reflected in these combined efforts. The purpose of holding both a Futurity and Maturity competition is to allow the observer the opportunity to study various individuals and lines from puppyhood through early adulthood and thus make better breeding choices in their own breeding programs.
Litter nominations
Only puppies from nominated litters may compete in the Futurity and Maturity. Litter nominations are to 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. Non-members may submit an application for membership attached to the nomination form for the litter. If the NEAA Board accepts the membership application, the nomination will be valid as of 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 and nomination fees are not refundable. 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. If the owner of the sire or semen used in the breeding is a lapsed or suspended individual, there will be no monetary awards presented 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 from whelping date. Fees are as follows:
• prior to whelping, $30
• between whelping date and 30 days after whelping, $70
The Futurity/Maturity Coordinator will send an acknowledgement of the litter nomination application along with the assigned identification number within 30 days of receipt.
NOTE: Litter and individual forms shall be PDF forms and available to be filled out/submitted online if desired or traditional copy/mail option remains.
Individual puppy nominations:
Puppies from nominated litters must be nominated as individuals in order to compete in the National Futurity and/or Maturity. Once an individual puppy has been nominated, the puppy then is eligible to enter one Futurity and one Maturity during its lifetime. 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 of the application. All correspondence will be sent to 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.
The divisions are as follows:
Futurity
6 month and under 9 month Males – 6 month and under 9 month Females
9 month and under 12 month Males – 9 month and under 12 month Females
12 month and under 15 month Males – 12 month and under 15 month Females
Best in Futurity
Best of Opposite Sex to Best in Futurity
Maturity
15 month and under 18 month Males – 15 month and under 18 month Females
18 month and under 24 month Males – 18 month and under 24 month Females
24 month and under 36 month Males – 24 month and under 36 month Females
Best in Maturity
Best of Opposite Sex to Best 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 ………………………………………………… … …Pink and Green
Best of Opposite Sex to Best in Futurity ………………………………… Lavender
Best in Maturity ……………………………………………… ………Pink and Green
Best of Opposite Sex to Best in Maturity …………………………………Lavender
Two special traveling trophies will also be given:
• The Futurity Breeders Cup to the Breeder(s) of Best in Futurity
• The Maturity Breeders Bowl to the Breeder(s) of Best in Maturity
The trophies are awarded to the breeders of the winners of Best in Futurity and Best in Maturity and are given in addition to the monetary awards. It is the responsibility of the winners to return the trophies to the Futurity/Maturity Coordinator at any time before 6 weeks prior to the next Futurity/Maturity unless the current trophy holders will be in attendance at the next Futurity/Maturity. If the trophies are shipped (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/semen owner)
• Best in Maturity 15% (divided 50% to breeder, 30% to puppy owner,20% to sire/semen owner)
• Class Placements 45%
The 45% allocated to Class Placements is distributed according to the number
of entries in each class:
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)
Monetary awards for class wins and placements, Best in Futurity and Best in Maturity will be awarded in the ring to the handler. Monetary awards to the Breeder of Best in Futurity, Breeder of Best in Maturity, the owner of the Sire/semen of Best in Futurity and the owner of the Sire/semen of Best in Maturity are to be claimed by the individual(s) named on the nomination application from the Futurity/Maturity Coordinator. If the Breeders or Owners of Sire/semen individuals are not present at the event, the award will be mailed to them at the address provided on the nomination application.
Judge Selection
Approximately eight (8) months before the 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 questionnaire. 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 up to 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. If in the event of a tie vote, the individual receiving the most second choice votes will be contacted first and so on, through the four choices on the voting ballot.
Each individual shall be contacted in order of most votes received until an individual agrees to judge. 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, the AKC and/or the kennel club of their country of origin.
• Any person elected to judge the Futurity/Maturity who has a litter nominated for that Futurity/Maturity must forfeit that nomination and any puppies individually nominated for that Futurity/Maturity which are owned by others will forfeit their nominations as well. The Maturity/Futurity judge and members of the judge’s immediate family (as defined by AKC) shall not exhibit any dog owned or co-owned by said family members at any conformation events held in conjunction with the Futurity/Maturity. They may exhibit in any of the performance events held in conjunction with the Futurity/Maturity.
• 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)