SILVERWOOD COMPETITION  -- GUIDELINES AND RULES

  1. ELIGIBILITY – For American Bred Bull Terriers as defined earlier.  The following shall be eligible to enter the competition if owned by a full non-probationary member in good standing of the Bull Terrier Club of America, Inc.
  1. Any Bull Terrier which has completed the requirements for an AKC, CKC, or a Mexican KC (FICI) Championship prior to entry closing date.
  2. Any BOV, BOS, WD, RWD, WB, RWB at a 3-point ROM show where the ROM points are awarded in the particular sex and variety.
  3. Any BOV, BOS, WD, WB at a 2-point ROM show where ROM points are awarded in that particular sex.
  4. Any RWD and RWB at a Canadian 2-point ROM show where ROM points are awarded in that particular sex.
  5. Runner-up or BOS from a previous Silverwood.
  6. Special Entry Request – Any animal not otherwise qualified may request a “Special Entry”.  In addition to the regular entry form and fee, a nonrefundable application fee of $50.00 (total fee of $75.00) and a request for special entry must be submitted to the Show Chairman by the entry deadline.
  7. Silverwood Trophy winners are ineligible for subsequent Silverwood Competitions.

II.     JUDGES – Three Silverwood judges will be selected by the BTCA Board after hearing recommendations from the Judges Selection Committee.

  1. The Board of Directors will select the three Silverwood Judges in executive session so that there can be discussion of qualifications, etc, without discomfort to those being considered or their friends.  If a Board Member is being considered, then that member will also leave.  As a systematic way of determining class assignments, the Board will assign the reference number 1, 2, and 3 to the selected judges.
  2. An officiating judge shall not own, co-own, or exhibit any entry at that Silverwood.  An exhibitor may not exhibit under a judge who bred the entry, owned the entry within the past twelve months, or who has handled the entry during the past twelve months.  Any other possible conflict of interest should be brought to the attention of the Show Chairman for referral to the Board.  The BTCA Board will determine whether, in fact, a conflict exists and will then rule accordingly.  Any Board ruling will be final.

  1. JUDGING PROCEDURE – The Silverwood Competition is judged by a panel of three judges.
  1. CLASSES – There will be four.  White Dogs, White Bitches, Colored Dogs, and Colored Bitches.  After entries have been received, the Show Chairman will make assignments based on the class size and reference numbers assigned to the judges.  Judges 1 and 2 will judge the two largest classes.  Judges 1 and 3 will do the third class and Judges 2 and 3 the fourth.  If classes happen to be equal in number then Whites and/or Bitches will be assigned first.  Judges 1 and 2 will award the major trophies.  In each case the unassigned judge will serve as referee if needed.
  2. CLASS JUDGING – Each judge will examine each entry individually and then both judges will stand together while each entry is gaited.  When this preliminary judging is completed, each judge will submit on their card the number(s) of the entries which they wish to reexamine in the final round of competition.  In a class of 21 exhibits or more, the judges will select from two to five entries for the final competition.  Each judge will list only entries which in their opinion are at the pinnacle of breed development, and in which they are truly interested for one of the top placements.  Judges will be aware that a great deal of significance is attached to the final round and only the very top entrants should be so rewarded.  This selection process will result in a minimum of two and a maximum of eight or ten entries (depending on class size) which will return to the ring for final judging.  Each judge is required to write a critique of each entry he or she selected for the final round of competition.  With all the class entrants in the ring, the steward will combine the numbers from the judges’ cards and read in ascending order the entry numbers which will return for final judging.  Results of each judge’s selections from the various rounds will be posted after completion of all competition.
  3. FINAL ROUND JUDGING – Best and Reserve of each class will be awarded first.  Then the four winners will be judged together in the ring for the Silverwood Trophy.  The judging order will be (1) Silverwood Trophy, (2) Lovell Trophy, (3) Brigadier Trophy, and (4) Best of Opposite Variety.  (After the Silverwood Trophy winner is chosen, the Reserve Dog or Bitch to the winner in the classes will enter the ring to compete for Runner-up (except in the case of a referee decision).
  4. CONFERRING – Judges are not to confer in the preliminary round.  The judges are encouraged to confer in the final and trophy rounds.  At no time during the judging of any class will either judge confer with the referee of that class.
  5. REFEREE – If the two assigned judges disagree between two entrants for a class or trophy placement, the referee will enter the ring, judge those two entrants, and render a decision which will break the tie.  The entrant not chosen is automatically reserve for a class win or any final placement.

  1. ENTRY PROCEDURE
  1. Entrants are responsible for obtaining entry blanks from the Show Chairman early enough to meet the entry deadline.  Entries for the competition must be filed with the Show Chairman no later than the entry deadline.
  2. A nonrefundable entry fee of $25 will be due for each entry and must accompany the entry.  Non-US entries must submit fees by US Dollar Money Order, or Certified Check in US funds.  Payments via MC, Visa, Amex and Discover are accepted. 
  3. Membership of the owner in the Bull Terrier Club of America is a prerequisite to entering the competition.  Co-Ownership must be a  matter of record or applied for with the AKC, CKC or Mexican KC(FICI) as of the date of the Silverwood entry.  The member must have full membership, no just applied for.  The entry must be signed by the BTCA member and that member’s address given.

  1. ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES AND POLICY
  1. It is the desire of the BTCA that every known owner of a possible entrant be notified of this competition. 
  2. Any possible relationship between an entry and a member of the judging panel which might constitute a conflict of interest, or any protest, must be brought to the attention of the Show Chairman immediately, but no later than two weeks after the show.  In the event of a protest, the Directors of the BTCA will consider the matter and render a decision which shall be final.
  3. The Silverwood Competition shall be held the day before any specialty competition.
  4. Judges of Silverwood weekend specialties may NOT observe the Silverwood Competition.            Revised June, 2002

PURPOSE AND RULES GOVERNING

THE SILVERWOOD COMPETITION

The purpose of this competition is to bring together at one time in one place

America’s outstanding Bull Terriers so that their virtues may be assessed and appropriately recognized.  In this situation breeders will have an opportunity to inspect America’s top Bull Terriers and talk to breeders from other sections of the country.  They will be able to relate their own progress to the breed as a whole and make decisions concerning future matings that should move the breed forward at an accelerated pace.  It is hoped that through this activity better understanding and closer cooperation will develop throughout the entire Bull Terrier fancy.

The Silverwood Competition is only for AMERICAN BRED Bull Terriers.  American Bred is defined as follows: animals conceived and whelped on the North American Continent, Hawaii, or offshore islands.  These animals must be produced as a result of a mating from a bitch that is bred, conceives and whelps the resulting animals in the aforementioned North America.  The mating can be as a result of a natural mating or by artificial insemination, or any method of breeding that is currently recognized by the American Kennel Club for the registration of purebred dogs.  The sire need not be in North America.

THE FOLLOWING AWARDS WILL BE MADE BY SEPARATE VARIETY:

Best and Reserve of Each Sex (8 total awards)

THE ABOVE WINNERS WILL COMPETE FOR THE MAJOR TROPHIES:

Best American Bred Bull Terrier – The Silverwood Trophy – presented by The Bull Terrier Club (England); to be held for one year.

Breeder of the Best American Bred Bull Terrier – The Ch Bramblemere Gay Carolynda Trophy – presented by the Bull Terrier Club of America, Inc, in memory of George C Pinque; to be held for one year.

Runner-up to the Best American Bred Bull Terrier – The Lovell Trophy – presented by the Bull Terrier Club of America, Inc, in memory of Lavender Lovell; to be held for one year.

Best of Opposite Sex to Best American Bred Bull Terrier – The Raydium Brigadier Trophy – presented by The Bull Terrier Club (England) in memory of Gladys M Adlam and Jessie Bennett; to be held for one year.

Best of Opposite Variety – presented by the Bull Terrier Club of America, Inc; to be held for one year.

Best Second Generation American Born Bull Terrier – The Irene Mann Trophy – presented by Cecil Mann in memory of Irene Mann. To be won by the Silverwood Trophy winner if eligible. Both Sire and Dam must have been born on the North American Continent. If the Silverwood Trophy Winner is not eligible it will be won by the Lovell Trophy winner if eligible.